If you have an interview coming up, follow these preparatory steps to improve your chance of success:
Research the organization and their industry/sector
You should know basic information about the organization:
- What services or products do they offer?
- What is their philosophy, value or mission statement?
- What are some of their significant past or present projects?
- What significant trends, issues or opportunities exist within the industry?
To find the information, study the organization’s website, note the organizations or associations that they are affiliated with. You can also talk to anyone in your network who has a connection with the organization.
Note any questions that might come up when you do your research so you can ask the employer during the interview.
Be prepared to talk about yourself
Review the job posting and note how you meet the specified qualifications. Prepare a few specific examples that will help illustrate your qualifications. You might find it helpful to do an inventory of your training, significant experiences and your strengths as well as your weaknesses.
If you have limited interview experience, book a mock interview with a career advisor in the Student Resource Centre to practice and build your confidence.
Put your best feet forward
Refer to the "Present Your Best Self" section to make sure you dress appropriately for the occasion. If you are unfamiliar with the location of the interview, do a rehearsed run the day before. Aim to arrive at lest 10 minutes early on the day of the interview. Always allow time for traffic and any parking difficulties.
Bring an extra copy of your resume, your references and your portfolio if applicable. Have a pen and papers handy so you can make note if necessary.
Congratulations! You've been offered an employment opportunity. Before you rush to say yes in excitement, make sure you consider all the necessary details.
Reiterate your interest in the position to the employer and ask for 24-48 hours to consider the offer carefully. Get the details about the compensation package from the employer and consider the whole package instead of just the salary figure. The research you did about the occupation or industry may inform you about the standard compensation for your location and length of experienece.
Also keep in mind the criteria you set as your employment target. Does the job fit with your interests and the skills that you hope to utilize or develop? Will you enjoy the working environment and the people you work with? If possible, ask the employer if you can have a tour of the facility so you can get a better feel for the environment.
If you have more than one potential employment opportunity to evaluate, try to be as honest and upfront as possible with all parties involved. Be aware of each organization's needs and deadline for a decision from you. Regardless of which offer you choose, always be polite and grateful in all of your communications with the employers.
When you are ready to accept or reject the offer, make sure to do it in writing. Any changes to the offer that you have negotiated should also be recorded in writing as well.
Unfortunately, at some point along your job search process, you may have to face rejection. You may send out hundreds of applications without a single call back or you may not be the successful candidate after the interview round. Rejections can put a lot of stress on you if you do not keep things in perspective and learn from each experience.
Don't take it personally. Do not use the success rate of your job search as a measure of your professional or self worth. Hiring decisions are not made solely based on the candidates' qualifications. Other factors like personality fit, the organization's growth and direction play an important role as well and they have nothing to do with how qualified or talented you are. You were just not the right match for that organization in that specific role at this specific point in time.
Accept reality. Rejections are part of everyone's job search. Accept it and learn to deal with the negative emotions that it might stir up. Take care of yourself and do not give up because of a few rejections.
Learn from the experience. The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn from each rejection. If you consistently do not get a call back after many applications, perhaps your resume and cover letter could use some help. Get your resume reviewed by a career advisor in the Student Resource Centre if this is the case. If you attend many interviews and do not get an offer, book a mock interview with a career advisor in the Student Resource Centre. You can also contact the organization(s) that you applied to and ask for feedback on your application so that you can improve for future opportunities.
Recognize your strengths. It is easy to focus on what you are not good at or not doing right when facing rejection. Keep things in perspective by reminding yourself of your strengths and what you are doing right. Recognizing and celebrating those positive points while continuing to work on areas of improvement will help you stay persistent and positive.
