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Tips
assist job hunters; foibles not always
hiring detriment
By Krystle Ralston
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
The time has come for the infamous arranged meeting of two or more people known
as the job interview. Your palms sweat, your heart pounds and when your
interviewer asks what goals you have you answer “Ummm, apple pie.” Sound
familiar? Stage fright comes in all forms, even if just one person is your
audience. Have no fear; you are not alone.
All of us are aware job interviews are far from easy. They require specific
attire, a detailed resume, portfolio and research about the job itself beforehand.
Cal State Long Beach holds workshops that explain exactly how to handle all
of these things and more.
“
The No. 1 mistake students make in a job interview is that they treat it
like a casual conversation,” said Robin Lee, director of the Career
Development Center (CDC).
A job interview is something you should always take seriously, no matter if
you are 100 percent confident the job is in the bag. It is never casual, although
you should be comfortable. There is a difference. Be polite, but not Stepford.
Be comfortable, but not careless.
How you dress reflects your attitude and personality, and to make a good impression
you must dress professionally.
“
Just like you wouldn’t wear a business suit to the beach, you wouldn’t
wear shorts and flip flops to a job interview,” Lee said.
The workshops even go as far as to bring racks of clothing to show students
exactly what is acceptable.
It may be surprising to know that a thank you letter to the company is almost
essential after the interview. It shows the employer you appreciate the opportunity
to interview for the position without sounding like you are kissing up.
“
It is a lost art for most people,” Lee said. “But it makes
a very good impression. It does necessarily not secure you the job but
they will remember you, perhaps in the future.”
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and definitely don’t be afraid
to talk about yourself. They called you there; they want to know what you are
like.
Just don’t ramble on and on about your breakup with your boyfriend or
your dog being put to sleep. Creating a balance between your personal and professional
life is essential to any job you have, and the interview is the way to show
the employer you are capable of maintaining that balance.
All these interviewing tips should prove to be helpful, but there is always
room for us to be human.
“
I was at a pizza place talking with my friend who works there, pretty much
yelling that I couldn’t get a job anywhere, and with my mouth full
of pizza, the manager walked up to and asked me if I wanted a job. I got
it,” said Christine Johnson, a freshman film major.
Resume writing is also covered in the workshops done by the CDC, which is key
to a job interview.
“
In one interview, I spelled the word ‘college’ wrong on my
resume. And I still got the job,” said Mac Heiden, a senior business
finance major.
Whatever you feel you may stumble on when it comes to presenting yourself in
the workplace, help is not far away. The CDC is located on the second floor
of Brotman Hall.
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