The dreaded interviews that come after leaving the comforts of Harding life can be an absolute nightmare for students. What not to wear, what not to say, what to say, and even the handshake are just a few stresses of the interview realm.
Starting off
Once the nerves settle and the interviewee gets comfortable, the interviewer will almost always lead with: “Tell me about yourself.”
Randy McLeod, director of the Center of Professional Sales, has helped students prepare for real interviews with mock ones. He refers to the first moments of the interview as one’s “minute-and-a-half commercial.”
What to say
“You must put info on the table that makes them go wow,” McLeod said.
McLeod said to mention things that will set one apart. For example, Harding’s overseas programs are a great opportunity for students to live in a foreign country for months, which puts an interviewee ahead of competitors.
“Mention American Studies programs,” McLeod said.
He said students should mention all of the speakers that they have listened to over the four-year period. What not to say can be more of a stressor than what to say.
What not to do
Never say, “I’m good with people,” because according to McLeod, employers hear this all of the time. It is important to be honest and be confident in one’s abilities. Also, one should avoid having a “deer in the headlight” look. Social media plays a huge role in the interview process. Employers look for badmouthing of the company or customers and inappropriateness on the Web.
How to prepare
“I can tell more about a student by taking a look at their Facebook than a 20-minute conversation,” McLeod said. “Employers continue to check Facebook even after they hire you.”
Sometimes employers will call an interviewee during class, causing the phone to go straight to voicemail.
“Clean out your voicemail,” said McLeod “Employers look for energy in the voicemail along with voice quality.”
According to McLeod, it is necessary to do one’s research before an interview.
“Know more than just a stock price and salary; know what their mission is,” McLeod said.
One should be able to know what the company stands for and what the company needs in order to look better. McLeod said students should be prepared to talk about their strengths and weaknesses.
Standing out
Prospective employees should bring something to the table that would make the company look good.
One must also feel comfortable talking about one’s weaknesses. McLeod said that employers want to know how prospective employees would improve their weaknesses.
Students should know what weaknesses they need to work on and be able to fix them.
