And
I'm not talking about Sorority Recruiting.
I'm talking about the cold. hard. job recruiting season. Sometimes I think it coincides with hunting season for a reason.
You can run and you can hide, but you shouldn't.
Tomorrow I will be at University of Houston, once again to help out with my fellow Coogs with their interview skills in the Finance Association Interview Competition. This should be fun for me because I was once where you all are. I'm not the most credible source, but Bauer trained me quite well apparently. I landed a job with one of the big 4 accounting firms, aka the #2 most attractive employer in the world (second to GOOGLE) so I'm here to help you if you need it! I've bombed my fair share of case studies and interviews, but chin up. You can do it. Here are a few tips to make your interviews and job hunts a little less painful.
1. ONE PAGE RESUMES. Repeat
after me. ONE PAGE. One page for every 10 years of work
experience I believe is the common professional rule.
2. Skills/Activities: There's
a huge difference. Karate is an activity, not a skill unless you're looking for
something in the military field. Make sure and list organizations,leaderships,
and sports under Activities and Microsoft Office as a skill (for example)
3. Proficiency: If you're going to
say you are proficient in
Microsoft Excel on your resume, back yourself up by knowing how to use Pivot
Tables, VLOOKUP's, and how to run Macros. Oh, and Keyboard Shortcuts. They save
you and are also impressive.
4. QR Codes and Links on your
resume: I don't think I'll be scanning the QR code on your resume with my smart
phone. Sorry. And if you're giving me a hard copy of your resume, I can't click
on a hyperlink with my finger?
5. Tailor your resume for the
job you are going for. Tailor the objective of your resume, too and don't leave
it out. List skills that are relative to the position you want.
6. Don't lie in your
interview. They can probably tell. Be yourself. That's what most recruiters/interviewers like to see.
Someone they would want to work with.
7. Brush up on knowledge of
the company. You don't have to be arrogant about it. But at least know a little
bit about the type of company, locations, what they're known for, news on
the company, etc.
8. Dress for the job you
want, not the job you have. I mean, Olivia Pope knows what's up.Oh, and wear
comfortable, low heels if you plan on walking around a career fair all day.
9. Remember the names of the
people interviewing you. When you thank them for their time at the end of the
interview, saying their first name is very profesh.
10. A follow-up email is a
must. Even though its cliche and what everyone does post-interview.
11. Experience: be able to
elaborate about tough projects in school you've worked on in detail
12. Ask them questions about
themselves. Most recruiters love to talk about themselves because 9 times out
of 10 they're successful people. And not to mention they're getting breaks from
their desk to mingle with college students. Its
Amazing.
PS. I once was pulled
aside at a career fair my sophomore year by a lady recruiter who reminded me to
take the strings off my suit. Here I am walking into career fair with a little
bit of confidence thinking I did good by buying a brand new suit and bam, someone
ruins my world. Okay dramatic, but recruiters are good cops, not bad cops! Keep
that in mind.
