You only get one chance
The Wall Street Journal just published an excellent article by Diana Middleton titled: “Avoid these Interview Killers.” Here’ the opening paragraph.
“With so much competition for every job listing out there—there are more than 6.1 job seekers for every job opening, according to the latest job-opening and turnover data from the U.S. Department of Labor—wowing a recruiter during a job interview is even more crucial. According to a new survey of nearly 500 human-resources professionals released by the Society for Human Resource Management, there are plenty of ways to derail a job interview—and some of them may surprise you.”
My first take was that this really isn’t necessary for college graduates in today’s job market, especially given all the advice they get from the school, the web, and a ton of publications. Then I remembered a conversation I had with a young friend about three weeks ago.
At 30, she’s a vice president in a large corporation. She serves on the recruiting advisory committee for the school where she got her MBA. The day we had dinner, she had just returned from a committee meeting at the school.
Part of the meeting included a reception where committee members mingled with MBA students who would be graduating soon. Very few seemed to care about making a good impression.
“I was surprised,” she said, “If I was meeting someone who could help me get a job, I’d dress up a little and try to impress them.” Instead, some of the young men showed up without shaving. She was sure some hadn’t taken a shower “in recent memory.” There were women students wearing tattered jeans and flip flops.
Her response was to send an email to the career counseling office sharing her impressions and offering suggestions. She also brought back a list of the men and women who made a positive impression. That list went to HR with her notes on what impressed her.
If you’re looking for a job, it’s not the time to be casual about your dress and your manners. Besides checking for typos on your resume, spend a little time learning how to make a good first impression. As the saying goes, you only get one chance.
The Journal article will help. And check out a great post by Anita Bruzzese from May, 2009 titled: “What They’re Really Looking at During Your Job Interview.”
