Don't limit yourself
We're now ready to begin the third week of recruiting, and by now you should have established some type of interview pattern. You know what kind of position to interview for, what companies interest you, what type of industry will mesh with your background, and the companies for which you would sell your soul to get a second interview.
You may be discovering that things are not going exactly according to plan. You may have counted on interviewing with one special company and were unable to access that schedule; worse yet, you may have had one of your worst interviews with them. It's time to re-evaluate your situation, regroup, and implement your next strategic plan.
First, be aware that you should not limit yourself to a certain select number of interviews. We do not limit the number of your interviews and neither should you. A large variety of types of companies recruit here on campus, many of which might have remained unknown to you. You will never again have access to such a convenient and economical means of interviewing with a wide range of potential employers. This doesn't mean that you should sign up for so many interviews that you suffer what is termed "interview burn-out"; however, do not expect that a handful of interviews is going to result in your ultimate objective: a job offer.
Undecided About a Career Field?If you know you want a career in a certain specific field, such as industrial sales or accounting, by all means interview only in that area. However, if you are interested in sales but are uncertain as to whether you wish to specialize in consumer, technical, industrial, or retail, be sure to access as many schedules as you possibly can. In the interview you will learn more detailed information about specific positions within these fields, and this could eventually influence your final decision to enter a given field.
If you are unable to determine which career field to enter, consider a variety of fields. Remember that once you begin in a certain career area, that does not mean you must remain locked into that area forever. You can often use one position as a stepping stone to enter another career area, so it is advisable never to rule out a career field simply because you're not interested in a single position. Rarely do people stay in the same entry-level position during their entire career; as you are promoted, your entire career direction may change.
How to Avoid Interview Burn-outIf you are interviewing for a variety of positions, it is extremely important that you are able to FOCUS during the interview. It is impossible to do this if you are interviewing for a position in one area at 9:30 in the morning and for a completely different area at 10:30 that same morning. When planning your interviewing strategy, try to space your interviews adequately so that you allow yourself ample time to recover from one interview before proceeding with another.
You will be talking to a great many different recruiters who represent diverse organizations. You need to give yourself enough time to prepare for the interview in order to present yourself in the most favorable way. There is plenty of time to interview with a number of different companies during your college career and proper planning is crucial. Do not attempt to see too many companies in too limited a time frame. You will go into the interview sounding tired, looking exhausted, and the overall impression you leave with the recruiter will not be a good one. Proper planning is the key element here.
Remember to diversify your interests. Interview with different kinds of companies until you feel absolutely certain a career field is right for you. Don't limit yourself to interviewing only with huge megaglomerates: you could get lost in the shuffle. Interview with large companies, small companies, and those in between. This is the best way for you to determine what size company will work out best for you. A certain position in one company may mean totally different responsibilities in another company, and it is wise to be aware of all possibilities. You should sit down and logically plan your interview strategy in order to make the situation work for you, rather than against you.
You may be discovering that things are not going exactly according to plan. You may have counted on interviewing with one special company and were unable to access that schedule; worse yet, you may have had one of your worst interviews with them. It's time to re-evaluate your situation, regroup, and implement your next strategic plan.
First, be aware that you should not limit yourself to a certain select number of interviews. We do not limit the number of your interviews and neither should you. A large variety of types of companies recruit here on campus, many of which might have remained unknown to you. You will never again have access to such a convenient and economical means of interviewing with a wide range of potential employers. This doesn't mean that you should sign up for so many interviews that you suffer what is termed "interview burn-out"; however, do not expect that a handful of interviews is going to result in your ultimate objective: a job offer.
Undecided About a Career Field?If you know you want a career in a certain specific field, such as industrial sales or accounting, by all means interview only in that area. However, if you are interested in sales but are uncertain as to whether you wish to specialize in consumer, technical, industrial, or retail, be sure to access as many schedules as you possibly can. In the interview you will learn more detailed information about specific positions within these fields, and this could eventually influence your final decision to enter a given field.
If you are unable to determine which career field to enter, consider a variety of fields. Remember that once you begin in a certain career area, that does not mean you must remain locked into that area forever. You can often use one position as a stepping stone to enter another career area, so it is advisable never to rule out a career field simply because you're not interested in a single position. Rarely do people stay in the same entry-level position during their entire career; as you are promoted, your entire career direction may change.
How to Avoid Interview Burn-outIf you are interviewing for a variety of positions, it is extremely important that you are able to FOCUS during the interview. It is impossible to do this if you are interviewing for a position in one area at 9:30 in the morning and for a completely different area at 10:30 that same morning. When planning your interviewing strategy, try to space your interviews adequately so that you allow yourself ample time to recover from one interview before proceeding with another.
You will be talking to a great many different recruiters who represent diverse organizations. You need to give yourself enough time to prepare for the interview in order to present yourself in the most favorable way. There is plenty of time to interview with a number of different companies during your college career and proper planning is crucial. Do not attempt to see too many companies in too limited a time frame. You will go into the interview sounding tired, looking exhausted, and the overall impression you leave with the recruiter will not be a good one. Proper planning is the key element here.
Remember to diversify your interests. Interview with different kinds of companies until you feel absolutely certain a career field is right for you. Don't limit yourself to interviewing only with huge megaglomerates: you could get lost in the shuffle. Interview with large companies, small companies, and those in between. This is the best way for you to determine what size company will work out best for you. A certain position in one company may mean totally different responsibilities in another company, and it is wise to be aware of all possibilities. You should sit down and logically plan your interview strategy in order to make the situation work for you, rather than against you.
posted by Arjun | 9:22 AM
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