Career counselor offers new college graduates advice for first job interviews
April 11, 2007
By Dan Petty
College graduates entering the job market this summer and fall will see more openings than last year's grads, but also face stiff competition for individual positions.
A recently released annual survey of entry-level jobs by Monster Worldwide Inc. found that 76 percent of employers plan to hire college graduates this year—a four percent increase—but expect 73 applications for every available spot.
While resumes and achievements are important to their job searches, graduates looking to distinguish themselves from the applicant pool should focus on preparing for their first job interviews, says Liz Shupe, associate director of University of Richmond's Career Development Center.
"Students need to know who they are and how that relates to the position for which they're applying," she says. "Ask good questions showing your knowledge of the company, while giving examples of why you're a great candidate."
Above all, new grads must be prepared for an interviewer to ask them to talk about themselves and emphasize what experiences make them relevant to a position.
"It's impossible for students to know what the interviewer is looking for in that question," Shupe says. So, she recommends "putting some thought into what they've learned from prior experiences—positive and negative—and what they would do differently in the future."
As for proper interview etiquette, she recommends clothing that is conservative in color and style, no perfume or after shave, limited jewelry and, especially for men, wearing dark socks—never white.
"You need to feel confident to walk up to a stranger, shake hands, look the person in the eye and hold an interesting conversation for more than five minutes," she says. "Be ready to confidently discuss your strengths and challenges and how they'll make you a success in the real world." Shupe offers some particular advice to the current generation of college grads.
"Put the cell phone away, and learn to talk to someone without using the word 'like' a thousand times," she recommends.