With a little over a month left of school, some of you collegiettes™ are still scrambling to figure out how you’re going to fill your time this summer. After spending grueling hours in the career center perfecting your resume, and dedicating full afternoons to phone and Skype interviews, you probably expected to at least land one of the internships that you dreamed of (especially because you are offering to work for free!). However, if you find yourself getting nothing but rejection emails, or worse, no response at all, you may be making some mistakes that employers take a lot more seriously than you would think.
1. Presentation
Your resume and cover letter give a potential employer their first impression of you. It is important, therefore, that you make yourself seem as professional and adept as possible. This means no spelling or grammatical errors, no silly fonts, and no regular paper. Many students think that it is a good idea to make their resumes stand out by giving it an attention-grabbing header, or making it look flashy. Although this may have worked for Elle Woods, chances are it will not work for you. Employers have admitted to throwing away any resumes that look unprofessional, because it seems that the applicant does not take themselves seriously. Also, make sure that your resume is submitted on high-quality resume paper, not just plain printer paper. Even worse is fluorescent green or blood red paper, which will get you nothing but negative attention and make you look annoying and elementary.
2. Etiquette
Almost as important as your first impression is your last impression. Within a day after your interview, it is vital that you send a follow-up card or email thanking the employer for their time. This reflects positive interpersonal skills, and also will leave them with a positive opinion of you, even if the interview was not your best. Do NOT use this as a time to apologize for or attempt to remedy any mistakes you may have made in your interview. Your interviewer may not have noticed that you stumbled over a question, and bringing attention to it only makes matters worse. Simply be gracious and let them know that you look forward to their decision.
3. Maturity
One trait that employers look desperately for in their applicant pool is maturity. That means that when you answer their calls, you must sound professional. Saying “what’s up?” makes it screamingly obvious that you are still a student. Even more imperative is to keep the “likes” in check. You may be nervous to answer an interview question, but no company wants to hire a Valley Girl. Take a deep breath to compose yourself, and make sure that your responses show what an intelligent and poised young woman you are!
4. Timeliness
If you scheduled your interview for 2 o’clock, make sure you are ready at 1:50. This means that you are either at the office your are interviewing, or in a quiet, clean room where you will not be interrupted for a phone/Skype interview. Do not answer the phone while you are in the dining hall or walking to the Science Center. All the employer will be focused on is the distracting background noise, or the sound of you panting while you run up the stairs. Be prepared.
5. Your Online Persona
This one can really make or break you. Companies are smart, and they know to Google search the employees they’re considering before they actually hire them. This means you need to monitor how the information that is on the web is presenting you. Sure, that picture of you doing a keg stand may be epic, but it does not shed you in a positive light. Keep your Facebook and Twitter private, and be mindful of what comments you make on public groups and events. You may be “so f****** excited for FebFest,” but the CEO of a major firm does not want to know. Google yourself on a regular basis to make sure that the results that come up enforce the same qualities that you tried to portray in your interview.?