Job Interviewing 101: How to Succeed in Different Situations

By Heather Huhman for Mashable

Heather R. Huhman is the founder and president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. You can connect with Heather and Come Recommended on Twitter and Facebook.

Did you know the average employer may receive upwards of 100 applications per job opening? In addition, even if an applicant does land an interview, it can be difficult to navigate through the process, since every interviewer is different. So, how can job seekers ensure they are reading each situation correctly?

This infographic, compiled by Interview Success Formula, a program that helps job seekers to deliver powerful interview answers, illustrates how job seekers can read the most common types of interviewers and how to succeed in the processof job interviewing. Some takeaways to note include:

• The average duration of an interview is 40 minutes
• 60% of managers conduct video interviews
• 34% of U.S. workers say they have a younger boss
• 17% didn’t believe the employer was knowledgeable

Check out the full infographic and tell us in the comments if your experience has been similar. You can also view a larger version of the infographic here.

The Graduation Bucket List

By Emily Callaghan for Wetfeet

We all know what happens come May: the safety net of college tears away and you plummet into The Real World. In other words, your days of sleeping ‘til noon and eating Easy Mac are numbered. No amount of academic coursework can prepare you for what lay ahead, but there are a number of measures you can take to help that suave, employable grad emerge from beneath the scruff and sweatpants.

1. Share a drink and some thoughts with a professor. He’s got wisdom beyond his years—and connections.

2. Get business cards. Include your name, tagline (ex: Creative Software Engineer), contact info, a link to your LinkedIn profile or portfolio, and a simple logo.

3. Have your resume reviewed by your career center. Then keep it up-to-date and ready to go at all times.

4. Shop around for a nice pen. Don’t lose it.

5. Update your voicemail message. No jokes, no mumbling.

6. Dress the professional part with a properly fitting interview suit. Buy one now, before you have interviews lined up. If you already have one, make sure it still fits.

7. Check out trade magazines and blogs on your industry or field. Sign up for newsletters. Get reading.

8. Take the Myers-Briggs personality profile test in your career counseling office (where it’s likely free). See if you’re more ENFJ or ISTP, because somewhere, someday, you’ll use this information.

9. Buy resume paper. Look for a minimum of 20 lb. paper, made of cotton or linen. While it won’t make a drab resume shine, it’s a nice touch for one that’s already stellar. 

10. Learn how to tie a tie—girls too.

11. Look for a tote or messenger bag to replace your threadbare backpack. No skull patches permitted.

12. Learn how to cook 5 guest-worthy meals. Ramen won’t cut it when you make dinner for a date.

13. Nail your 30-second elevator pitch.

14. Create a LinkedIn profile and ask a former employer to recommend you. Write a concise and confident summary that describes your qualifications and career goals. LinkedIn is first to show up when you’re Googled by a recruiter, so make sure your intro is strong enough to keep them reading.

15. Get a shirt/hat/hoodie with your school’s name or logo. Wear your new gear to a baseball or lacrosse game and shotgun a beer at the tailgate for old time’s sake.

16. Set up informational interviews with people in your chosen field. Use your contacts—professional acquaintances, family, friends, your school’s alumni database—and browse recent news articles related to your career interests and track down the person who was quoted or profiled. 

Start by writing an email that tells the person why you’ve contacted him, whether it’s “Steve Smith recommended I speak with you,” or “I read your article in the Post and want to hear more about your work.” Then give a little background and say why you would value a meeting—but don’t make it as formal or as long as a cover letter, and don’t include your resume. 

End your letter by giving a few dates and times you’re available. A standard request is a 15-minute phone interview, but if you feel comfortable, ask for lunch or coffee. And when the time comes, foot the bill.

17. Wake up early—as in, before 9—once per week. Sleeping in is a tough habit to break, so you’d better start now. (See the Wake Up! Article)

18. Beef up on meal etiquette so you’re not the gal who digs into her surf and turf before the rest of the table’s dishes have arrived. For that matter, don’t be the gal who orders surf and turf at a recruiting dinner.

19. Consider how much beer has been spilled on your nice black shoes. Treat yourself to a new pair that’s interview-worthy. While you’re at it, buy a belt to match. 

20. Switch your Facebook profile picture to one that’s beverage-free. Change your privacy settings so that only friends have access to all of your pictures.

21. Ask your college alumni office for a list of graduates from your program. Pick 3 and email them with questions: Where are they now? How did they get their gig? What do they wish they’d known upon graduation?

22. Apply for a passport. 

23. Set up a professional Gmail account. Lose the “babigurl,” or “sk8punk.”

24. Pay your library tab so a $2.30 fine doesn’t prevent you from getting your diploma.

25. Join your school’s alumni database.

26. Start wearing a watch. It shouldn’t have a Velcro closure or a Hello Kitty face.

27. Have your headshot taken for the yearbook. Use it as your LinkedIn picture. Don’t forget to give a copy to Grandma.

28. Participate in every college event that uses the word “networking” in its description—happy hours included. When you arrive, don’t huddle with your friends: The point is to network. Work the room.

29. Take advantage of career center workshops, mock interviews, and career counselor sessions.

30. Join industry, field of study, and alumni groups on LinkedIn.

31. Attend as many career fairs as you can.

32. Ask your landlord for a reference. If you ask him in a year when you’re trying to rent a bachelor pad two states away, he may mistake you for the jerk who stuffed frozen turkeys in his walls.

33. Consolidate your loans and find out your credit score. If you don’t yet have credit, get yourself a credit card and charge responsibly to build a positive credit history.

34. Take the GREs, MCATs, GMATs, or LSATs while you’re still in the test-taking mode.

35. Volunteer with the admissions department by hosting a high-school student. Put this on your resume. Just don’t let him get alcohol poisoning. 

36. Sell your books. As much as you think you’ll refer to your Psych 101 books as a consultant, you probably won’t.

37. Use your book money to buy a leather portfolio for interviews.

38. Follow career advice blogs, such as: CornOnTheJob, TheSavyIntern, AskAManager, andCareerRocketeer.

39. Import the contacts from your .edu address into your Gmail account. Your school account could soon vanish.

40. Ask your professor for a recommendation while he can still put a face with your name and your good work.

41. Build your portfolio. Don’t let years of work disappear. Store the contents of your computer with an online backup service or on an external hard drive. Create both digital and physical portfolios of your work. Make copies of any school papers you’d like to look at ten years down the road, like that 30-pager on Mexican immigration reform.

47. Wean yourself off of study drugs. Employers might check for them. And stop smoking the broccoli. They test for that, too.

48. Choose 5 target employers and send your resume and a targeted cover letter to a recruiter or manager at each organization.

49. Be able to answer this question: If you were an office supply, which would you be and why?

50. Partake in a school tradition. Streak through the quad. Swim in the fountain.

What Happens During Spring Break…Could Be Something You Regret Forever

By Kelsey McWilliams, junior journalism major at CU-Boulder

Spring break means that it is time for some much needed relaxation and recuperation from the stress of college. Sure, you’re stressed and ready for a break, but before you throw all caution to the wind, think about how one poor decision could haunt you forever.

As you enjoy the beaches in Cabo San Lucas or the clubs in Vegas, remember that your behavior should reflect how you want future employers to see you. This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun and let loose. Just be mindful of what you’re doing and with whom, because in our digital world, there’s always someone with a camera or smartphone waiting to put your most embarrassing moment on the Internet for everyone to see.

Facebook photos of you partaking in inappropriate behavior are not excused just because you’re in a different country or area code. They say that once a photo hits the web, it’s impossible to completely delete it. The Facebook albums that will pop up after break are inevitable. Remember there are ways to find your photos even if you delete them. Don’t put up something inappropriate or embarrassing that you’ll regret later.

In addition, it is very important to be safe while you’re in other countries or places that you are not familiar with. This means that you should stay with a group or at least one friend at all times. If some of the tragic but true spring break horror stories haven’t convinced you that you need to be safe in other countries, think about Natalee Holloway. Not everyone is who they seem so keep your guard up. Don’t go off with people you don’t know and end up in a scary situation. The popular phrase, “some rules were made to be broken” should not even cross your mind if you are in another country.  A seemingly harmless prank could land you in jail and that’s nothing to brag about.

Lastly, if you’re staying in town for spring break there are lots of great ways to be productive during this week off. While you’re relaxing at home you can:

• Update your resume and cover letter.
• Look for and apply to jobs and internships on Career Buffs.
• Create, update and complete your LinkedIn profile. A complete profile will show up in more searches.
• Conduct informational interviews with professionals in your field of interest.
• Get ahead in school – finals are just around the corner, so it’s not too early to start studying!

As you embark on your spring break adventures...be smart, stay safe and remember: what happens during spring break does NOT stay private. Make wise decisions that you won’t regret once your job hunt is in full swing.

Work Authorization and the US Job Search

Written by Emma Rafaelof, senior Chinese, English, and Asian Studies major at CU-Boulder

As an international student, you have a specific set of talents and obstacles that set you apart from native job searchers when entering the US job market. Your talents likely include some combination of good grades, previous work or internship experience, publications, research projects, multilingualism, cross cultural communication, or volunteer work. Your international status already demonstrates your willingness to travel, seek new experiences, and adapt to a different culture.

The key to getting positions at your most-desired companies is to sell your skills and experience first; you need to show them what you can give them before trying to get something from them (aka visa sponsorship). If they can see your talents first, or find you to be a good fit for their company culture, then they will probably be more willing to discuss sponsorship with you in the future.

While it is better to leave the sponsorship question out of your initial encounter, you also don’t want to waste your time trying to sell yourself to a company that has a strict policy or aversion to visa sponsorship. If the company’s representative shows a marked interest after you introduce yourself, then that would be your time to ask. 

• Inquire about work authorization for past international employees – how was it handled? Are there future opportunities for sponsorship?
• As always, use tact and professionalism to get information. Desperation is one of the last things an employer wants to see.

Getting Authorized

Remember that if you are currently on a student visa, you have options to obtain work permission depending on your visa status.  If your work permission is set to expire, you will need direct sponsorship from the company, which in most cases would be the H1B. Not all employers know about it, but they are responsible for filing the H1B sponsorship when your CPT/OPT/Academic Training expires.

Make sure that when the topic arises, you’ll want to demonstrate some knowledge about work visas and/or work permission (CPT, OPT, or Academic Training). If the employer gets the impression that it’s too complicated, they may be less willing to sponsor or hire.

When you have a job offer, as with anything, get your work authorization paperwork done as early as possible. If you are using CPT/OPT/Academic Training, advisors in ISSS will help you complete the paperwork. You’ll want to know how long that authorization will take so that you can negotiate an appropriate start date. You don’t want to make an employer wait for the authorization to be complete.

For more information on work authorization, go to http://www.colorado.edu/oie/scholar-resources/visa-options-working-cu or visit an ISSS advisor. 

How to Prepare for an International Career Before You Graduate

By Meagan Maddock, senior double major in international affairs (with a concentration in Latin America) and women & gender studies at CU-Boulder

For most people, it is not common to jump headfirst into a career abroad right after college. Many have to commit to unpaid internships, volunteering, and deal with a lot of uncertainty before securing an actual career in a different country. However, there are steps students can take to make the process more effective, and to increase chances of landing an international career out of college.  Below are some steps to take before you graduate to build your resume and put you a few steps ahead on the path to an international career.

Study Abroad

Study Abroad’s value cannot be emphasized enough! It can be incredibly influential in forming your future career goals and opportunities. It has the potential to clarify the direction you’d like to take and strengthen skills that will benefit you when you begin your job search upon your return. Study abroad offers unique opportunities that are impossible to come by in your home country: language immersion, increasing cultural competency, networking with international organizations, gaining familiarity with the region, etc.

Join a Student Group

There are a ton of student groups on campus that focus on international issues. Get involved, and, if possible, take on a leadership position. This will further your expertise on international issues, as well as add some oomph to your resume. Amnesty International, International Affairs Club, and Global Fusion are just a few of your options.

Intern or Volunteer Abroad

Interning can help you decide if a certain career path is right for you, as well as give you an inside look at how organizations operate in other countries.

• Gain valuable skills through challenging, unique experiences that would not be possible in your home country.
• Learn to conceptualize, articulate, and think critically about your intern/volunteer experience through service learning courses.
• CU offers various study abroad programs that include internships, service learning, or volunteer opportunities. Take advantage of these opportunities!

Informational Interviews

Research local internationally-focused organizations and set up informational interviews with them. Come to Career Services and talk to a Career Counselor about how to conduct informational interviews if you are unsure about the process: http://careerservices.colorado.edu/CommonFiles/PDFs/students/quickInfoInterview.pdf

Network, Network, Network!

 Speak with alumni of study abroad, volunteer abroad, and internship programs and ask how their experience has influenced their career path.

• Go to events related to your career interest and network with other attendees.
• Gather contact information for everyone you meet who could expand your network and/or serve as a reference when looking for internships or jobs later.

For more information and resources regarding international employment, please visit our website at: http://careerservices.colorado.edu/students/goInternational.aspx