13 Job Interview Tips for College Graduates
Are you ready to enter the job market? Take a look at these 13 articles with job interview tips on what to do before, during, and after a job interview.
Interviewing for a job is nerve-racking. Just thinking about it can make your heart race.
But it doesn't have to. With a little preparation and some confidence in yourself and your abilities, you can ace your next job interview.
"Be professional, but relax and be yourself," says Nancy Cheek, undergraduate career advisor for Saint Leo University Online. "No matter how long you prepare, you never know exactly what will happen in an interview. Be confident with your own personality and skills to answer and react naturally, no matter what the interview throws at you."
Nancy also advises doing your homework to learn as much about the company you're interviewing with as possible. "Scour their website, follow them on social media, and speak with anyone you know who has worked there," she says.
Additionally, practice interviewing ahead of time—either with a family member or through a mock interview with your career advisor.
To help calm your interview nerves further, check out these 13 articles that offer excellent advice about interviewing.
1. "12 Surprising Job Interview Tips"
Jon Youshaei, Forbes
Youshaei organizes his advice into three categories—before, during, and after the interview. A few examples of his tips: set up Google Alerts to keep up-to-date on the company you're interviewing with, use the Social Sweepster app to wipe your social media accounts clean of potentially inappropriate photos or language, and have at least one anecdote ready to share during the interview that showcases a problem, the action you took and the result. (Type the name of the article into the search button on the Forbes site.)
2. "Preparing for a Job Interview? Don't Skip These 6 Steps"
Hannah Morgan, U.S. News & World Report
Ever heard of the Glassdoor website? Morgan recommends it as a great resource for salary data. Glassdoor also provides company reviews so you can get the inside scoop from employees on what it's like to work at a particular organization. Additionally, Morgan recommends that during an interview, you keep your answers complete, but concise, so that you don't lose the interviewer's attention.
3. "From Classroom to Cover Letter: Interview Tips for Graduates Entering the Workforce"
Sharon Schweitzer, Huffington Post
This article highlights a CareerBuilder study that says that 51 percent of hiring managers find "inappropriate clothing and appearance" to be the most damaging interview mistake. It reminds readers that body language throughout the interview speaks volume. And it nicely summarizes much of the standard advice for job candidates – use a strong handshake, do your homework on the company beforehand, and prepare a 30-60 second elevator pitch for the quintessential "Tell us about yourself," question.
4. "The 15-Step Guide to Nailing Any Job Interview"
Stephanie Fogle, Kathleen Elkins, and Samantha Lee, Business Insider
This infographic-style article showcases 15 key tips on what to do before and during a job interview. It covers advice ranging from researching salaries beforehand and greeting everyone (including the receptionist) you meet graciously to bringing examples of work projects to the interview and following up with a thank-you email.
5. "16 Job Interview Tips and Hacks That Are Genius!"
Jeff Gillis, TheInterviewGuys.com
Bring a job-history cheat sheet with you. Eat an apple, instead of drinking coffee to get pumped up before an interview. Those are just a couple of the life hacks Gillis suggests to help you ace your job interview.
6. "The Worst Thing you Can Do on a Job Interview"
Stacy Rapacon, CNBC
Among the interviewing tips in this article is advice on using your mobile device during an interview: "Answering a call or text during your interview is a … no-no."
7. "Great Career Success Debate: Building the Killer Elevator Pitch"
Patrick O'Brien and Susan Davis-All, USA Today
When an interviewer (or even an influencer you might meet at a networking event), asks, "What do you do?" or "Tell me about yourself," you want to have a personal marketing pitch ready. The two authors of this article share their points of view about what your "killer" elevator pitch should include.
8. "Twenty-Five Great Job Interview Questions"
Bob Rosner, Allan Halcrow, and Alan Levins, ABC News
When preparing for a job interview, it's important think about what questions the interviewer may ask you and how you might respond. This article can help jump-start your preparation with a list of several questions you might want to be prepared to answer.
9. "100 Top Job Interview Questions—Be Prepared For the Interview"
Thad Peterson, Monster.com
This article provides a comprehensive list of interview questions potential employers may ask—including basic, behavioral, career development, salary, and other questions.
10. "Dress for Interview Success"
Monster.com
Here you'll find a list of links to tips on topics such as dressing for the interview by industry, what the colors of your job interview clothes say about you, and examples of interview fashion blunders.
11. "Job Interview Tips for Recent College Grads"
Alison Doyle, About.com
Doyle lists 12 top job interviewing tips including: make a list of your key assets, show enthusiasm and practice the interview beforehand.
12. "Top 10 Interview Tips for New College Grads"
Andy Chan, Huffington Post
Use the right vocabulary, frame your answers to show how you'll add value to the organization, and develop a few adaptable stories from your resume related to the job you're seeking. Those are just three of the 10 tips outlined in this article.
13. "Cultivating Purposeful Non-Verbal Communication in an Interview"
Eileen Hoenigman Meyer, HigherEdJobs.com
This article provides actionable advice for how to best appear calm and professional during an interview by looking at the bigger picture and being the authentic you. Hoenigman Meyer advises job seekers to look at interviews as "just a meeting about a job" instead of putting all your emotional egg" in this one basket.
Other posts you may be interested in reading:
5 LinkedIn Strategies To Energize Your Job Search In A Tough Market
10 Tips For Making The Most Of Twitter In Your Job Search
Getting Started On LinkedIn: 10 DIY Essentials
Using Social Media To Get Hired
Image credits: Mike Vande Ven Jr, Ollyy, and Nagy-Bagoly Arpad on Shutterstock, AlmaArtePhotography/Flickr Creative Commongs; and Pixabay