More and more students (and their parents) have discovered in recent years that graduating from college no longer guarantees a good job. They realize that there are fewer well-paying jobs for them in today’s hyper-competitive environment due to contractions in the economy as well as systemic changes in some industries.
Anyone who understands the college admissions process knows that at the more competitive universities, there are many more qualified candidates than slots available. The same is true once college students begin looking at career options: there are more qualified candidates than slots available for both internship programs and full-time positions. Qualifications alone are not enough – in order to land the best internship or job they must incorporate differentiating strategies at every step of the career prep process to ensure they stand out and create a strong positive impression on prospective employers. Unfortunately, the best way to accomplish this is often unclear.
Despite what you may read, there are no “perfect” answers or “must ask” questions – just as no two candidates are identical, no two interviewers are identical either. What impresses one interviewer may be met with indifference by another, and attitudes and motivations also vary across different industries. The internet has also democratized the flow of information so that anyone can publish their thoughts and opinions—good or bad, correct or incorrect—which leads to a glut of conflicting advice and information that may leave first-time job seekers feeling confused and overwhelmed. How can students discern the good from the bad?
No disrespect to your well-meaning relatives but the most effective advice would be from someone who knows firsthand what companies and managers look for when they hire and who also has personal experience hiring college students. My objective is to help students effectively communicate their brand and value to potential employers – using methods and techniques that best resonates with hiring managers.
Finding a job is not just about what you’ve done but also about who you are, and how you can communicate that clearly, professionally, and in a unique way. Who inspires you, what motivates you? This type of self-reflection is an often-ignored part of the career prep process but is very necessary as you construct your authentic story to convince hiring managers that you are the right candidate.
Unlike experienced professionals who can point to their relevant work experience as qualifications for future success, students have a more challenging task of persuading prospective employers that their academic and extracurricular experiences can translate into professional success. They also have the additional burden of assuring companies that they are truly interested and committed to the industry.
The recruiting and interview process is a sales process where your qualifications, skills and potential are the services you are promoting; this is a paradigm shift for many students as they have customarily been the client rather than the salesperson. The skills they need to develop in order to successfully land their dream positions include:
- Developing creative networking techniques
- Preparing results-oriented resumes rather than generic job descriptions
- Engaging with interviewers on an emotional level by crafting personal, academic and professional stories
- Understanding the real goal behind many common interview questions
- Providing uncommon answers to common interview questions to generate the biggest impact with interviewers
- Creating truly insightful questions to shine above the competition, and
- Demonstrating a sense of urgency and becoming a low maintenance employee in order to convert internships into full-time jobs offers
Jerome Wong
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