Black Collegian Career Center

When you interviewed with the company's human resources representative on campus, you may have had that nervous feeling we all get when faced with a new or different situation, or when having to speak on an unfamiliar topic to an audience that seems to be looking for our mistakes and miscues. That feeling is sometimes called "butterflies in the stomach." Those butterflies can turn into buzzards when you move that interview from your campus to a company's headquarters and replace the supportive personnel professional with a subject-matter expert.

How can you neutralize the effect of nerves on your ability to perform well at the site-interview? One way is to follow the adage, "Plan your work, and work your plan." If you know where you are going, what it takes to get there, and how to avoid the bumps in the road, you will be confident during the trip.

Plan Your Work

The interview process is designed for two purposes: for the company representatives to determine whether you are the best candidate for the job and for you to determine whether this is the best position for you. Each party has homework to do before the interview: The company representatives review your resume and background information, and you further research the company's background, history, and products to determine whether or where you fit.

You have already done some general research on the company for your initial, on-campus interview; now it's time to look in depth. Library and Internet research can reveal legal actions against the company and the company's response. How do industry regulatory authorities perceive the company? What comments can you uncover from the firm's own employees that are worth looking into when you visit? Information can also be obtained from the firm's own website, its off-the-shelf publications, and its Public Affairs Office.

Be sure of your own aspirations. What are you looking for in a position, and can this company deliver? Does your resume reflect both your goals and your preparation to achieve them? Can you answer specific questions about the achievements you outline, the courses you have taken, and the relevant outside activities, including employment, you have had?

The employer will usually have assigned a company representative to guide you through the process of getting to the headquarters, completing your business there, and getting home with minimal hassle. Considering the fact that you will be traveling, perhaps across country, on the company's dime, it is in their best interest to make the experience, at least from a logistical standpoint, as smooth as possible. Find out from your contact person what the procedures will be. Are you expected to buy your own tickets and be reimbursed, or will the company make arrangements in advance for your travel and lodging? You may be expected to pay for your meals and submit receipts to the company, so you should have a fund available for these and other personal travel expenses. The fewer things you have on your mind, the better.

As you finalize these arrangements, you should also begin to practice your presentation. Your on-campus interview, probably thirty minutes or less, was geared to determining whether you had the basic skills, relevant education, attitude set, and personal characteristics to be a candidate worth further consideration. The site-interview, on the other hand, is an in-depth evaluation of what you bring to the table, how you can contribute to the success of the enterprise, and whether you can meet the challenge of the environment the company presents. Your practice should be geared to answering specific questions about what you have done, how you did it, and what you are prepared to do over the long haul.

Work Your Plan

If you want a shaky start to your interview day, arrive late. Arriving late will put you on edge and cause unnecessary headaches. You should try to arrive at the building at least a half-hour ahead of time. An early start will enable you to compensate for the inevitable traffic jam or late taxi. Check in with the receptionist about ten minutes before your scheduled reporting time. While waiting, find a mirror and look over your appearance. Turn off your cell phone, and take a few deep breaths. Be ready to give that first, firm handshake when you are called in.

Although your first contact at the site may be that with a human resources professional, such as a recruiter or college relations manager, chances are that contact will be a brief, introductory session. The interviews will most likely start with one or more professionals in your career field speaking with you either individually or as a team, followed by a session with one or more members of management. You may be asked the same questions several times, but answer each time as if you are hearing them for the first time. Be careful to play to the appropriate audience, addressing issues of organization, structure, and supervision to the management representative, and issues of career challenges, job content, and advancement to the professional in your field. Discussion of general personnel concerns, including salary, benefits, and logistics, should appropriately be reserved for your private, follow-up conversation with the assigned human resources contact person. At all times, maintain good eye contact, and display a genuine interest in the position, the company, and its programs.

At some point, you may be introduced to relatively new employees, often from your own college or university, who will give you their perspective of the company as a place to work. Although these discussions are a good opportunity to relax from the more rigorous interviews with people in the direct chain of command, be careful to maintain your professionalism even in such a friendly atmosphere. These "peers" will likely be asked for their evaluation of you, so do not make negative comments about anyone you meet during your visit, and do not disclose any confidential information you may have heard.

You have already been cautioned, before the on-campus interview, about dress and grooming, and have been careful to present a conservative, clean-cut image. The interview is not a test to see who can wear the trendiest outfit, but you don't want to be the target of inquisitive glances or even stares, because of some fashion faux pas. If you have purchased a new "interview outfit," you would be wise to wear the suit, shoes, shirt, tie and other accoutrements before the day of the interview. You certainly do not want ill-fitting clothing to make you appear more nervous and less comfortable in the normal attire of the workplace than you already are.

When lunchtime comes, you will face additional decisions that can be the source of stress if not handled properly. If you have any special dietary considerations or concerns, let the company representative know them in advance. When presented with the menu choices, order something simple, not messy. No egg salad sandwiches, sloppy Joes, or chilidogs. Skip the finger food, spaghetti, and lobster. Avoid the most expensive – and the cheapest – things on the menu, and remember that manners and etiquette, as is the meal, are parts of the evaluation process.

With practice, you are more self-assured in tackling the actual interviews than you would be if you were going in "cold." Still, you want to portray an air of confidence without arrogance. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer, and ask pertinent questions; these behaviors can show that you are interested in the presentation and are interesting, even if the speaker is dull.

Some of the characteristics the company is looking for, like enthusiasm, energy, interest and curiosity, are developed over time and are not easily faked. Make sure that you demonstrate those positive traits that you actually possess; this demonstration will come naturally, after the stiffness that results from stage fright wears off. Remember at the same time that you are evaluating the employer while the employer is evaluating you. These simple facts can help you remain focused and calm when the discussion becomes hot and heavy.

Depending on the company, your interview schedules may take four hours, a full day, or, in companies that employ testing as a part of the initial assessment regimen, two days. During the entire affair, keep notes on the employees and managers you have met, retain business cards, and remember anyone who was particularly helpful. You will probably be asked what you thought about the process and about the people with whom you interacted. You should be thorough, yet positive, in your comments.

Once the interviews are over and you have returned home, you may want to take it easy, but you have one more important task to do: Send a thank-you letter to each person involved in the site-interview process. Those letters may be the one thing that causes you to stand out from some other, equally qualified candidate.

Now, you may relax.

Walther C. Vertreace, Manager Corporate EEO, Amerada Hess Corporation.