Black Collegian Career Center

It's been said so often that it's a cliché. But it's true – you only get one chance to make a great first impression. With that in mind, it's important that you thoroughly and properly prepare for your on-campus interview. Preparation is especially important because you will have only an estimated 30 to 45 minutes to persuade a potential employer that you deserve a closer look in subsequent interviews.

Those precious minutes should be used to show that you have a high level of potential and an equally high level of interest in working for their organization. You should be prepared, at the very least, to show the employer how hiring you will serve their needs. The following are steps you can use to ensure a good interview.

Do Your Homework

Investigate the Employer. Learn as much as you can about the company's mission, products and services, corporate culture and working conditions. There is absolutely no excuse for going into an interview without this information. Recruiters are most impressed by prospective employees who are already familiar with, and enthusiastic about, the companies they'd like to work for. If a recruiter knows you're prepared to discuss the company intelligently, they can spend more time developing an understanding of your goals and interests.

Information on companies can be obtained from a variety of sources, including:

• Company web sites
• University career services offices
• Company presentations and information sessions
• Networks of alumni and company employees
• Faculty members
• Print and broadcast news sources

Once you have this information, analyze the positions or qualifications that the employer needs. Most companies list certain skills they expect rather than the actual job descriptions. This information can be found in the career services office at your school.

Next, take a good, hard look at your background and experience. What skills do you bring to the table – skills that the company is looking for? Don't expect the recruiter to figure this out for you. It's important to remember that some of the recruiters may be new to the company and may have little or no experience interviewing. In those cases, you'll score higher recognition if you make the recruiter's job easier.

Talking points

You should be prepared to talk about a number of important points, including:

• Skills and personal qualities. What should make you stand out from the other candidates?
• Career goals and objectives. What are your short- and long-term goals?
• Academic programs. What were your favorite and least favorite courses? Why? And how do your favorite courses and academic interests give you a competitive edge in being considered for employment?
• Work experience. Where have you worked before? What skills did you develop at your past jobs that would be valuable to the company you want to work for?
• Accomplishments. What accomplishments have you made that reflect your level of expertise, particularly as it relates to how you might perform with the company?
• Knowledge of the organization and the industry. What do you know about the company and why are you selecting this company to interview? How much do you know about the company's market and industry?

Practice, practice, practice!

Finally, before your interview, it would be helpful to participate in mock interviews to hone your presentation and prepare you for various questions that might arise during the actual interview. Some companies offer mock interviewing workshops, but if there are none available, practice with a friend – preferably someone who is on a similar career path, or perhaps even a trusted graduate student or a friendly teacher. You can supplement your mock interviews with workshops that may be offered by the career services office. Some people find it helpful to videotape their practice sessions for review.

As we said, you only get one chance to make a great first impression. So resolve to prepare thoroughly for your opportunity because you may not get a second chance to make another good impression.

Walter Caldwell is manager of Staffing Resources, the Aerospace Corporation.