The answer is that you must get someone to open the gate, and for the college graduate, the gatekeeper to corporate America is the campus recruiter.

The majority of applicants do not fare well in the campus recruiting process; only about fifteen percent pass this initial screening. If the first contact occurs at a job fair, which gives the applicant only a few minutes to impress the recruiter, the results are even less encouraging.

You can significantly enhance your chances of success by careful preparation, research, and rehearsal. Madeline Johnson, director of Career Services/Placement Center, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, describes it this way: Your challenge in the interview is to cause the company to want to make an investment in you. You must know the employer, what the employer needs, and what you bring to the table to make your application and interview stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Halt!  Who goes there?

How do you convince an employer that you are the best person for the job?   Become readily conversant with your strong points and weak points, able to describe the one and reduce the impact of the other. Of all the newly minted warriors standing in the gateway, why are your weapons stronger, your skills better, your personal qualities more desirable?

Once you are comfortable with your goals, aspirations, and qualifications, prepare your resume and cover letter, with the assistance of the career placement office. Theresa Queenan, Director, Career Services at the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, provides a manual to student job applicants, giving guidance on resume preparation, self-assessment, and the drafting of routine correspondence. Most other campuses provide a similar service. Remember that the average time spent initially reviewing your documentation is about 13 seconds, so use these materials to drive home your credentials, demonstrate your persuasive writing ability, and convince the employer that you're worth a second look.

The Board

Usually located at or near the career center or campus recruiting office, the board normally includes a list of the employers visiting the campus, the majors sought, and other pertinent information. See what career options are available for people with your major. You may qualify for opportunities you never previously considered.

Finally, review the typical assignments for new hires. Considering your assessment of what you have to offer, will the company be providing you an opportunity for learning and growing, or will you just be marking time?  Your research may reveal valuable clues regarding the employer's approach to developing its human resources.

Sign on the Dotted Line

Every campus placement office has procedures, which must be followed to ensure your registration for an interview. In some instances, the placement office will submit the resumes of students to the company for an initial screening process. Other schools post the company's requirements on the board, and qualified students sign up on a first come, first served basis. Knowing the policies at your school can mean the difference between being a front runner and being an also-ran.

Aaron Wyche, program manager for Multicultural Affairs at Aerotek, advises students to get to know the people who run the placement office, and to use them as a resource. Remember that some schools have no-show rules. If you fail to show up for scheduled interviews with employers, you can be banned from further use of the career center for job search activities.

Know the Company and Industry

Johnson advises that you can learn about the company's product lines, major competitors and plans from published materials. Her view, which is shared by corporate recruiters, is that the applicant should demonstrate an interest in the specific company and not give the impression that the student is merely on a fishing expedition. Know the employer's mission, goals and objectives, says Johnson, and speak about them in the first on-campus interview.

Speak with alumni who are working for the company, and discuss the potential employer with professors and mentors who have first-hand information. Are there training and development plans for advancement of qualified employees?  Does the company have workforce diversity or affirmative action initiatives?  Does the company make its position on important issues known in minority media as well as in its internal publications? Students can learn a great deal of information about companies on the Internet. Two excellent Web site sources to access are THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Online at www.black-collegian.com and IMDIVERSITY.COM at www.imdiversity.com.

Practice, Practice, Practice

You wouldn't go into a sword fight without a little fencing practice, so don't engage in verbal fencing without a rehearsal. Find a friend or classmate to play the role of employer, and engage in the kind of dialog you expect to encounter at the interview. Wyche suggests flash cards to record and practice answers to typical questions. After the practice interview, ask for a critique of your interview.

Many colleges have facilities for videotaping interview practice sessions. Queenan at UMES, for example, schedules videotaped mock interviews, which are critiqued by both students and staff. Seeing yourself as others see you will provide invaluable insights into the changes that you need to make in your interviewing technique and style.

First Impression Spit and Polish

The day has arrived, and it's time for some last minute preparations. Wear appropriate, conservative attire. Just as you display your individuality and creativity through your dress while in casual situations, show that you're a team player in the interview context. Shoes shined, hair neatly done, suit pressed, fingernails spotless, all are signs of a serious-minded individual.

Harold Martin, management recruiter for Shoney's, Inc., says he still sees an occasional candidate who believes that casual dress is appropriate. Even on campus, where people routinely dress casually, or for a company at which casual dress at the workplace is typical, the buttoned down approach will impress the interviewer more favorably than casual attire.

Look in the briefcase you're carrying. There should be a few copies of your resume, as well as a one-page summary you can present upon request. There should be a pen and pad for any last-minute notes, and for writing the names of any interviewers who did not bring business cards.

Don't be on time be early. As dependable as your car may be, Ol' Betsy may stop running, the Metro may strike, or the dormitory elevator may stop between floors, with you on it!  Build enough soft time into your schedule to deal with any unforeseen delays. After you arrive at the interview site, take a last, long look at yourself in the mirror. Everything ready?  Armor all in place?  Good. Then let's go into battle.

Your Thirty Minutes in the Sun

Yes, thirty minutes is all you get, and it's really closer to twenty-five. Usually campus interviewers will schedule an interview each half-hour, with an hour built in for lunch at about noon. The last five minutes of each interview period will be spent completing evaluation forms for the company and/or school.

Typically, a company representative, either the interviewer or a greeter, will meet you in the waiting room. Give each person you meet a firm handshake, and use their name as you greet them. Good morning, Mr. Jones goes a lot further than Hey, what's up! in making a favorable, initial impression. If the greeter is a recent graduate of your school, and you are personally acquainted, you can certainly be less formal, but not less respectful. The interviewer who will complete the evaluation often solicits the greeter's opinion.

Now the door closes, and you are shown to a chair. After another firm handshake and another pleasant businesslike greeting you take your seat, remembering your posture. Look the interviewer directly in the eye, and wait for the first move to be made.

Rather than launching into an eloquent description of the virtues of XYZ Corporation, the interviewer asks you why the Utah Jazz didn't do any better in the NBA Finals. Just remember that no question from the interviewer, even small talk, is irrelevant. You can use this time to build rapport, and to demonstrate the communications skills you have been practicing.

Listen attentively with your mind as well as your ears. You may be absorbing every word the interviewer is saying, but if your eyes are straying from place to place, and your body language says not interested, your interview may end quickly.

There are common questions that are asked by interviewers in virtually all industries, for students in any career field. What would you do if questions test your ability to think on your feet about situations likely to occur on the job. What do you see yourself doing in the next five years?   If your plans are to be in a different industry or job track, you may not be the long-term investment the company is banking on. 

Martin, from Shoney's, will frequently ask, if you had to describe yourself in one word, what would that word be?   The word is important, but less so than the spontaneity, the ability to come up with a coherent, well reasoned answer, on the spot.

At some point, negative information may arise. When it does, state the negatives as positively as possible. There is a big difference between, "My boss was clueless, and he almost cost the firm a major account. His computer skills were so out of date we had to work overtime just to bail him out of the messes he caused, and The position gave me an opportunity to introduce new technology to a company that was struggling to stay profitable in the face of stiff competition.  It's all a matter of presentation. The same is true if asked about your own weak points.

Spin is one thing, lying is another. Don't ever lie. You will be caught, sooner or later, and falsifying application information can be cause for termination of your employment.

Wyche, from Aerotek, notes that some interviewers may give constructive criticism during the interview. This is both to help you improve, and to test your reaction. This, too, can be turned into a positive situation, by asking the interviewer for suggestions for improvement, thus showing your commitment to self-development and your ability to handle adversity. Above all, RELAX. After a few of these, you will be able to cruise through the questions and answers so easily that you could conduct your own interview.

Last Impression Closing Comments and Questions

Any information you need to make an informed decision should be solicited at the end of the interview. Wyche cautions that an applicant without questions is an applicant without interest in the firm. What are the opportunities for training and advancement?  What is the next step in the process, and when should you expect to hear from the company?  Information flow is two-way, and you are assessing the company while they are assessing you.

This is not the time to talk about compensation or benefits; that discussion should be saved for the personnel representatives at the hiring facility. General information in this area should be sufficient for now, and is probably on file in the company's campus binder.

Last, Last Impression The Thank-You Letter 

The interviews are over, and the company's senior representative is going over the dozens of candidates the interviewers have seen. The walks-on-water applicants have already been identified, and the clear misses have been eliminated. Only a few of the remaining, well-qualified, people will be selected.

Attached to your evaluation is the thank-you letter you sent, referencing the date of the interview, positions discussed, the college or university you attended, highlights of your qualifications, and, if applicable, some specific topic of mutual interest. This letter could put you over the top.

Now, Get Ready for the Next Interview, the Next Challenge

Meet with the placement office a few days after your interview. The company representatives will have debriefed them about the performance of the students they saw, and may have completed a written evaluation of each student. You can use that information, and the suggestions the placement office gives you, to increase your probability of success.

No matter what the result, stay with it. You may receive enough rejection letters to wallpaper your dorm room before you get that one big break, but once you receive the position you seek, it will have all been worth it.