Five Ways to Make Good Impressions
Andrea Schiarizzi
Issue date: 5/10/09 Section: News
With the number of available jobs declining and the number of hopeful employees rising, it's more important than ever to be able to give yourself a competitive edge in the job market. Currently, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall unemployment rate is 7.2 percent. Among college graduates with Bachelor's degrees, that number is 3.3 percent. In spite of these high numbers, there are ways to make sure you leave a positive and lasting impression on potential employers. Here Veronica Mansour, assistant director of Career Development at Salve, and Mary Welsh, a freelance broadcast producer, share tips from their own experience as well as advice applicable to anyone planning on entering the job market.
1.Use your resources.
The résumé, cover letter, and interview skills are crucial, and Salve's Office of Career Development can help with all of it. They set students up with job listings as well as networking skills, which, according to Mansour, is how 80 percent of jobs are found, making this especially important. The office also sets up mock interviews for students. "You have to be very proactive to find a job," Mansour said.
2.Do your research.
Research the company. You might think you're only selling yourself, but you're letting the company know why you're interested in working for them. Learn about their goals, missions, and products.
Be prepared when interviewing for a company. There could be more than one person interviewing you. The interviewer might have a very different personality than you expect, which can affect how you communicate. They might ask you crazy questions such as, 'if you were a tree, what kind would you be?' According to Mansour, who has worked in the career development field for five years, "It's less about the tree and more about how you think on your feet, how you handle stress, and what kind of personality you have."
3.Smile in person, not in your emails.
The interview is a vital part of landing a job, but people, especially recent college graduates, often don't know how to present themselves. Dress professionally. Communication skills are so important. Recruiters find new graduates use shorthand in their e-mails, and they see it as tacky. Do not use smiley faces in your e-mails.
1.Use your resources.
The résumé, cover letter, and interview skills are crucial, and Salve's Office of Career Development can help with all of it. They set students up with job listings as well as networking skills, which, according to Mansour, is how 80 percent of jobs are found, making this especially important. The office also sets up mock interviews for students. "You have to be very proactive to find a job," Mansour said.
2.Do your research.
Research the company. You might think you're only selling yourself, but you're letting the company know why you're interested in working for them. Learn about their goals, missions, and products.
Be prepared when interviewing for a company. There could be more than one person interviewing you. The interviewer might have a very different personality than you expect, which can affect how you communicate. They might ask you crazy questions such as, 'if you were a tree, what kind would you be?' According to Mansour, who has worked in the career development field for five years, "It's less about the tree and more about how you think on your feet, how you handle stress, and what kind of personality you have."
3.Smile in person, not in your emails.
The interview is a vital part of landing a job, but people, especially recent college graduates, often don't know how to present themselves. Dress professionally. Communication skills are so important. Recruiters find new graduates use shorthand in their e-mails, and they see it as tacky. Do not use smiley faces in your e-mails.
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