So You're A Second-semester Senior ... Congratulations!

By Elizabeth Zwirz on February 15, 2013

So you’re a second-semester senior …

Let’s be real here, this is most likely one of the easiest semesters you have ever had in your student career. You’re probably taking two,

Photo Courtesy of Google Images

maybe three, classes at most. And they’re either given online or don’t count towards your major. So, not a whole lot of work being done here!

Oh, this doesn’t sound familiar to you? Well, then it doesn’t sound like you’re doing it right!

But there is one thing that could damper your “free as a bird” senior spirits. Its that little reason we all were supposed to go to college in the first place. Yeah, we’re supposed to learn while we’re there, but they also expect us to find some kind of job when we finish.

Wait … you mean they don’t hand that to you with your diploma?

Unfortunately, that is not the case. That would be fantastic though. But now that I’ve reminded you of that pesky little deed you’ve been meaning to do all year, I’ve also come with wisdom.

From experience, I can say that finding the physical job listing is not the hard part. Getting the compnay to bite is. Your resume is going to be in the stacks along with hundreds of others. So my first suggestion is to figure out a way to differentiate yourself. Think about what your strong points are and how to sell them on paper. And if you’re not sure how to do this, there are always advisers available at CAREER SERVICES to help you out.

So now you’ve got your resume and it’s looking great. So naturally your employer of choice has called you in for an interview (It happens that fast, I swear). But now things get tricky again.

Interview demeanor can make or break you just as easily as a poor resume. Hiring managers are there to judge every little thing you do from the second you walk in the door until your leave. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING!

Some automatic deal-breakers: 

- Not making eye-contact
- Failing to smile
- Fidgeting
- Bad posture

Seems simple to avoid but you’d be surprised what nerves will do to someone under that kind of pressure.

Another tricky one is your outfit. You don’t want to be to dressed so bland that you’re indistinguishable from all the other candidates. But you also don’t want to be to flashy. Its all about finding that happy medium, or in this case the shoe that fits. And don’t automatically assume that this one only applied to women. I see all you guys out there with your bright fancy bow ties … like I said, keep it simple.

Here are some more of the classic mistakes people make during interviews, according to 10 Top Mistakes People Make in Job Interviews.

10. Over-explaining why you lost your last job
9. Conveying that you’re not over having lost your last job
8. Lacking humor, warmth or personality
7. Not showing enthusiasm or interest in the job
6. Inadequate research about the position or company
5. Concentrating on what you want rather than what the company needs
4. Trying to be all things to everyone
3. Winging the interview
2. Failing to set yourself apart from other candidates
1. Not asking for the job

That last one may seem weird but it really is true. Being there isn’t enough to prove that you want it. You have to ask for it!

Looking and interviewing for jobs definitely can be stressful. But the key is to make yourself as prepared as possible. Control what you can and don’t worry about the rest.

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