After four (or more) years of college, you may think that you are prepared for the business world. After all, you studied a subject in depth and obtained a degree designed to train you in a certain career area, so you should be ready for the job market – right? While a new graduate’s knowledge of his or her subject area may be extensive, there are a few points to consider before sending out those first few tentative resumes.
One important fact to know is that, for most employers, a degree from a good college is just the beginning. Job experience is heavily weighted in the decision of which candidate to hire, and that is something that most recent graduates unfortunately lack. Making an excellent first impression is even more important for a first-time applicant, and showing a knowledge of good business etiquette can help bridge the gap between yourself and a candidate with a few more years of experience.
When writing the cover letter for your resume, think of what you have actually done that relates to the job for which you are applying. Internships can be very helpful in this regard. Also, make sure that you are applying for a position that is appropriate for someone seeking their first post-college job.
If you are really interested in working for a certain company, but are informed that the position for which you applied isn’t a good fit with your background and experience (or lack thereof), don’t be afraid to inquire politely about other positions in the company that they may not have advertised yet. Develop a good relationship with the hiring director, and even if a position is not available when you first apply, you can check back periodically to find out if the situation has changed (or they may even contact you!).
Once you have been called for an interview, plan your strategy carefully, from the outfit you wear to anticipating the questions that the interviewer will ask. Regardless of how casual the company’s employees may dress, an interviewee should always dress more conservatively. Men should wear a suit with a classy tie (no novelty ties, at least until you get the job), and women should wear either a suit or a nice blouse and skirt or slacks.
Women should also take care not to wear skirts that are too short, pants that are too tight, overly high heels, or blouses that are too tight or have plunging necklines. Also avoid long or brightly-painted fingernails, strong perfume (you never know if someone in the office might be offended by it or, worse, allergic), and garish makeup.
While you may feel that following these guidelines stifles your individuality or makes you less interesting, to an employer, attention-grabbing clothes or makeup sends the message that you are not willing to be a “team player” or, worse, that you are immature and self-conscious. Your appearance should tell the interviewer that you are a professional, comfortable in your own skin, and would be at home in an office environment.
Once you know what to wear to an interview, know what questions the employer is likely to ask – and have questions of your own to ask the interviewer. Your interviewer will probably ask about any time that you took off during your college years or between high school and college, or between jobs, if applicable. These questions are designed to gauge your ability to commit to a job – after all, hiring and training a new employee is a commitment for the employer that requires time and money.
Also, you may be asked what your best and worst qualities are. Be honest, but know how to turn your bad qualities into pluses: for instance, being overly self-critical means you want to do the best job you can. (But provide examples of how you were able to overcome your bad qualities in order to work with others or finish a project on time.)
You may also be asked where you see yourself in five years. This is an especially difficult question for a new graduate, or any applicant for that matter, and is more of a psychological test of your dedication to your career (and of how well you have formulated your career goals). For strategies for answering this or other common interview questions, it may be helpful to look at online resources or books on successful interview strategies. In this way, you’ll learn both the questions you’ll be expected to ask and the best way to answer them.
Once the interview is over, be sure to send a thank-you note! Thank the interviewer for his or her time, mention (briefly) your qualifications that you think would be a good fit with the position, or reiterate points from your interview that the interviewer seemed to have been impressed by. The contents of this note depend largely on your own experience, but you should be sincere in thanking the interviewer for taking the time to speak with you and consider you for employment.
Even if you don’t get the job you really want, be sure to maintain a good relationship with the company and ask them to keep your resume on file. Very often, employers with a position to fill would rather begin with resumes they already have than start fresh with new ones.
Once you have been hired, you will gradually gain experience in dealing with your coworkers. Avoid office gossip and politics, because apart from making you look unprofessional, you never know who might provide a reference for your next job!
