When Interviewing, Preparation is Key

Interviewing for an internship or job opening can be a daunting and nerve-racking task. Meeting someone who can decide your future is something everyone of us has gone through and interviewing is a key part of the process to landing a job or internship. How you perform in the interview is important but so is the preparation.

Most hiring managers want candidates that can be well-prepared and willing to go the extra mile even if it is just in the interview stages. Those who take the time to show the hiring manager that he or she can prepare can always use that to stand out from other candidates. It shows commitment, dedication and a willingness to learn, which are all traits most hiring managers desire in candidates.

When speaking with most hiring managers, it is surprising how many stories each one has about candidates who simply do not prepare much for the interview. During my time in the broadcast industry, I came across several managers who interviewed internship candidates who knew nothing about the radio or television station he or she worked at. When talking with these hiring managers, I usually garnered at least one or two stories about someone who didn't know who the morning show hosts were, who was on the air during the afternoon or would mention people who were no longer affiliated with the station as on-air personalities. In all of these cases, this showed a lack of effort on the part of the person being interviewed.

Before going into an interview, make sure to ask yourself this question:

"What do I need to know about this company to prove to the hiring manager I can grow his or her business?"

By asking yourself this question, you should be able to come up with several areas for research. With the help of the Internet, it is easy to find out information about the company and in most cases, most of the information you need will be through the company web-site. By taking the time to do your homework, you will have the information needed to prove to the hiring manager you can grow his or her business and be the candidate that person will need for the position.

Internship Advice: Take Time To Say Hello to Others

As a college student, getting the most out of your internship will be key. When you go to get experience and work for someone during this time, it's best to get to know the person you will be working for and the other people at the organization. One of the best ways to get to know others is to say hello and get to know these people.

When you are interning, it is easy to go in everyday, do what you need to accomplish, and then walk out everyday, however, that won't accomplish much. It won't give you the opportunity to meet others within the organization, will come across as if you aren't interested in meeting others and may make it hard for people to remember you.

During your internship, take time to not only say hello to the person you will be working for but the people he or she works with as well. It doesn't hurt to say good morning or good afternoon (depending on when you go in) to the other people in the organization. It shows you are interested in getting to know others in the organization, makes you a friendly face and more opportunities may arise from it later on.

By meeting others within the organization you are interning for, you may open up more opportunities later on. These people could become network contacts, references or may be able to provide different contacts within your industry. People are connected and the friendlier you are with those you will be working with, the easier it will be for these people to become network contacts later on. By taking moments to say hello and getting to know these people, more doors may open later on.

College internships are key but taking time to know the people in the organization is even more important. By saying hello and getting to know others, you never know what doors and opportunities may open up later on.

The Holidays Are Coming Up Soon So Give Thanks!

It's the first weekend in November but in just a few weeks Thanksgiving will arrive and then the holiday season. The holiday season can be stressful at times for many people but opens up an opportunity to give thanks as well. It's the end of the year and it's a great time to take a few moments to send those who have helped you get through the year or have become good friends a simple thank you.

Taking time to say thank you during that time of year will mean a lot to the people you are expressing gratitude towards and below are some tips on how to give thanks:

• Send Holiday Cards - writing these cards out can be time consuming but will mean a lot to someone who receives them in the mail. Getting a holiday card during a time of year that is synonymous with celebrations can be very meaningful to a person and appreciated as well. You can simply purchase your own cards or get creative and make them yourself!
  
• Send Holiday E-Cards- for those of you who prefer to send cards electronically, this idea is for you! More and more card companies are allowing users the ability to send cards through e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media. Sometimes these companies allow users to design their own cards and provides a more personal touch
• Bring in a treat for the office and co-workers to enjoy - this typically goes over pretty well and can be a nice little surprise for the people you work with. One example of this going over well was when I did an internship over a long winter break in December during my college years. As we got closer to Christmas, I was trying to figure out something to bring in for the people who I worked alongside during this internship and an idea came to me; candy canes! When I walked in the door that morning with packages of candy canes for these people, it meant a lot that someone took the time to bring these into the office for others to enjoy. It showed I cared and was a way for me to say thank you and Happy Holidays.
  

College Seniors: Take Advantage of Opportunities, Take Time To Help Others and Enjoy the Ride

For many of you who will be graduating college soon, the thought of leaving a fun environment for the so called "real world" can be intimidating. Leaving what is comfortable and joining the work force to start your career is scary and difficult but not impossible. Being able to adjust to your life outside of college can start with the internships, networking and friendship you make during your senior year.

In several months, many of you will have to venture out and find your first job. There will be job interviews, resumes, handshakes, and lots of different pieces that play part in the job seeking process. Finding a job right out of college can be difficult but isn't impossible.

During your senior year, take time to intern and network with professionals in the area. Internships provide valuable real life experience that can put you a step ahead of others in the job search process. This also provides you an opportunity to become friends and meet mentors who can serve as references and guides later on during your search. Some campuses hold different networking events where you can meet professionals from the area. Taking advantage of these events can help you meet people who can help mentor your along the way and may even have a position available when you graduate. When presented the opportunity, take the time to intern and network with professionals who can guide you down your path of success.

In addition to networking, take the opportunity to mentor younger students in your field of study. At this point, you've had almost four years to develop the talents you had when you came in as a freshman and taking the time to help others will help develop relationships and teach you to be a team player. Many of the freshmen and even sophomores appreciate a senior taking the time to share knowledge, expertise and advice. Many of them have goals like you have at one point or another and they will never forget the friend who took the time to help them along the way.

By taking the time to mentor, it will also provide you with friendships and a reason to keep in touch with others as you make the transition into your professional career. Being able to talk to these friends on the phone, online, on Facebook, etc. will help relieve some of the stress and anxiety you might be feeling from leaving college. It also means a lot to these people that someone is taking time out of his or her day to keep tabs on how they are doing and it will be appreciated in the long run.

During your senior year, you will have opportunities to intern, network and mentor so take advantage. The relationships you build through interning, networking and mentoring others can help make the transition easier and prepare you for life outside of college.