Posted by:  Silvestre Trujillo, OSU Junior and Career Services Career Assistant

Being nervous before a big interview is very common, and something we all experience. Though nerves are natural, it’s also important to at least appear to keep our composure during the interview process. By keeping our composure we leave a good impression with the interviewer and give ourselves a better chance of obtaining the job. The good news is that there are several ways in which you can better prepare yourself so that you are not nervous before an interview—or at least less nervous.

1.  Practice makes Perfect. Practicing is the most important way in which you can be prepared for an interview. Practicing reduces the amount of errors that you could make during an interview and it helps you think quicker. Going over potential questions that you could be asked reduces the fear of the unexpected. By practicing you also help reduce minor uncomfortable things that come up during interviews. One example of minor uncomfortable thing is sweating.

2.  Don’t Sweat It! Sweating is a little extra added pressure when being interviewed. Sometimes during an interview we think that we are sweating profusely when in reality it is not noticeable to other people. When we thing that we are sweating a lot we get even more nervous and that tends to affect the rest of the interview. A couple of tips to keep in mind if you have this problem is maybe keeping a handkerchief with you in order to calmly wipe off the sweat and arriving early to an interview. By arriving early to an interview you tend to not be sweating because you are trying to run to the interview and this keeps you calm and collected.

3.  Prepare, and Talk Slow. Preparation will come a long way and it will help relieve some of the nervousness that we feel during interviews. By preparing you knock out a couple of problems that may arise such as sweating. Sweating could lead to talking fast which occurs during many interviews. Though we may not realize how fast we are talking it happens after a little thing things that make you more nervous come up. All we think about is finishing the interview because we feel that we are not doing well. This shouldn’t be the case at all, just remember to keep calm and be sure to prepare and you will be just fine.

If you’re interested in shaking off some of those nerves, be sure to schedule a mock interview through Career Services.  Just call 541-737-4085 to set one up!

Posted by:  Tim Chen, OSU Student and Career Services Career Assistant

Now that you have finally attended the Spring Career Fair, it’s time for you to prepare for those interviews.  Engineering interviews are very similar to a standard interview with employers.  However, there are a couple of exceptions.  Here are a few tips that will help prepare you for an Engineering Interview:

*First, come into the interview with some kind of background knowledge of the company and/or organization.

*Second, unless otherwise noted, make an attempt to dress to impress.  Attempting to dress in professional attire will not only draw attention, but it will leave a lasting positive impression you.

*Third, if you’re applying for a position with desired engineering qualifications, expect for the employer to either question your skills or question your depth.

Here is a personal example:  When I applied for a high school contracting internship with Intel, my position required a live identification examination on the parts of a server board.

*Finally, follow the general steps for preparing for a typical job interview.  This includes knowing what to say and what not to say, addressing the difficult “weakness” interview question, and developing a portfolio to share with employers on the skills gained from your engineering degree.

As usual, Career Services does offer Mock Interview sessions.  If you’re interested, please stop by our office or call us at 541-737-4085 to schedule an appointment today.

If you cannot make it in to practice an interview, Beaver Job Net has a special link to an Oregon State University exclusive access to Interview Stream.  It also allows you to experience a “mock interview” and provides an option of receiving feedback from their service.  Interview Stream is special because you can customize your mock interview towards questions specifically related to your major and/or desired career field.

Posted by Kelsey Johnson, Career Services Career Assistant, and OSU Senior

Anxiety and excitement are common human experiences.  Often they go hand in hand.  Whether it’s preparing for a date or for a big game, there’s a desire to impress and/or live up to one’s potential. Interviews work in much the same manner. Typically, if a student is preparing for an interview, it means that their initial contact with the employer, grad panel, or supervisor (via networking, cover letter, resume, etc) has succeeded in sparking an interest in what else they may have to offer.  Therefore, being able to communicate your skills, abilities, and experiences in a professional and timely manner is important for winning over potential managers.  Unfortunately, this is not as easy as it sounds.  Still, many students believe they can walk into an interview and “wow” any employer, just by being their normal “fabulous” selves. Well, news flash! Unless you are Bill Gates (and you don’t need a job), the chances of anyone “wowing” an employer without preparation is pretty slim, especially in today’s competitive job market.  As the old but true cliché goes: you play like you practice.  So come down and practice!

Career Services offers mock interviews which can focus on a variety of student goals.  Whether you’re interviewing for grad school, an internship, or your dream job, we’ll work with you one-on-one to make sure you don’t sell yourself short.  Mock interviews can last from 20 minutes to an hour and typically involve common questions asked by employers, such as “Tell me about yourself”, “What is your greatest strength/weakness?”, “Do you feel your grades accurately represent your abilities? Why or Why Not?”, and numerous others. We also provide various help sheets that give quick tips for different interview types and/or settings.  In addition, we provide a list of common questions to ask employers as well as tips for follow-up interviews and thank you notes. So don’t be shy. Come on by and make an appointment to ensure your interview success.  541-737-4085

Posted by Rachel Erickson, Career Services Career Assistant and OSU Undergraduate

For many people, interviews can be a stressful experience.  We would all love to walk into an interview, ace it, and leave the room feeling sure we’d landed the job.  But the truth is that you must prepare, because perfect interviews do not just happen.  You may have all the qualifications and experiences the company wants, but that is not enough.  An interviewer will be critiquing you on more than what you say.

Here are a few helpful Do’s and Don’ts of Interviewing:

• Do dress the part for the job

• Do research the company and the position you are interviewing for

• Do a practice run with a friend or make an appointment for a MOCK interview at Career Services

• Do make eye contact

• Don’t rely on your application or resume to sell you

• Don’t act like you would take any job

• Don’t say anything negative about former supervisors or employers

• Don’t answer questions with a simple “yes” or “no”

For more information on these suggestions and more Do’s and Don’ts visit http://www.quintcareers.com/interviewing-dos-donts.html

Remember, you are interviewing the company just like they are interviewing you.  Go into the interview prepared with questions you would like to know about the company.  For example “How would you describe your company’s culture” or “What do you enjoy the most about working for this company?” will give you an idea of what it is like to work for that company.