Interviewing Your Prospective Employer
I've worked as an aerospace industrial engineer for six years
. This was my first professional job out of college. It took me nine years to get my bachelor's degree. During that time I changed my major 6 times, back packed through Europe one summer, moved across the country, attended one community college and two universities, and worked different types of jobs to pay for my education.
By the time my graduation date was approaching, I was overjoyed at the prospect of 'just' working. I would no longer have to work full time to support myself while going to school full time. Furthermore, I could not wait to be in my career where my opinion was valued, I was respected and I was no longer just another college student.
With all of the anticipation of how actually graduating from college would change my life, I felt tremendous pressure and anxiety to find a great position. I no longer wanted to be working to achieve an end, which was to get through school. I wanted to find the perfect position, one in which I would enjoy going to work.
The weeks before graduating brought the normal end of semester stresses-finals, finishing projects, term papers, etc. This semester's end had a uniquely new stress-job hunting. I was fortunate that my campus offered a large industry job fair and the companies participating were reputable companies I desired to build my career with. I diligently went through the list of companies participating in the job fair and did my research on the positions available; I decided which ones I would give my cover letter and resume to on the day of the fair.
The job fair was a dizzying event. Hundreds of companies were set up in the auditorium, and thousands of dressed-to-impress, soon-to-be-graduates were quickly handing out resumes. Every one of us was trying to build a instant rapport with a would-be employer and somehow become that one prospect that made such an impression that he or she would be chosen from the hundreds of applicants that could add value to that said company if given an opportunity. I didn't realize, however, that the job fair was just the beginning of this mayhem.
Just days after the job fair, the calls began. My already exhausting schedule instantaneously became even more exhausting- between going to school full time, working full time as a night receptionist at a hotel (my shift was 11pm to 7am), and my very sporadic sleep patterns, I was now talking to prospective employers during my primary sleep hours in the afternoon. I remember several conversations in which 10 minutes into them, I fully woke up and had to ask for a recap of who, what, where, when, and why.
I believe having a strong cover letter accompanying my resume helped me to get many initial phone interviews-mine was the only cover letter I saw at the entire job fair! After a few calls with the company, however, it would be discovered that it was not an ideal fit for either one of the parties. My exhausted enthusiasm started turning into panic with graduation just weeks away. In time the feeling became desperation to get hired by just any company, no matter how bad the fit. I would drive hours in the early morning to get to an eight o'clock job interview for a company and/or position I knew I would not be happy working.
That desperation changed into a feeling of empowerment after one particulary bad interview process. I had gotten on the road at 4 am to get to an early morning interview. Upon arriving at my prospective employer, I was placed in an large meeting room and given a personality test. After my time was up, someone came in to retrieve the test-to review it I believe. After talking for a few moments, she told me she would come back shortly to continue with the interview. An hour had passed before she returned with an apology that she had forgotten I was there.
I was then given a small tour of the facility and afterwards I sat with an employee who explained what the position entailed and asked me several innapropriate interview questions, such as do I have a family that would interfere with my ability to work overtime? After talking overtime requirements for this position and salary, I realized I would be making less than I was at my current night receptionist position per hour required.
The last part of my long and frustrating morning was with an upper manager that asked all of the cliche interview questions, like where do you see yourself in 5 years? What do you have to offer this company? What are your weaknesses (which one is supposed to turn a strength into weakness, like "I am too detail oriented, and that can create late nights during times of deadlines")? The last straw of this disastrous interview was that I was not offered even a cup of water for my time.
I was completely over it; I was no longer going to be a victim in these interviewing processes. I was going to take charge of my professional destiny and start interviewing my interviewer! My role was now to ask them the questions I wanted answered and I was going to decide if I wanted to work for a company with the core values that were being expressed.
With my new prospective on the interviewing process, I went into my other interviews with my head held high and full of confidence. I no longer cared if they liked me, I wanted to know if I liked them. This approach created a relaxed and fun interview full of good conversation and genuine rapport. Having a strong cover letter and resume, doing my research on the companies, and having my new confidence were definitely key in getting the position as an industrial engineer in aerospace.
by: Eric Shanman
Five Things To Learn About A Company Before Your Job Interview 4 Powerful Interview Techniques Curiosities From The Forum With The Exclusive Interview With Mcgonigle Succeeding At The Big 4 Accounting Interview Job Interview: The Great Enemy Of A Selection Process? 4 Rules For National Media Interviews Best Dressing For The Interview Success How To Face A Case Interview Dressing For Your First Job Interview First Impressions Are Lasting Impressions! Successful Interview Tips That Everyone Wants To Learn Three Examples Of How To Miss Out On An Interview Free Interview Question - Boost Your Interview Skills Various Skills Required By An Interviewee