Landing the Second Interview

Hello Friday, it’s so nice to see you again! This week has been full of snow and other chilly things that have made making plans a little difficult. My flight home was cancelled due to the winter storm the Washington, DC region will be experiencing tonight. I’m actually thankful because the last thing I want my mom to have to do is drive in icy conditions to pick me up from the airport.

Since I’m going through a new phase of job hunting, I thought I’d share some of my “snag a job” tips. By no means am I an expert on getting a job, but I have been a job hunter and interviewee quite a few times. What I’ve learned has helped me understand people better and acknowledge important unwritten rules no one tells you about. Follow my lead!

Tips for the Big Interview

• Watch out for scams: The number of “scam jobs” I’ve seen posted on every career site is incredible. If the title of the posting includes the words “entry level” or “training provided,” be very cautious. It might be legit but read the posting further for more clues on if the job is what it appears to be. For example, if you come across a title like “Entry level event planners wanted, no experience required” I can almost promise you that those “events” you’ll be planning are actually trade shows at Sam’s Club or Costco. Get your hair net and apron ready!
• Landing the second interview: Getting an over-the-phone interview is hard enough, but getting an in-person interview is even harder! Prepare what you are going to say ahead of time. Have your resume ready because you will have to walk the employer through your experiences. If you stutter through this, it sounds like you aren’t prepared and that won’t land you another interview.
• The in-person interview: Wahoo! You made it to this step, don’t screw it up by looking unprofessional. My mom went to an interview at our local library for a desk clerk position and the woman being interviewed ahead of her was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. This is possibly the worst outfit you could wear! Let me break down a business professional look:
  • Crisp blouse (white or cream are my favorites for a clean first impression)
  • Fitted skirt (slightly above the knee is appropriate; patterns should be kept minimal but a striped skirt in muted tones are nice)
  • Smart shoe (no heels you can’t walk in or anything strappy, nude kitten heel is best)
  • Classic jewelry (a watch and pearl earrings is professional and says a lot about you; large hoop earrings or clanking bracelets also says a lot about you in a negative way)
• Don’t look up- When you’re speaking to someone face-to-face, avoid looking up in the air when they ask you a question. You appear to be pulling answers out of the sky. Look down with your eyes and you appear contemplative.

Please leave your interviewing and job hunting tips in a comment below! Best of luck for everyone in the middle of job hunting!