Interview Not Going Too Hot?

If you’re crushing your interview (in the best sense of the word), you’ll often see some reassuring non-verbal cues—the interviewer might smile as you diplomatically answer a trick question or nod when you talk about your management style.

Along similar lines, if you’re crushing your interview (in the worst sense of the word), you may pick up a general sense of disinterest: An interviewer who’s tapping her foot, staring at the clock, or failing to ask follow-up questions isn’t exactly a good sign.

So, what can you do when it’s just not clicking? Can you salvage the interview?

You absolutely can, by employing one of the top skills interviewers look for: thinking on your feet. Look at a rocky start as an opportunity to show how you can adapt and get back in the game—just keep in mind the do's and dont's of course correcting mid-interview.


Don’t: Call it Out:
Ever notice how the most awkward thing about a situation can be someone saying, “awkward?” The same applies for interviews. If your first few answers felt strained, you might feel like you should jump in and clear the air (“I feel like we got off to a disjointed start… ”), but definitely don’t. Instead, focus on making your future answers as strong as possible.

Odds are, this is not your interviewer’s first time around the block; meaning, if you started shaky, he’s already noticed. But the good news is: He will also notice that your answers got better as soon as you settled. He’ll likely attribute the beginning to nerves and move on (that is, unless you keep reminding him that the beginning of the conversation was off!).


Do: Take a Quick Inventory:
While you should keep your concerns to yourself, you most definitely should not ignore them. Try to do a quick assessment of what might be turning the interviewer off: Did you simply flub one answer, or are you doing something more, like rambling, looking at the floor, or only speaking to one interviewer?

Before your next answer, take just a moment to collect yourself. And as you answer the next question, focus on all of the interview training you have—sit up straight, make good eye contact, and speak clearly, confidently, and concisely.


Don’t: Be Afraid to Change it Up:
Remember, consistency is only a virtue when you’re on the right path. So if you feel the interview going downhill, don’t be afraid to change tactics. Have you been formally addressing the staff as Mr. and Mrs.? It might make sense to loosen things up and say, “May I call you Sara?” Speaking to your interviewer like a colleague will make the interview feel more collegial, and it might be just the change of pace you need.

Alternatively, if you made a joke and it bombed, don’t keep trying—you’ll want to answer everything else by the book.


Do: Take the Lead:
If you find yourself answering simple questions (think “how do you manage your time?”) and waiting for follow-up questions that never come—you don’t have to suffer in silence, waiting for the interviewer to make the next move. Instead, take the lead and create your own follow-up.

For example, you could answer the time management question briefly, then continue with, “A time I employed these skills was…” You can also try, “Does that answer your question, or is there anything else I can share?” Or, you can use a bout of silence to ask your own questions: “How do others on the team manage their time and projects?” Any of these approaches would be good segues into further conversation—and good ways to fill those awkward silences.


Don’t: Take it Too Personally:
So, what if you take an inventory, sit straighter, and try to initiate follow-ups, and your interviewer still seems icy? Consider that the lack of affirmation may be a tactic: Some interviewers are harder on top candidates to see how they handle curve balls and perform under pressure. (Confession: I’ve done this.) Additionally, some companies have a rigid interview protocol for hiring managers to ensure they don’t appear to show bias or favoritism.

So don’t internalize it and think, “This interview isn't going well because I’m doing something wrong,” and instead, try: “This is a challenge that I’m going to demonstrate I can meet!” By simply staying positive and professional, you’ll rise above the candidates who visibly falter under the additional stress.


Do: Follow Up as Usual:
After such a tough experience, you may be thinking that a thank you note isn't worth it, or that you might as well make “worst. interview. ever.” your status update. But remember: Until you officially have an answer in hand, the verdict is still out. So it’s important to keep things professional.

This means doing all the same follow-up you would if the interview had gone well—i.e., writing a stellar thank you note to each of your interviewers. It’s always worthwhile to leave a great impression, and who knows where you really stand in the candidate pool.

The Life of a Young Professional

Balancing classes, a part-time job, an internship, homework and social activities can be tough. So when the topic of finding a mentor comes up, many collegiates shrug off the idea because there just aren't enough hours in the day.  While having a mentor won't make-or-break your chance at career success, having a good mentor can be extremely helpful when you're looking for career advice, job opportunities or even just a role model who's already succeeded at something you'd like to do. 

I met my mentor my freshman year of college. Not only was he a person I could go to for help, advice and guidance, he became a great friend and significantly helped (and is still helping) me through the post graduate transition into the “real world.” Learning from his experiences, even if they were different from my own, has proven invaluable as I settle in to my new life as a young professional.

My interview features my mentor and friend Kevin Fallon. He graduated from Fordham University in 2011 and currently works for KPMG. I conducted my interview with Kevin in hopes to shed some light on what life is like for young professionals, and the changes (the good, the bad and the ugly) that one may go through after graduation.

Q. Tell me about your current position (what you're doing, what your day to day is like, what excites you about your job).
A. In my current position as a Transactions and Restructuring associate at KPMG advisory I help my clients evaluate the financial risks and opportunities of company's they are considering acquiring. My daily responsibilities include analyzing financial data, maintaining our requests for information for our clients and summarizing our findings into PowerPoint presentation reports. In my job I get to learn a great deal about a company in a very short period of time. Understanding the unique challenges companies face in different industries is an exciting and constantly changing challenge.  

Q. How did you get to where you are today?
A. KPMG is a signature Partner of Fordham Career Services. I was fortunate enough to interview with them on campus. I started as an intern my sophomore year of college, I began interning at KPMG within their audit department. Toward the end of my internship I expressed interest in KPMG's mergers and acquisitions business. After networking within the company and interviewing internally I was given the opportunity to start my career in the transactions and restructuring division. 

Q. What advice do you have for a post-grad going through the job search?

A. I would encourage post-grads to push forward and not get frustrated. Also try to use the search as an opportunity to continue learning. Each position you apply to is an opportunity to learn about a company or profession. Take each of those opportunities and you will continue to build a valuable knowledge base which you can use going forward. Finally get creative!!! Everyone knows the basic job search tactics but the person who gets creative and goes above and beyond is the person who will get the job. 

Q. Would you say this was a dream job for you?

A. One day I would really like to own my own business and this has always been a dream of mine.  I believe my current job will give me the skills I need to get to that point in the future so from  that perspective it is a dream job. (Or at least a building-to-a-dream job.)

Q. What has been the toughest part of your post-grad life thus far?

A. Balancing the demands of work against my personal life and being with my girlfriend is the most difficult part of post-grad life. While a career is important, at the end of the day it is your family and friends who make you happy and it is important to never forget that.

Q. What obligations does your employer expect of you outside of the work week? Are there organizations you are expected to join? Are there social commitments? How has your job affected your lifestyle?

A. At times my group can require a decent amount of weekend and late-night work. The work week takes on a slightly different definition in this line of work. In addition to the demands of work there are also social demands including client networking, business travel and internal networking. While these events can be fun, in time the fun turns into a burden, which is one of the reasons it is difficult if not impossible to remain in the field long term. 

Q. What advice do you have for others who may want a career like yours?

A. My advice is a little less specific to my career focus, but more to my path; always be open minded, but be focused on what you want. This sounds conflicting, but being open minded allows you to see more things as potential opportunities. By focusing on what you want to accomplish, you can filter these opportunities and chase the ones you feel will get you closer to your goal.

Goals will always change and evolve, but always keep focused on what you want to achieve. A great way to find these opportunities is by getting out and talking to people. Take every chance you can to learn as much as you can about someone else. You can never accomplish anything all alone.

Q. What do you think has been your greatest professional accomplishment so far?

A. During a slow patch at work I wrote a proposal for a new internal protocol and platform which affects how we send work requests to our overnight/offshore India team.  The proposal was taken up by our management and is currently planned for FY14 development. This project was a rewarding accomplishment for me because it solved a problem we faced on a regular basis and earned recognition across the organization. 

Q. What do you like to do in your spare time, outside of work?

A. I love to go on adventures and try new things with my girlfriend and friends. I also love finding and searching for old collectibles.

Q. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

A. I see myself focusing more in my personal life and less on my professional development. I also expect to be wrapping up any corporate career and beginning to look for opportunities to start a small business and work for myself.

I hope this post provided a bit of insight into the life of a young professional. Having a mentor will help you learn what to expect during this time, and help ease the new and challenging process!

Me No Speak Interview: Real Interview Translations

Four Common Interview Questions and What They Really Mean...

Acing the interview isn’t just about having the perfect canned speeches. Yes, you need to show off your experience, talents, and personality, but before answering each question, you also have to figure out what the interviewer is actually asking you.

Those seemingly innocuous questions, like “tell me about yourself” and “where do you see yourself in a few years?” aren't just get-to-know-you conversation starters. They’re one of the key ways an interviewer will seek to uncover whether you’re the right fit for the job. So, before you start to share your life story—or recite the same answer you gave at the last interview—it’s important to figure out what the interviewer really wants to know.


Question: Tell me about yourself.
Translation: Tell me why you’re the right fit for this job.

The interviewer already has your resume and cover letter, so she’s not looking for a rundown of your employment history. Nor does she care that you grew up in Westchester county and love to jog on the weekends. She’s looking for a concise, compelling pitch that keeps her attention, and tells her exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. So, while this is a good time to paint a broad picture of who you are, it’s most important that you include a couple of key facts that will sell you as the right candidate.

Think about the 2-3 specific accomplishments or experiences that you most want the interviewer to know about, and share them during this opportunity. You can frame your stories or tie them together using a theme or a quote, if appropriate, such as “My boss at xyz told me that fundraising is really building relationships, and that’s the approach I've taken throughout my career. For example…”

It’s also a good idea to practice your answer aloud, record it, then listen to your pitch. Are you engaging? Are you rambling? Are you getting your most important points across loud and clear? (Pssst: this is good advice for any interview question!)



Question: How would you explain our organization’s mission?
Translation: Can you be an ambassador for our organization?

Any candidate can read and regurgitate the company’s “About” page. So, when an interviewer asks you this, she isn’t necessarily trying to gauge whether you understand the mission, she wants to know whether you care about it, and she’s looking for the person in the applicant pool who can most effectively discuss the organization’s work and its impact. So, in addition to doing your research on the company’s work, think about concrete ways it relates to your passions and experiences, and weave them into your answer.

Start with a sentence or two that shows you understand the mission, using a couple key words and phrases from the website, but then go on to make it personal. Say, “I’m personally drawn to this mission because…” or “I really believe in this approach because…” and share a personal example or two. For example, if you’re interviewing at a school that stresses character, share some specific character-building education activities you’ve led for students at your last job. If you’re interviewing for a position at a hospital, talk about the 5K you recently ran to raise money for leukemia, or your passion for volunteering your time to help children with terminal illness.


Question: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Translation: Do you care about our work?

Hiring someone is an investment, and interviewers believe (as you would expect) that someone genuinely interested in the organization’s work will be the better hire. So, what she really wants to know is whether this particular job and company is part of your career path, or whether you’ll be jumping ship in a year once you land your “real” dream job.

So how should you answer? If the position you’re interviewing for is on the track to your goals, share that, plus give some specifics. For example, if you’re interviewing for an account executive position an advertising firm, and you know your goal is to become an account supervisor, say that. And then add specifics about the sort of clients you hope to work with, which will help your answer sound genuine, not canned and again show why this particular company will be a good fit.

If the position isn't necessarily a one-way ticket to your goals, the best approach is to be genuine, but to follow your answer up by connecting the dots between the specific duties in this role and your future goals. Discuss how you see this experience playing an important role in helping you make that decision, or that you’re excited about the management or communications skills you’ll gain.



Question: Do you have any questions for us?
Translation: Have you really been listening?

It’s easy to go into an interview with a list of questions about the position. But the tougher part and what the interviewer really wants to see is whether you can roll with the punches, engage in the conversation, and ask questions that weren't already answered over the course of the interview.

This will require some thinking on your feet. As you’re going along in the interview, be thinking which key areas haven’t been covered yet, so you can target your questions there. You can also prepare ahead of time by thinking of more non-traditional questions, or ask questions targeted to the interviewer herself, which probably won’t be covered in the interview. Try things like: What you like most about working here? What drew you to work for this organization? What do you think are the current strategic challenges facing the organization? What advice would you give to someone in this role?

How To Survive The Interview From Hell

The Interview from Hell.... 2 words: Brainteaser. Interview.

Have you ever heard of them, or even worse, have you ever sat through one of them?

I join a huge majority of the world in not understanding why any company would adopt such a horrible hiring practice, but they in fact do.

Brain teaser or puzzle interview questions first began popping up in high tech interviews. Since then they have become increasingly common, emerging in interviews for jobs in a wide variety of fields. They are almost guaranteed, and most commonly used when interviewing candidates for engineering and other analytic type positions.

The kind of brain teasing questions a company might ask is far spread. They range from complex, multi layered math questions, to intricate logic problems to bizarre questions that have no real answer.

If you've heard of this interview practice, you may or may not have heard of super companies such as Google being one of the toughest places to interview for a job, because their interviewers asked potential candidates a bunch of brain teasing questions. 

Like.....Seriously...? ... But wait, here's another

To get an even better idea, of the questions asked, I found this article on Business Insider titled 15 Google Interview Questions That Made Geniuses Feel Dumb listing the questions Google would ask during their interviews.

So, You may be asking yourself, what is the purpose of these questions? Super companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon (just to provide a few examples) claim to use puzzles or brain teaser questions to determine the prospective employee's ability to solve problems, think creatively, communicate complex information in a non-technical way and to better gauge the candidate's ability to make educated guesses. In other words, it's supposed to reveal the candidates way of thinking and whether or not you freak out easy. (siiiick)

So what do you do when your resume overloaded with accomplishments, a detailed plan on how you can raise the company's profit margin and your stellar interview style isn't enough? Here, I provide a brain teaser interview how-to video, as well as a few pointers I've come across researching the topic.
How to:

Tips:

• Show up to the interview with pens, paper, markers, calculator, ruler, whatever, to work out a possible brain teaser. It's unlikely that you'll be asked, point blank, how many times heavier an elephant is than a mouse and be expected to answer it on the spot. You'll have time. And depending on the job and the field, what you do on your scratch paper is more important than the conclusion you reach.
• Don't be shocked or offended. A question might surprise you or seem silly given the job for which you're interviewing. Don't let it throw you. Again, the answer is usually not the destination. Sometimes the wackiest question deserves an equally wacky process to reach a conclusion. But do take the questions seriously. Don't assume that it's being asked to tick you off or make you the butt of a human resources joke.
• Question the question. Show your ability to think through a problem by asking a clarifying question regarding the brain teaser. Further, asking follow up questions will give your mind a break and buy you time to help you fully understand what is being asked so you don't solve the wrong problem.
• Speak out your logic. Listen to what you are thinking. "Sounding out" the process of reaching an answer can help you think through the process in a different way.
• Draw out your logic. Just like sounding out a problem can give your brain a productive push, drawing it out can help you edit and improve your approach. 
• Practice. You can't prepare for the exact question unless you're sure you know what they'll ask. But you can exercise your mind by playing mental games, doing crossword puzzles and thinking about big problems. There are lists available on the internet that provide examples of brain teasing questions you can use to prep.

Hey, If I haven't said it enough or you need any reassurance the interview practice is stupid, Google, (in time) has come to agree. Google Says Tricky Interview Brainteasers Were "a waste of time"

Hope I could help! Good luck interviewing!

A Picture Guide: How To Dress For The Interview

There is something to be said for first impressions. Appearance is the first thing you communicate to others. Before you have a chance to speak, others notice how you dress and draw conclusions about you accordingly. Appropriate dress is one of the most important factors in your job search. Your dress creates an impression that can complement your credentials and give you an extra edge over a field of other qualified competent individuals.

There are standards of professional dress in all career fields. Some industries are more traditional, such as banking, consulting and business. Let the dress standards in the field(s) in which you are interviewing be a guide to what you wear for your interview. Attire in fields such as advertising, the arts, fashion, communications and entertainment is generally less conservative, so the rules are a bit more relaxed. Their dress code may be one of Business Casual Dress.

Business Dress for Interviews/Job Fairs:

Men's Interview Attire: 


Suit. Black for men was once considered severe or overly formal, and may still be considered so in very conservative industries, although it is commonly worn by many. Other color trends may come and go; avoid the extremes. Choose a solid such as dark blue, or very subtle weave pattern or plaid—the kind that look solid from across a room. Wool, wool blends, or very high quality blends with natural fiber, are the only acceptable fabrics for a conservative men's suit.

Long sleeve shirt. Choose white or light blue solid, or conservative stripes or coordinated with the suit.

Belt. Black or cordovan leather, to match your shoes.

Tie. Tie styles come and go. Select good quality silk ties. Avoid fashion extremes, like character ties, in interviews. Notice what men in your industry wear on the job, at career fairs, at information sessions, when they meet with clients.

Dark socks, conservative leather shoes. Dark socks, mid-calf length so no skin is visible when you sit down.

Jewelry. Wear a conservative watch. If you choose to wear other jewelry, be conservative. Removing earrings is safest. For conservative industries, don't wear earrings. Observe other men in your industry to see what is acceptable.

Neat, professional hairstyle.

Facial hair. If worn, should be well-groomed. Observe men in your industry if you are unsure what's appropriate or are considering changing your look Limit the aftershave.

Details. Everything should be clean and well pressed. Suits typically have tacking stitches to hold vents—on the jacket back and on sleeves — in place before the garment is purchased. Cut them off if your retailer/tailor doesn't. And that tag stitched on the outside of your sleeve is not meant to stay there like a Tommy Hilfiger label—cut it off! Carefully inspect clothes dangling threads, etc. Lastly use a portfolio or briefcase.


Women's Interview Attire:

Suit. (Navy, black or dark grey)—Wear a two-piece matched suit. Tailored pants suits are appropriate for women. Pants suits can be an excellent choice for site visits, particularly if the visit involves getting in and out of vehicles and/or the site is (or includes) a manufacturing plant or industrial facility. If you wear pants, they should be creased and tailored, not tight or flowing. If you are pursuing a conservative industry and are in doubt, observe well dressed women in your industry on the job, at career fairs, at information sessions, etc.

Skirt lengths. Much of what you see on television shows that masquerades for professional attire is actually inappropriate for a work environment. Your skirt should cover your thighs when you are seated. Showing a lot of thigh makes you look naive at best, foolish at worst. A skirt that ends at the knee when you're standing looks chic and professional. Longer skirts are professional too; just make sure they are narrow enough not to be billowing, but not so narrow that you can't climb stairs comfortably. Don't purchase a skirt or decide on a hem length until you sit in the skirt facing a mirror. That's what your interviewer will see. Ask yourself whether it will be distracting or reinforce your image as a person who looks appropriate for a business environment or gathering. High slits in skirts are not appropriate. A small back, center slit in a knee-length skirt is appropriate. On a calf length skirt, a slit to the knee to facilitate walking and stair climbing is appropriate. The suit skirt should be long enough so you can sit down comfortably

Coordinated blouse. Underneath the suit jacket, wear a tailored blouse in a color or small print that coordinates nicely with your suit. A fine gauge, good quality knit shell is also appropriate underneath your suit jacket. Don't show cleavage.

Conservative shoes. Should be leather or fabric/micro fiber. Shoe styles and heel heights come and go. Choose closed-toe pumps. Regardless of what is in style, avoid extremes; no stilettos or chunky platforms. Make certain you can walk comfortably in your shoes; hobbling in uncomfortable shoes does not convey a professional appearance.

Limited jewelry/accessories. (no dangling earrings, or arms full of bracelets.) No jewelry is better than cheap jewelry. Wear a conservative watch. Jewelry and scarf styles come and go. Keep your choices simple and leaning toward conservative. Avoid extremes of style and color

Neutral pantyhose. Should be plainly styled (no patterns), sheer (not opaque), and in neutral colors complementing your suit. Avoid high contrast between your suit and hosiery color.

Always remember to use a professional hairstyle; the more simple, the better. 

Cosmetics. Light on the perfume. Keep makeup conservative. A little is usually better than none for a polished look. Nails should be clean and well groomed. Avoid extremes of nail length and polish color, especially in conservative industries.

Portfolio or briefcase, Pad folios. Preferred over a bulky briefcase. A small briefcase is also appropriate. But if you have no reason to carry a briefcase, don't; you risk looking silly.

Purse/bag. If you carry a purse, keep it small and simple, especially if you also carry a briefcase. Purse color should coordinate with your shoes. You may choose to carry a small briefcase or business-like tote bag in place of a purse. Leather is the best choice for briefcases; micro fiber or fine woven's are also acceptable.


In conclusion, a suit for both women and men is almost always appropriate for all types of interviews. Buy the best quality business suit you can afford. Make sure it fits well, is comfortable, and is pressed before you wear it.

For some interview tips refer to my post: Do Your Research Before A Job Interview. For more clarification, a Google search will give you both picture examples and tutorials. Good luck interviewing!

LinkedIn: An Essential Tool For Career Development

LinkedIn is considered the non-sexy, sleeping giant of social networks. It keeps a low profile, perhaps due to the professional nature of its users. Nonetheless, LinkedIn continues to exert a powerful influence on connected job seekers, brands, recruiters and industries. I live by LinkedIn. I attained two of my internships by reaching out to people through LinkedIn that I otherwise might not have gotten. Its quite simple.

Since the site's official launch in May 2003, LinkedIn has grown to 250 million members in over 200 countries, making it the world’s largest professional network on the Internet (by comparison, Twitter has 500 million registered users, and Facebook has 900 million). Currently available in 17 languages, LinkedIn remains a relevant platform across the globe.

That being said,  As a college student or recent college grad, LinkedIn is a great social networking tool you can use to locate jobs or internships all over the world. It's also a tool you can use to  spread your personal brand . For this reason, when deciding what social media tools you should be investing your limited time and energy into, LinkedIn in can bring great benefits! LinkedIn isn't perfect however and there are certain shortcomings which make it less practical or usable to college students. 

LinkedIn: The Bridge to the Future

Overall LinkedIn is an essential tool for the college student or young professional. A LinkedIn profile will likely be one of the first online public representation of yourself that you want everyone to see (unlike your Spring Break photo album). LinkedIn is best suited for college students looking to begin managing their professional brand, begin building their network and also finding opportunities for internships or full time employment.  

Managing Your Professional Brand
Controlling your online presence and your professional brand is will be important to your professional success. Your online presence will be one of the first impressions a recruiter or business contact has of you. You can be certain that most professionals you will come in contact with—whether it be alumni, fellow interns, hiring managers, recruiters or even professors. You will be Googled, you have been Googled and you probably Google. LinkedIn is where you want to be found. 

LinkedIn provides a space to present a succinct and professional presentation of yourself for all to see. It will allow you to communicate everything you need to without sharing anything you don’t want to. By creating a LinkedIn profile you are taking control of what other professionals are going to find. Maintaining your image (and ensuring recruiters don’t see your spring break photos) makes LinkedIn an essential tool for young professionals and college students. 

Build Your Professional Network
It’s never too early to start building a network with people in your career area. Yet, contacts you make during the job hunt and throughout your career may not necessarily make sense as Facebook friends.  LinkedIn offers a platform for maintaining your professional network while keeping it separate from your personal life. 

You can start your network by linking to classmates who are in your major. While they are friends and classmates now, in the future they become business referrals. You can also add professors and alumni to your network. If there is someone on LinkedIn that you would like to meet, ask a mutual acquaintance to for an introduction. LinkedIn also automatically shows you groups ( i.e. industry, interest, profession) you may like to join based on the information in your profile. As a member of the group, you have access to thought leaders and experts in your industry. 

LinkedIn creates opportunities to bridge relationship gaps when professionals are early in their careers. It is invaluable in this area but it is also not perfectly suited for college students in some ways. While LinkedIn’s free account version provides a variety of useful features, reaching out to certain people requires a paid account which might not be reasonable for college students. 

Find Opportunities
The final essential benefit offered by LinkedIn which makes it an essential tool to college students is Jobs search function. When you click on the Jobs link, it shows jobs that are compatible to your profile. You can also search for additional job openings. While having access to jobs posted in LinkedIn is great, LinkedIn has a unique feature that is not available on other job websites. LinkedIn tells you how many people in your network or group who works at the company. Those people can help you get the job that you are interested in.


LinkedIn: Not Built For the Social Media Generation
As discussed already, LinkedIn is invaluable to young professionals and college students. Unfortunately LinkedIn is not designed or built specifically for a younger generation. While LinkedIn offers many benefits it is important to also be aware certain limitations or challenges young professionals might face. 

Limited Direct or Mass Interaction 
LinkedIn is more passive then certain other social networks. While you can constantly update a status and your network is able to see updates to your LinkedIn profile or experiences there is far less activity on LinkedIn than on other social networks. Because of this LinkedIn might not have the same enjoyment factor other social networks offer. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing it just requires a slightly different approach. Checking LinkedIn multiple times a day, the way you might check other social media sites, will likely be frustrating and not provide much benefit. Don’t let this frustrate you; instead create a system or schedule to check LinkedIn once or twice a week. The slower pace of LinkedIn also sometimes results in delayed responses. This too may be frustrating but you have to adjust to make the most of the site. To challenge yourself make a goal to message or request someone each time you log in. While LinkedIn slower pace doesn't perfectly align with our social media generation the pace makes sense and shouldn't get in the way of your LinkedIn goals. 

Managing Your Brand … Carefully
LinkedIn has less flexible privacy settings than some of the more popular social media sites. For example, on Facebook different friends can be classified into different groups and you can broadcast certain messages to some groups while excluding other groups. LinkedIn does not have this functionality. While you can determine whether content is 100% public or restricted to your network, it is still important for you to be conscious of the privacy policies and know who you are broadcasting messages to. You also need to be careful to avoid contradictory information between your LinkedIn account, resume and applications. While it makes sense to customize your resume to different opportunities, LinkedIn does not allow you to show different profiles to different recruiters or industries. Because of this you need to make sure that your profile does not contradict what you are writing somewhere else in your professional portfolio. 

Free Account vs. Paid Accounts
Most social media and networking sites that college students and young professionals utilize are 100% free. While LinkedIn has a comprehensive offering under their free accounts some of the most useful features such as a premium email / message service require a paid account. This is a major drawback for some users but free accounts still offer enough to make LinkedIn a essential tool. 

The Bottom Line 
LinkedIn is a great tool which will allow students and young professionals to launch their careers and get a jump on the professional world. While LinkedIn is not specifically built for a young generation so certain features require a paid account, these minor drawbacks are tiny in comparison to the benefits. If you are not already on LinkedIn I suggest you set up your account ASAP!

Do Your Research Before A Job Interview

Congratulations! You submitted your resume and you landed a job interview. Take a minute to bask in the glow of confidence that comes with knowing your skills and experience have interested an employer to the point where they’d want to meet you in person. So now what?
 

You hear it all the time from career experts: "Research the company before you go into a job interview." But what does that mean, exactly? This post will provide some tips on using the Internet and tapping your network to gain information and insight that'll improve your interview answers and help you ask the right questions.  

Step 1: Research the Career Field
As a newbie it is vital that you  thoroughly research  the company's career field and current industry research. Knowing the most you can about the companies career field helps you compensate for lack of actual or extensive job experience. 

• How does this industry work--what do the organizations do, how do they make their money (or, in the case of nonprofits and government agencies, how and whom do they serve)?
• What are the skills, personal qualities, education and career paths that successful professionals in this industry share?
• What are the significant trends in this industry? Read relevant trade journals and websites: Professionals in many industries rely on journals and/or websites that provide current news and information on trends within the industry (e.g. in education  it's Education Week; in advertising, it's AdWeek).

Step 2: Research The Company

Performing research about a company shows interviewers that you are genuinely interested in the opportunity they’re offering. Most people like where they work, and if you seem enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their organization, they’re probably going to be more inclined to like the idea of you working there.

• Know the Company's Mission: Your prospective employer's Web site is a’s a treasure trove of information. Look for its mission statement: something that outlines the company's values (perhaps on an About Us or similar page). Consider how the position you want relates to that mission and think about how your experience and background have prepared you to support the company’s goals. 
• Research recent Company achievements and rewards: While you're at the company's site, look for a Press Room or Company News page that links to recent news releases. (Or simply search the Web for news about the company.)
• Research your Interviewers: If the company site has a search tool, use it to search for the names of the people you'll be meeting. You may find bio pages or press releases that give you insight into their activities at the company. Then look to LinkedIn or do a general Google search to get some more background information about them. You might find some common ground you can bring up in conversation, or a recent professional achievement for which you can talk about or pay a compliment.
• Know the Company's competitors and what makes the company different from their competitors: Get to know your target company’s competition and what they are doing. Wouldn't it be impressive to a prospective employer if you were able to give them a heads up on what their competition was doing? Even more impressive would be if you told the target company why you want to work for them over their competitor!
• The Company's clients: Knowing and discussing the Company's clients is touching on something the interviewers are passionate about because a company's clients is who they do work for everyday.  Knowing this shows diligence and shows that you took the time to go above and beyond in your research.
• Company Blogs, Twitter and Facebook accounts: Many companies  have corporate pages on Twitter, Facebook and Blogging platforms that announce their latest news and happenings. Social media is really useful to follow conversations about job opportunities, new products and the overall culture of companies.
•  Look up the Company on Glassdoor.com: This site describes itself as an anonymous workplace community that gives a free inside look at over 200,000 companies including salaries, employee reviews and interview questions. It's helpful in researching companies because the reviews are by actual employees and they give both pros and cons of that company. You can also identify salary expectations and prepare for interviews by seeing actual interview questions that other job candidates were asked. 

This all might sound like an unpaid consulting project or business school assignment, but I guarantee it's worth your while. Doing your research will make the difference between the “We’ll call you”, and the “When can you start?” that much smaller!

So Now What? Life After College: An Introduction

College can be some of the best years of your life, but what happens after graduation? With the tough economy, increased costs of living and outsourcing of jobs, what’s a recent graduate to do?

The plan seemed straightforward: graduate from college, land a job and then breeze through work like it’s the first day of school. Only you’re no longer a student and there aren't any teachers or a syllabus to follow. Heck, some of your office peers have children your age...

You had no idea how drastically different the professional world would be from college life. Nine-to-five workdays, unfamiliar faces, rent to pay, no more summer vacation (ugh)… It’s enough to make you curl up into a teary-eyed ball beneath your cubicle...

But then you remembered that saying your mom, pastor, rabbi, wise old neighbor, grandpa, overly compassionate friend etc. always used to say, that you always never listened to: "It could always be worse." And for once, you know its true, because you could have been in this situation...

Imagine: Graduation season has come and gone, and as you watch all your peers begin to land those finance and accounting jobs, you begin to seriously wonder why you thought it would be a good idea to save the world or become a journalist...

Even sitting at your computer to get your daily dose of Facebook becomes a self depreciating task. As all the business school kids make status updates about signing the lease to their new NYC apartments, you are sulking and packing your clothes into large garbage bags to move back in with your parents. (Because really, whats worse than having a home to come back to!?!)

Your job search is going just as bad as your attitude. You've updated, revised and edited your resume a near 20 times and you just can't seem to land an interview, or even hear back from an employer. You're stuck, and with each failed effort the idea of throwing in the towel and moving somewhere pretty like Colorado to become a career Starbucks Barista is looking better and better.

BUT THEN THE STORM CALMED AND THE SKY OPENED UP, ALL BECAUSE YOU FOUND THIS BLOG!