6 Interviews. 10 Days. 6 Important Takeaways.

By Julia Dunn on May 31, 2016

With summer quickly approaching and plans to move into a new apartment mid-June, I wanted to make sure I had a summer job lined up that I really enjoyed.

In pursuit of the right position (and the maximum number of options possible), I interviewed for six jobs in the span of just 10 days.

•Administrative Assistant in Mathematics (UCSC Math Department)

•Lab Assistant (in a molecular, cell and developmental biologist’s lab working with yeast)

•Student Life and University Guide (giving tours of UCSC to campus visitors, prospective students and their families)

•Sales Associate (at a sock shop downtown)

•Writing Assistant (not for summer, but the 2016-17 academic year)

•Summer Office Assistant (at the California Association of Museums)

I completed the last of these six interviews on May 26, and here’s what I learned from my job-searching marathon.

1. Always give yourself options.

Without spreading yourself too thin on top of schoolwork and other involvements, apply to as many jobs as you can to ensure you aren’t limited in opportunities. The more offers you receive, the more freedom you have to choose the job that interests you the most. I received offers from five out of the six positions I applied for, and was able to weigh the benefits of each until I accepted the right position.

Of course if you’re going to apply for many jobs, make sure not to compromise on the quality of those applications; otherwise, sloppy applications may mean you won’t even receive an invitation to have an interview.

Image via Pixabay.com

2. You really do get better with practice.

I never really realized how true it is that practice leads directly to visible improvement. After my first and second interviews, I was able to identify my strongest/most impressive phrases and keywords to use in an interview that create interest from an employer. I was able to observe how leaving certain details about myself in and out of an interview can enhance an interviewing experience.

Most of all, I mastered how to talk about my qualifications by tailoring each experience so that my skills are apparent and can be applied to what an employer needs. Interviews are about showing an employer how you can solve a problem they’ve been having.

3. Interviewing frequently can be exhausting.

It’s no easy task to present yourself to people who have never met you, communicate enough information about yourself that you come across as qualified, and say the right things to the right questions.

Once, I had one interview at 11:30 a.m. and another at 12:30, and then a phone interview at 2:30 all in one day. After getting through all that, I noticed an immediate need to replenish my energy and reward myself for the focus I put into those interviews. Remember to practice self-care before, during and after your interviews.

4. It’s not scary after you’ve done many interviews.

I found that after interview #4 or #5, I wasn’t at all fazed an hour or even 20 minutes before my next interview. It isn’t helpful to be scared of an interview (although often it’s hard to control your feelings about an interview or stop being anxious) because really, nothing can hurt you. Likely, one of four scenarios will describe your performance at the end:

•You do well in the interview and receive the job offer (fantastic!)

•You do well in the interview and do not receive the job offer (it happens — you never know what employers are looking for that may come down to personal bias or preference)

•You do poorly in the interview and receive the job offer (maybe your standards for yourself were lower than those of the employer)

You do poorly in the interview and do not receive the job offer (not the end of the world, especially if you’ve got 5+ interviews lined up!)

A variety of factors influence an employer’s hiring decision that may or may not even be about you or your abilities. If you aren’t offered a position, all you can do is continue to work on the ways you articulate your skills through telling stories of past experiences or outlining the duties of your previous positions.

Image via Flickr

5. You never really know what’ll happen.

Some employers are more relaxed than others when conducting their interviews. One of my interviews took place sitting on a window ledge in downtown Santa Cruz, while another took place at a round table with three interviewers facing me asking questions. It is best to be over-prepared in case your interview turns out more formal than you expect, but keep in mind that oftentimes you may be able to scale it down for a more casual interview that ends up more like a conversation.

6. You’re preparing yourself incredibly well for the future.

Interviewing is essentially the largest obstacle that sits between you and your ideal career of a lifetime. The simple task of representing yourself professionally, communicating what you’re all about to someone else, and neatly describing your work experience as it relates to a given position is absolutely key to getting the jobs you want and need. Learning how to interview confidently with strength and poise will be the most invaluable asset you can develop in college.

Image via Flickr

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