P REPARING F OR T HE E DUCATOR ’ S E XCHANGE Lisa Santacroce, Graduate Assistant Cathy Yando, Career Services Assistant CEHS Career Services University Hall Suite 2154

P REPARE F OR T HE I NTERVIEW : Research Employer/Salary Do some research on the company or industry you’re interested Know Yourself Know your resume and relevant coursework inside out Arrive early to calm your nerves Upon arrival be courteous to everyone you meet

C REATE A P OSITIVE 1 ST I MPRESSION O Arrive early O Strong handshake O Smile O Say your name clearly O Be clear and concise in your answers

L OOK L IKE A P ROFESSIONAL What to wear? Men O Conservatively colored suit, basic tie, polished shoes O Clean/neat appearance with a fresh haircut O Little to no cologne Women O Conservatively colored suit (skirt should come below the knee) O Pantyhose and closed toe conservative shoes O Minimal jewelry, make-up, and perfume O May want to pull hair back from face

Men and Women: Cover up all tattoos Take out any body piercings other than earrings Men-no strong cologne-Women: no perfume Wear a watch (Don’t spend 20 minutes of a 30 minute interview on the “warm-up.”) T IPS

I NTERVIEW What to Bring O Several copies of resume (one per interviewer plus extras) printed on good quality resume paper O Portfolio/Examples of work O Attaché case/leather notebook to hold papers O Certifications, degrees, brochures, publications O Notebook, pencils/pens O SHUT OFF CELL PHONE or leave it in the car

B ODY L ANGUAGE Be Aware of your speech mannerisms and nonverbal behavior O Firm handshake O Moderate speech rate O Minimize “ums” and “likes” O Enunciate O Avoid nervous habits (i.e. Nail biting) O Keep hands on table or lap O Maintain eye contact O Mirror body image of interviewer O Do not slouch

T IPS O Try and relax and be as natural as possible O Listen to the question and think about your answer before you respond O Stick to the key points O Separate your actions from others O Ask for clarification if you don’t understand the question O Identify key competencies that the interviewer is looking for and find ways to highlight those in your self. Practice - Practice – Practice

Elevator Speech O Plan a strategy to approach each potential employer O Develop a short “sound bite” by describing aloud the job you seek, the skills you offer, and why you are the best candidate. O Elevator Speech – example 1 Elevator Speech – example 1 O Elevator Speech – example 2 Elevator Speech – example 2

E XAMPLE Hi my name is Lisa Santacroce and I’m a graduate student at Montclair State University working towards my Master’s Degree in Counseling in Higher Education/ Student Affairs. I’m currently a Graduate Assistant in the College of Education and Human Services Career Services office and I am also interning at William Paterson in their Career Development and Advisement Center. In both of these experiences I have the opportunity to assist students with a variety of career development needs including resume writing, interviewing skills, career counseling, and assistance with choosing a major. I enjoy seeing the students become more confident in their skills and abilities and become excited about working towards their future career goals. The skills I have acquired in these experiences as well as in my practicum experience in Greek Life will help me to be a successful professional counselor in an Higher Education setting and assist students in developing into successful graduates and professionals themselves.

QUESTIONS???