Kelley Yao
Staff Writer
Summer jobs are rare to come by these days. Therefore, if you find the perfect job opening–one that is close to you, with a decent wage and gives you just enough time between shifts to hit the beach–how will you land that coveted job?
The key to getting your foot in the door is a fantastic resume. A resume should be simple, yet engaging enough so that it holds the reader’s attention. Make sure to list all of the relevant items near the top.
“If you have a resume with experience that is related to what you’re doing,” counselor Ms. Maria Ioele said, “or if you’re fluent or even conversational in a foreign language, that would be great.”
Before the interview, it’s good to know the company and job requirements. Check out the place beforehand and observe the people who may be your future coworkers and see what the job constitutes. Make sure that you are informed about the company, what they offer and as a bonus even the company mission statement and values. Companies prefer to hire people that genuinely enjoy their products and services.
Mistakes that people usually make in the interview can be easily avoided with a bit of foresight and common sense: don’t lie, be polite and dress nicely. Be appropriately attired for the position. Again, even if you wish to work at a restaurant, don’t arrive in a T-shirt and jeans.
“You don’t have to go in a prom dress, but nice attire, definitely,” Ms. Ioele said. “Even if they are going to work at a place where they allow jeans, it doesn’t look good.”
Remove the more outrageous piercings and cover up tattoos. For the girls, make sure that jewelry and nail length are reserved. On the other hand, if you’re interviewing for a sales position at Hot Topic, maybe eyecatching jewelry and nail length will give you a boost.
During the interview, stay composed. Body language is extremely important; don’t jiggle your leg because that may indicate nervousness. Be sure to sit straight, make eye contact and smile. Cracking a few jokes to lighten the mood is fine, but taking it beyond that is a definite no. Some places may require potential candidates to take math and English tests.
What makes or breaks an interview, however, are your responses. There are generally five questions that interviewers are sure to throw in.
1. Tell me about yourself.
2. Why do you want to work here?
3. What are your qualifications?
4. What are your weaknesses and strengths?
5. What positive qualities will you bring to the company?
“I think that sometimes students look for the perfect job, but we should have an open mind,” Ms. Ioele said. “Experience is experience, and having that di- verse background will really help.”