By Morgan Wolfe
9/18/17
The K-State Career Fair is scheduled for September 19-21, 2017 at Bramlage Coliseum from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and we are so excited for our K-State food science students to show the real world what they are made of! If you haven’t registered, please do so before September 18 by visiting the Career Center in the Berney Family Welcome Center. We know all of you will do extremely well; but just as a reminder, here are a few job interview tips to help you stand out. Good luck students!
Study Up
Before you interview, research the company’s earnings calls, quarterly reports and blog posts. Bring up one of their current projects in your interview to show that you really did your homework and know what they are working on. Express your interest and concern in what they do so that they can see you would be an excellent attribute to their company.
First Impressions are Everything
Employers are busy. Show them that spending their time on you is an investment. Arrive early. Be polite. Extend warm greetings to everyone you meet from the company. Employers want to see that you are intentional and treat others with kindness. Make a strong first impression by dressing appropriately, demonstrating professional body language and speaking with enthusiasm, confidence and positivity.
Craft your Story
Instead of just reading down your resume, think of five things you really want to communicate to the interviewer. What do you want them to remember about you? What makes you stand out? Talk about your past jobs that are most relevant to position you are interviewing for.
Walk the Walk
Have a portfolio already put together with some of your best work samples or project highlights inside. This collection can be physical or digital. Show the employer that you haven’t just recited material that you learned in class, but instead that you have practiced and experienced it firsthand and are ready to use your skills to benefit the company.
Always Thank the Interviewer
Before you interview, have a thank you card already addressed and ready to go in your bag or notebook. After your interview, take five minutes to sit down elsewhere and write a thank you note. Include a few points you talked about in your interview to show the employer that you didn’t pre-write one. Drop it in the mail. Your letter should get to them two or three days after the interview – perfect time to remind them of you and get them thinking about that next point of contact.