Land That Job

By Lauren Brose ‘15

I remember the first time I started to interview for jobs. My heart was racing, my hands were shaking, my voice trembled as I spoke. My obvious nervousness hindered me from being the confident person I normally am and it affected the likelihood of my interviewer trusting my competency for this position. Through time, the nerves became less noticeable and I began to sound sure of myself and passionate for the career I am pursuing. What started off from landing initial phone interviews and then being eliminated has turned into being invited to second round interviews. Along the way, I’ve reflected back at the lack of professionalism I displayed both in interviews and in the application process.

To be honest, I had no idea I was making these mistakes because I didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t take advantage of the resources offered by USC. The Career Center has counselors who will look at your resume, cover letter, and even perform a mock interview. You’ll learn from experts what aspects of your unique list of qualifications you should showcase to employers. Everyone’s resume is personalized so it helps to speak to them instead of referring to generic samples of resumes found online.

I’ve learned recently that the story of perseverance pays off in the long run because it demonstrates how you are a hard worker. For example, I transferred from a community college because my dream was to always go to USC and study in Annenberg. I worked for two years as a full-time student, received top grades and was accepted into Annenberg. Now, I aim to gain as much experience working in this industry because it fascinates me and this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. By showing them instead of telling them that you’re a hard worker, you add credibility to what you’re claiming and it never hurts to makes yourself more memorable.

Before the interview

• Ask HR about interview structure - This is extremely advantageous because you don’t know if you’re only speaking to HR or are being interviewed by the heads of three different departments. Preparedness will show and for obvious reasons it’s highly appreciated.
  
• Bring brain food if you’re in for a long day (especially if you have several interviews in one day). Take it from me, I performed much better after the second interview of my day because I had finally eaten a meal.
  
• Arrive 30 minutes early — cool down your nerves and warm your brain up by answering potential interview questions
  
• Research the location of the company beforehand and always consider the possibility of heavy traffic on certain freeways- the 101 S toward Hollywood and the 10 West toward Santa Monica have always given me grief even during hours that you wouldn’t expect traffic. Reduce stress and avoid getting scatterbrained by being proactive and researching the directions the night before.
  
• Bring a portfolio to your interview that showcases the work you’ve done in the past to support your resume (especially if you’re in any creative field).
  
• Bring with you questions about the position and the company. This shows that you’re interested and through asking questions, you can showcase how you would make an exemplary fit for the job!
  
• Bring copies of your resume to the interview. There have been a handful of times that my interviewer had experienced technical difficulties and was unable to print out my resume. It always counts to be extra prepared and have one handy— they’ll appreciate the extra step you’ve taken and it’s a relief on your part that they have your resume to refer to while you discuss your qualifications.
  

Things to do in the mean time

• Set weekly goals for your job search - I would suggest creating a list of companies that you are interested in, take note of when applications are released and due, and use it as a reference in the future. My main goal this summer is to get organized with the companies I plan on applying for because there’s nothing more stressful than the fear of unemployment upon graduation :(
  
• Research places that you would want to live next year and get an idea of what your expenses would potentially be living there as well as job availability.
  
• Bear in mind that December is a considered one of the best times to apply for jobs for several reasons. While the holidays seem like a counterproductive time to be applying for internships or jobs, what comes after holidays is the New Year— a prime time for hiring. Expect December to the be the month of heavy applying and January and February to be months of interviewing.
  
• Keep the resume short and succinct, as well the cover letter.
  
• Go to the Career Center located in STU 110 for advice on your resume, cover letter and to receive a mock interview for practice.
  
• Increase your presence on LinkedIn & follow employers on Twitter for live updates on job openings - Use social media to your advantage. There’s so much information on job openings on all of these platforms, you could be occupied for hours.
  
• Reach out to companies you admire. Tell them what makes them so great and why you want to work there.
  
• Quality > Quantity - This applies especially to cover letters. Some say to write four fully developed paragraphs and some say to write two. If you have a really solid two paragraph cover letter that is dense with material I would prefer that over a cover letter with four paragraphs of fluff. Consider the reader- they probably have to sift through dozens of others and don’t want to read lengthy cover letters that will ultimately waste their time.
  
• Create a blog to show off your writing skills as well as your experience. Share published work, write original editorial on topics you are passionate about (such as the industry you want to work in). Having strong writing skills is a trait preferred by industries beyond journalism. Having the ability to write well enables your thoughts to be articulated clearly and intelligence to be shown.
  
• Be persistent - follow up after applying to jobs as well as interviews. I suggest waiting between 4-7 days before contacting the company. Some don’t like it when you follow up but most respond with a direct answer: “we hired someone else,” “we are still deciding,” or “yes we pick you.” This information is beneficial no matter what the outcome is.
  
• Stay organized - Know when you’ve applied or interviewed and know when to follow up. By staying on top of things, you won’t get interview times confused or forget to apply to a position in time. These easily preventable mistakes are due to a lack in organization.