By Charlie Wein
So, you submitted your cover letter and your resume, you waited anxiously, then you got the call, they want to interview you for the job! But how should you dress? What should you say? How do you make yourself stand out from everyone else?
Students in the MSLCE program at Northwestern had the opportunity to spend a day with professional recruiter Amanda Schonfeld to ask her those questions and more.
Throughout the day, Amanda took the students through every step of the interview process and offered guidance on how to approach any given situation. Skills varied for every type of interview, whether you’re interviewing with one person, over Skype, or in front of a panel, the key is to be prepared. Amanda suggests spending a minimum of four hours preparing for an interview and stressed the importance of being emotionally present.
To better understand the strategies behind a successful interview, Amanda split the students into pairs. Each pair was given a job description from real companies currently seeking employees. Students acted out mock interviews, switching from being the interviewer to the prospective employee, then provided feedback to their partner.
The seminar came at an especially important time for the MSLCE students, who are currently in the midst of submitting applications for their upcoming summer internships. Students will be interviewing all over the country and came out of the seminar exponentially more prepared for any question they may be asked. From “Where do you see yourself in 10 years” to “If you could be any color of the rainbow, what would it be?”
When asked about his experience working with Amanda and what he took away from the seminar, MSLCE student Kieran Collen replied, “She was very knowledgeable about the subject. Having worked in the professional world for several years it was great to brush up on things that I had already learned and there were certainly things that she brought to the table that I wasn’t aware of before the seminar. It was really great practice for me.”
After a day with Amanda spent observing, preparing, and practicing, the students left eager and enthusiastic for their upcoming interviews.