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Interview survival guide for new grads

By Karrah Anderson, Star Tribune (Minneapolis), Source: MCT News Service

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. _ So you're about to graduate from college and you are looking to land that dream job with all the benefits: paid vacation, sick days and a decent starting salary. But how do you get hired? And how do you negotiate all those perks?

We talked to Adele Cloutier of the Minneapolis South Workforce Center's Employment Ready U. She offered these dos and don'ts for how to conduct yourself before, during and after an interview.

PREPARE

Make sure to research the company you are applying with and look for what they need and not what they want. Cloutier says this allows you to prepare a list of qualifications you have that would fit into their environment.

When you get an interview, prepare a portfolio. The portfolio should include your best work, teacher recommendations, proof of extracurricular activities and awards. Any other accomplishments should be noted.

Bring a copy of the job description and several copies of your resume, each printed separately. "Don't Xerox them," Cloutier says. You want to bring enough for each person to have one during the interview.

"Bring a list of your references along, but don't volunteer them. Wait to see if they are asked for," she says.

Be prepared with questions. At the end of an interview, a potential employer will ask if there is anything else you want to know. Come prepared with two to three questions to ask; otherwise, you'll seem uninterested, Cloutier says. A simple note card tucked away in your portfolio will help you organize your thoughts and make you feel at ease.

THE INTERVIEW

Cloutier advises interviewees to answer questions concisely and conclude with, "Does that answer your questions?" or "Is there anything else you needed to know about that?" This allows you to answer completely. Keep your answers short and simple _ not so short that it seems you are hiding something, but not too long-winded, either.

The long days of college lectures and term papers end soon with a tossed tassel and a freshly minted diploma. Now for _ gulp _ those all-important first job interviews. Here's a survival guide.

NEGOTIATING

So they loved you and want to hire you right away. Now what? You want to make sure you get what you deserve, and Cloutier offers techniques for asking for the right salary, vacation time and other benefits.

Not all jobs have a negotiable salary, but if you're sure yours does, Cloutier advises you do it. Start by asking others in the field what they think would be an appropriate starting salary for someone with your experience. Avoid going to online salary checkers, because in an economy like this, Cloutier says, that information could be outdated.

This is a face-to-face interaction. Never negotiate through e-mail or over the phone. "It will be a lot easier for someone to hang up on you than to get up from their chair and leave their office," Cloutier says.

Follow this conventional wisdom: He who mentions money first, loses. Meaning, wait for the employer to bring it up.

When negotiating salary, always ask for a range, never an exact amount. With a range, it is assumed you are asking for the midpoint.

Cloutier points out that salary may not be the only thing you can negotiate. You may want to take a lower salary in exchange for more flex time or a three-month review vs. a six-month review (which would increase your chances of getting a raise earlier). Other negotiable items are parking fees, varying hours or shifts, or even child care.

"Be comfortable with silence," Cloutier says. "The person who is most uncomfortable with silence will be the first to break it," and thus be at a disadvantage.

This could be a touchy time for negotiating, Cloutier warns. "I don't know how successful these techniques will be in this kind of market. (College grads) might have to take what they can get for now."

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(c) 2009, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

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