moretips

Setting Up Off-Campus Interviews

Plan and Organize--Don't Shortchange Yourself by Being Unprepared
Shop for lowest airfares
Make arrangements to stay with a friend or relative. Otherwise, consider contacting universities or colleges to find an inexpensive room.
As you set up appointments, ask if there is a date and time which would be more convenient for them. Make a tentative appointment and say you will firm up the time in a few days. Tentative appointments allow you flexibility in planning your itinerary to make the most efficient use of your time.
Try to make interview arrangements early enough to send a confirmation letter. If time does not permit a letter, be sure to call and confirm your appointment upon arrival in the city.

Be Prepared for the Interview

Discover the types of questions used by employers in your functional area. Set up interviews with professionals who do what you want to do. Many are willing to spend a few minutes with you to discuss their work and careers. They will ask you significant questions and provide excellent insights that will help prepare you for the interview.
Some of the things recruiters are trying to determine in the interview is a candidate's inherent skills and abilities. Practice interviewing on a tape recorder or in front of a video recorder using the kinds of questions you have discovered. Listen to your responses. Improve them. Practice again and again until your responses reveal what you want to convey. Refining your responses will force you to understand your own goals and motives. Employers want to know how you handle stress or difficult situations.
Make sure you have "stories" to back up the skills/qualities you say you have.
Understand and use business etiquette. A wise candidate makes an investment in future success by learning professional behavior.
Take along extra copies of your resume and references.
Carry a detailed, completed generic application form. It can be a great asset if you are asked to complete a company application on-site. By completing the form in advance, you will have an accurate history of your past employment and education.
Follow Up the Interview With a Thank-You Letter
The interview doesn't always end with polite goodbyes. A personalized thank-you letter that is carefully prepared can, in many cases, make you stand out as a good candidate.
Reiterate your interest in working for the specific company, itemizing reasons you believe you could make a contribution to the company that you didn't cover in your interview. However, make this letter short and to the point.
If you don't hear from the company within ten days, don't hesitate to call your interviewer. This will merely indicate your continued interest and may favor you.