“The first impression is a lasting impression,” said Vanessa Weathersby, staff assistant for campus recruitment at Sears. Weathersby and Gary Scott, NIU’s Career Planning and Placement director, offered the following interviewing tips for students: Have clear career objectives.

ave thorough knowledge of the company before the interview.

Dress appropriately.

Take the initiative, greet the interviewer, shake hands and make small talk.

Ask good and concise questions about the company and the position.

Develop a spontaneous sense of response to the interviewer’s questions.

Be at ease when talking about yourself.

Take an intitial interview seriously.

Weathersby also noted some mistakes students make in their job search process. She said many students do not find out what opportunities are available with various companies. “Students need to be more sure if they meet the companies needs. They need to have an idea of what they want to do,” she said.

She said Sears has had a lot of success with recruitment at NIU. “We find the students are of a good caliber. They are dedicated, hard-working , and get along well with people,” she said. She also said NIU students have a desire for advancement.

Scott said in order for students to begin their job search they need to determine their career goals. “Students need to determine as early as they can what they are in college for. They need to see how they can use their education in a chosen career.”

In preparation for job searching, students should talk to people in their field of interest, including family and friends, said Scott. In addition, students should acknowledge that changes might take place in their field in a few years. Therefore, they need to “be flexible ” to accomodate for the changes, Scott said.

In addition, he said students should be aware of what qualities they have to offer employers. “Students have three things to sell to companies: their education, their work experience and their personal qualities,” he said.

The Career Planning and Placement Center continually offers workshops in job search strategies, interviewing and resume writing, Scott said.