Get a read on your analytical skills
The “Job Seeking and Interview Preparation” phase equips you with essential skills to stand out in the competitive job market. It teaches how to research companies and assess job opportunities, helping you focus on roles that align with your career goals. Rehearsing for interviews is emphasized as a critical step to boost confidence and performance during actual interviews.
This phase also covers effective networking strategies, guiding you on how to leverage professional connections to find and secure your ideal job. By mastering these aspects, you’ll be better prepared to navigate the job search process and increase your chances of landing a role that matches your skills and aspirations.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain how to rehearse for a job interview and why it’s important
- Describe an informational interview and its benefits for job seeking
- Navigate job application types and policies
Evaluate job listings and assess if they represent good opportunities - Understand how to network professionally
- Perform company and industry research for job seeking
PRACTICE QUIZ
1. What is an informational interview?
- An interview a company holds with a candidate to just get better acquainted
- An article published by a news source about a company
- An interview held between interviewers to familiarize themselves with a candidate
- An interview someone holds with a professional to learn more about a field of work (CORRECT)
Correct: Informational interviews usually serve in industry research.
2. What is the top networking website?
- LinkedIn (CORRECT)
- GitHub
- Monster
Correct: An approximate 87% of recruiters prefer LinkedIn usage as an online recruiting tool and hundreds of thousands of professionals around the globe.
3. Which of the following is a “red flag” in a job listing, indicating that you should consider very carefully before applying?
- No recruiter name listed
- Lack of industry-specific jargon
- Unrealistic requirements (CORRECT)
- No salary listed
Correct: Organizations that require a lot, such as needing several years of experience for an entry-level position, either do not know what that role is or are just taking advantage of potential candidates.
4. What are the three basic components of a good elevator pitch?
- State the job you’re looking for, the company you want to target, and your preferred salary
- Say your job title, your latest personal project, and your contact information
- Introduce yourself, ask what the person you’re talking to does, and ask if they know of any open jobs
- Introduce yourself, tell what you have done recently, and list your professional goals (CORRECT)
Correct: He is one of your job-search summaries which you may refer into many such situations of requiring that you are willing to share it.
5. When you are reading a company’s website because you plan to interview with them, why should you pay attention to keywords you spot on the site?
- It can be helpful for tracking purposes.
- You might find inconsistencies or mistakes that you could alert the company to.
- It can help you find the company more easily when you do a web search for articles.
- It can help you understand the image the company wants to project and maintain. (CORRECT)
Correct: The way a company speaks can tell a lot about its culture, and place it to have better conversation with them.
Graded Quiz
1. A company website is a good place to research a company you’re interested in. Why should you pay attention to the language used in the website text?
- The formality of the language can give you an idea of the company culture.
- Repeated keywords can give you an idea of what is important to the company. (CORRECT)
- Mistakes can indicate that the company is not legitimate.
- Industry jargon and terminology can indicate that the company is up to date.
Correct: One can notice from a company’s word choices in its content the most important ideas to them. Such terms can even be integrated into interviews showing how one fits with the company’s perspective.
2. Why should you check social media to find out about a company you want to join?
- You can give companies a view of your own life so they can know you better.
- You can ask questions about the company to a broad audience.
- You can see if former employees have shared feedback.
- You can understand the company’s image and corporate culture from what they post. (CORRECT)
Correct: Both the official account of the organization and the accounts of its employees can reveal something about what is currently troubling the organization and, more importantly, its culture.
3. Which three of the following are effective networking methods?
- Talk to people you meet at bars and clubs.
- Join professional groups and attend events. (CORRECT)
- Take classes to brush up on your professional skills. (CORRECT)
- Talk to friends about your job search. (CORRECT)
Correct: This is a good way to meet others in your field who might know of job opportunities.
Correct: You may meet other people in your field, either in class or teaching.
Correct: The best and nearest base that one can get for networking is one’s immediate social circle. They may not be in the same field as you are, but they may know someone who is.
4. What percentage of recruiters use LinkedIn as part of their candidate search?
- Almost 90% (CORRECT)
- About 75%
- Nearly 50%
- Just over 30%
Correct: Correct. About 87 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn as part of their candidate search.
5. Which of the following is true about working as a contractor and full-time employee (FTE)?
- Both contractors and FTEs usually work full-time hours. (CORRECT)
- Both contractors and FTEs receive benefits from the company where they work.
- Contractors and FTEs are generally covered by the same employment laws.
- Both can expect to work indefinitely.
Correct: Typically, a contractor will not get any benefits directly from the contracting firm. However, those benefits will be awarded to the contractor through their agency.
6. What is a “red flag” that might indicate thinking twice about responding to a job listing?
- Broad expectations about the position with few specifics (CORRECT)
- A statement about fair hiring practices
- Very specific job title
- No industry jargon or highly technical terms
Correct: Writing a job description that describes a particular position in terms of roles and duties of the given job level is an essential condition for drafting a well-written job advertisement.
7. Which two statements are true about qualifications in job listings?
- The qualifications often will not include how many years of experience are expected.
- The qualifications will outline what the person in the role is expected to do.
- You don’t need to have all of the qualifications listed. (CORRECT)
- The qualifications may include both hard and soft skills. (CORRECT)
Correct: The essential requirement is that you must meet all qualifications, many preferred, but not necessarily all.
Correct: Some examples of job qualifications can be hard skills like programming languages or soft skills like communication and teamwork.
8. What is true about rehearsing for interviews?
- You can’t predict the questions, so there’s no point in finding examples.
- It’s not helpful to watch yourself in a mirror.
- You won’t need an elevator pitch.
- It’s important to practice articulating what you want to say. (CORRECT)
Correct: Speaking what is so quickly learned becomes somewhat cramped. However, with continuous practice, such statements become more and more converging into comfort.
9. What is a mock interview?
- A practice interview given by the company you want to join that doesn’t actually count
- An interview where you only need to answer the questions you have prepared
- A practice interview that enables you to rehearse your answers at home (CORRECT)
- An interview where you are given extremely difficult questions
Correct: Make an appointment with a buddy to role-play a mock interview for practicing your elevator pitch and answering common questions.
10. What is a good way to prepare for first interviews?
- Prepare a written document of your answers that you can hand out at your interviews.
- Use your notes to compose questions you want to ask the company. (CORRECT)
- Decide on the salary and benefit package you will accept.
- Memorize everything you have researched.
Correct: Aside from questions given by the interviewers, you will also be given time to ask your own. So you better be ready for this part of the interview as well.
CONCLUSION – Applying and Preparing to Interview
In other words, the job hunting and interview principles that you are going to learn will be among the most potent weapons in your arsenal to become a more attractive and competitive candidate. Get you to research companies, score possible opportunities, observe what practice interviews are, and understand good networking practices. You are helping yourself significantly in managing job search efforts. These skills will also enhance your chances of interviewing charges while at the same time allowing you to find and build meaningful connections leading towards defining the path of discovering and getting your ideal role. Such groundwork leaves one equipped to comfortably and successfully navigate the diverse terrains of the job market. Closer, then, to your goal of achieving success in your career.