As you begin assembling the tools for your job search strategy, you must remember the basic rules of the hiring process:

• There must be an opening for which you are applying
• There must be a “fit” between the candidate that is selected and the corporate culture of the organization (grades, level of professional and personal strength and personality, dress and experiences); and,
• The person conducting the interview must be convinced of just how well you “fit” within the twenty to thirty minute interview.

Keep in mind that the hiring process is expensive and, because of this, it is a very conservative process. This expense is reflected in the cost of recruiting and interviewing; the amount of lost productivity that is occurring while recruiting is taking place.

Upon hire, training often occurs. Training will consist of assisting you reach your potential, which occurs between the third to fifth year of employment (This time span can change depending on the level of work and organizational complexity). As organizations continue to evolve and specific knowledge based work takes precedence, you need to possess the right mix of knowledge, abilities, and skills employers seek to make a hiring match.

Relatedness of Major:

The more technical the organization, the more specific they will be in the types of majors interviewed. Accounting, Computer Science, and Engineering firms hire almost exclusively from academic majors that fit their functions. Organizations seeking client caseworkers or counselors will indicate specific degrees, e.g. social work, psychology, counseling, and may also request specific licensure. Non-technical majors should remember that “relatedness of major” also means employers want to know if you know how to present your academic degree in occupational language and if you are able to project and apply your knowledge, skills and abilities into their organization.

Cooperative Education or Internship Experience:

As costs of hiring and training continue to rise, the request for cooperative education or internship experience has risen from something that would be nice to have to something employers use as a prescreening criterion. In many cases, if an employer participates in a cooperative education or internship program their need to recruit has been eliminated with a source of trainees in the hiring pipeline.

Degree Level:

In some cases organizations very clearly state, within the position description, a preference for a degree level the position they are recruiting, e.g. Bachelor’s degree required. Whether or not you will be interviewed may depend solely upon whether you have a bachelor or doctoral degree in addition to skills, experience, licensure or certification. Do Not Deselect Yourself! If you have the skills and qualifications, submit your resume and cover letter. Choose to apply based on the qualifications required for the position. If you are interested in learning more about a position, use the contact information from the job description to arrange an informational interview for your own career pathing tool bank.

High Motivation

Such a person generally exhibits a high energy level, drive, initiative, enthusiasm, and more often than not is involved in leadership roles.

Good Communication Skills

Having well organized thoughts is essential to effective communication, and being able to express those thoughts in an articulate manner (both written and verbal) is paramount to effective job interview.

Defining Career Goals that mesh with the Organization’s Needs and Objectives

Understanding this relationship requires researching the organization.

Professional Personal Appearance

This means more than being well groomed. It means presenting a professional presence during an interview.

Relevant Work Experience

Not only does this permit a potential employer to more accurately evaluate technical expertise, but it enables the candidate to more clearly define career goals and more realistically evaluate the potential in a job offer.

Other Factors

Showing interesting in the position discussed, exhibiting maturity, salary and promotional expectations, and geographic flexibility in the case of multi-facility companies are integral to the success of becoming hired.