Panelist

Yesterday took an interesting turn! I have never been to a conference before, not even a career fair, but yesterday I was asked to be a panelist in a summit for recent graduates. One of my biggest fears is talking in front of people so the idea of speaking in front of this group (30-35 people...it's not even a big group!) is absolutely terrifying. But I think it will be a really good experience, so I volunteered to help out. Someone dropped out last minute so I have a few days to prepare which just adds to the fun! I had planned on spending my next two nights reading a book for class, but this changes my plans a bit.

The purpose of this panel seems to be to help recent graduates in their job search. I'm going to be asked to talk about where I went after college and where I am now and what steps I took in between. I was worried at first that I wouldn't have a lot to talk about. I only applied for one job and was offered it before graduation. Then when I made my career change, I only applied to two jobs, got one interview, and then got that job. So when it comes to the actual job search, I have very little experience. However, I have a lot of experience in researching for a position and I truly think that's why I have gotten every job I've interviewed for thus far (which is currently four).

I think that's the information that I will focus on in my discussion. I'll discuss the job search process in terms of preparation and try to get the point across that there is no such thing as too much preparation (but it is important to know what to share from your findings and what to keep to yourself).

I know some people don't believe it's possible to prepare for a job interview.  To me, the research process is half the battle for getting called back. You can have all the skills in the world, but if you haven't prepared for your interview and can't show the employer what you know and what you've done, then you've already lost.

When I was looking for a new job, I also did multiple informational interviews with career counselors trying to get a look into the daily life of those jobs. Then when I found a job that matched what I was looking for, I crafted a brand new cover letter and figured out who would be leading the search so I could address my letter to them. I also double-checked my resume to make sure there were no errors nor omissions. Once I got the interview invite, I started preparing anecdotes that showed my skills and personality and could be applied to a variety of questions. I researched the company and the people who worked there to see what kind of problems they might be facing and how I might help those problems if hired.

I think my preparation really helped me know what it was I was looking for which meant I could then make a better impression in interviews because I was only applying to jobs that really interested me. How do you prepare for the job search? I'll update later on how the panel went and what ideas and tips I heard from other people. There will be a Q&A session, so I'm very interested to hear what people come up with.