Those same companies will also typically post this information on their websites.
Another alternative are the many other Internet resources such as Mapquest.com. I hear this resource getting a lot of flack, but every time I have used it, it has done a wonderful job.
Decide realistically how much travel time you will need—then factor in an additional 50 percent. Better to be 30 minutes early than 30 seconds late.
Flying to an interview is obviously a bit different. Often, you will get a ride from the destination airport via cab or other means. But if you are renting a car and driving there yourself, take measures to be safe. Time your arrival so that you will have plenty of time to get to your appointment. Because so many flights are delayed or even cancelled, try to fly out the previous evening and booking a hotel room as close as possible to the site at which you’ll be interviewed.
Don’t take this lightly. Any career expert will tell you that, especially among the less experienced job hunters, this is a very common oversight, with dire consequences.
The Purpose of Research
Okay, let’s say you have a job interview scheduled for a sales representative position with the Ivory Towers Office Furniture Company. You know nothing about office furniture (at least from an industry perspective), and you certainly don’t know anything about Ivory Towers. You know some about sales, but because you are either a career changer or fresh out of college, your direct experience is somewhat limited. Thus, this is either a mid- or entry-level position.
This leaves you with three question marks, and subsequent areas of research:
a. Industry (the forest)
b. Company (the tree)
c. Position (the branch – or twig, or leaf?)
I divide these topics up because if we don’t, we run the risk of getting lost. In other words, have you ever found yourself digging through raw information (be it hard copy or electronic) and then asked yourself, “What
exactly is it that am I looking for?”
This is because you were doing research
for the mere sake of doing research. To research a useful answer, you first must know the question.
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The above is an excerpt from The Last Guide to Interviewing You'll Ever Need, which is available for sale for $17 in our bookstore or for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. Students know that good experiences helps to build a good resume and that good resumes help you land interviews, yet how many of us have been shown how to interview well so that we can get hired? Written by Keith F. Luscher specifically for the job hunting students who use CollegeRecruiter.com. To get hired, you must know how to interview well. Read this book and you will. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter. |
