Whether you’re graduating this spring or you’re hunting for a summer internship, you’re probably stressed about acing your interviews. To help alleviate some of that stress, we reached out to the experts from Excelle and asked them for their tips on making a great first impression. Check back every Thursday for more helpful career tips and articles!

Prepping for an important interview means researching the company and making sure you have smart responses to anticipated questions. It also means being strategic about what to wear to an interview. Specifically, you want to choose job interview clothes — and colors — that will put you in the best light and may give you an advantage.

Research has shown that 85 percent of communication is nonverbal, so choosing what to wear to an interview is clearly an important part of your overall presentation. It won’t make up for weak answers, but it can communicate some positive things about your personality and what you might be like to work with.

Here’s what some common colors convey so you can put them to best use when getting dressed for the job interview: Read More »

Whether you’re graduating this spring or you’re hunting for a summer internship, you’re probably stressed about acing your interviews. To help alleviate some of that stress, we reached out to the experts from Excelle and asked them for their tips on making a great first impression. Check back every Thursday for more helpful career tips and articles!

If you were a recruiter given a choice between two candidates—one with a few years of industry experience and the other with excellent qualifications but no “real world” training—who would you choose?

There’s no easy answer to this question, as there is no clear winner in the age-old debate on the importance of education vs. the value of experience. With one random search on the Internet, you’ll find tons of people sitting on both sides of the fence. Pages and pages have been dedicated to the debate, but it seems far from being settled.

Those who think education has little bearing on success never tire of throwing out the names of famous university dropouts like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to win their argument, while the proponents of a college education quote statistic after statistic to prove its impact on a person’s employability and earnings.

Education or Experience

So what’s more important—education or experience? The truth is that both have a place in a person’s career trajectory.

While someone with experience but no formal degree may be favored for certain jobs, he or she may find himself or herself reaching a saturation point in his or her career earlier and may struggle to advance professionally because the person is not considered adequately qualified. On the other hand, a college grad with the best education and book smarts may be completely at sea when it comes to dealing with real-world work situations if the graduate has no prior industry experience.

Whether you’re graduating this spring or you’re hunting for a summer internship, you’re probably stressed about acing your interviews. To help alleviate some of that stress, we reached out to the experts from Excelle and asked them for their tips on making a great first impression. Check back every Thursday for more helpful career tips and articles!

I recently heard about an individual applying for a job who was asked by the hiring manager to bring up his Facebook page. The individual was shocked, but did so because he wasn’t sure how to refuse.

What would you do if this happened to you? Does an employer even have the right to ask this, especially when Facebook is supposed to be something you only allow your “friends,” or people you have approved, to see? Perhaps not. But if you say no, are you improving or hurting your chances for getting the job?

Here are some suggestions for how to cope if you find yourself in this bind:

1. Create a fan page that is purely business and bring that up.

2. Make sure you only put information on Facebook that portrays you in a positive and professional light (however, you can’t control what a friend might post).

3. Say you don’t have a Facebook page (although they may search for you).

4. State you would be glad to bring up your LinkedIn or Zoom or Google profile instead as that is business related. Read More »

Whether you’re graduating this spring or you’re hunting for a summer internship, you’re probably stressed about acing your interviews. To help alleviate some of that stress, we reached out to the experts from Excelle and asked them for their tips on making a great first impression. Check back every Thursday for more helpful career tips and articles!

By: Not Just The Kitchen for Divine Caroline

The dreaded job interview. No matter your resume and talents if you mess this up you won’t get that job. In today’s tough economy you need every possible edge. It can be a simple equation: You want to be liked—not hated.

Here are ten simple things to do that will dramatically increase your chances: from wearing the right expression, to knowing what not to say, to never ever breaking a sweat.

1. Don’t be a Smiley Face
Excessive smiling in a job interview is seen for what it is—nervousness and a lack of confidence. A smiley face exudes phoniness, which will quickly be picked up by the interviewer. Instead be thoughtful and pleasant. Smile when there’s something to smile about. Do a practice run in front of a mirror or friend.

2. Don’t be a Know-It-None
Your job is to be knowledgeable about the company for which you’re interviewing. Random facts about last night’s episode of Dancing With the Stars episode or your favorite blog will not get you the job. Never feel you have to fill an interview with small talk. Find ways to talk about serious subjects related to the industry or company. Pockets of silence are better than padding an interview with random babble.

Read More »

It’is the beginning of August. Everyone is wrapping up their summer internships and getting ready to begin the new school year. Before you leave your internship, make an effort to schedule a 10-minute meeting with your internship supervisor and any executives you have helped out or done work for. You need to get some “face” time with these employees.

The goal is for you to get just enough face time for them to remember you when you send them an email two months down the line. Don’t be scared to ask for this meeting. You have a 50/50 chance they will say YES. And if they say NO, not a big deal. Think of it as an added bonus if they let you.

If your employer does agree to sit down with you, have a list of questions prepared. You want to learn as much about the executive in the 10-minutes allotted as possible.

What to Say and Do During Your “Exit” Meeting From You Internship

1. Make a list of questions to ask your employer before you meet with him/her

2. Go in the meeting with a notepad and pen Read More »