Internships, jobs and interviews, OH MY!

I always wondered if recruiters knew that with a single phone call they could crush you.

I hang up phone and think to myself:
“Why did I say that?”
“They probably think I am an idiot. Was I over zealous?”
“Did I say too much? Did I not say enough?”
“Did I over sell? Under sell...”

In the days that follow, I check my email and sometimes there is something and sometimes there is nothing.
“Do write back?”
“How often?”
“When is the appropriate time?”

I am not dating. I am looking for a place to do my professional project.

This is not new to me. I have been through them before with my first two internships.

I can remember the Sun-Sentinel’s phone call so vividly. The Director of Photography at the time, Tim Rasmussen, called me on my cell. I was at my mother’s house in Florida. I can remember covering the mouthpiece of the phone and jumping up and down on the couch like I was Tom Cruise on Oprah.

While I am no longer jumping on the furniture, I still go through the same set of emotions.

For students who may be reading this, I recommend taking a few minutes to breath before your interview and checking out some online dating guides for tips to help you through the process.

Here are some from Datingtips.com
Intend to go on your date
Emphasize on mutual interest
Talk about activities you could do together
Avoid asking them out while drunk

.....

As for employers, I only have three recommendations. These are from my own person experiences.

1. Take the time to form relationships with runner-up candidates. You don’t know who or where they will be in two years, five years or ten years. You may want them on your team later on.

2. Do not use students as idea machines. They can sense it, and it will leave a bad taste in their mouth. That bad taste will be associated with the company, not with you.

3. Do not talk interview someone unless you are seriously interested in them and have something to offer them. (This goes along with tip 2.)