Career Advice

You go to college hoping that by the time you graduate, you’ll know exactly what you want to do and your dream job will be waiting for you. Unfortunately, that’s not always how it works out. Maybe you’ve spent your college career acquiring specific skills and you know exactly what you want to do, but you’re having trouble getting responses from employers. Maybe you’re unsure exactly what you want to do after graduation, so your job search is stalled.

Congratulations! You've made it to the final round of interviews for an internship position. This is a great accomplishment and an opportunity to showcase your skills and potential. As you prepare for this crucial stage of the hiring process, it's essential to anticipate the types of questions that may be asked so you can best prepare to land that role. This will not only help you shake those pre-interview nerves, but knowing what questions might come your way will allow you to draft and practice answers that will wow your interviewer.

Embarking on an internship is an exciting and pivotal moment in your career journey. It provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience, develop new skills, and make those important connections in your field. Making a great first impression is crucial during this time, and can set the tone not only for your internship experience, but for your future as a professional in the industry.

Securing an internship is a big milestone in kickstarting your career — so congrats on making it to the interview stage! To increase your chances of landing the role, you’ll want to enter this next step in the hiring process as prepared as you can be.

Every major can prepare you for a career after college, but some majors have more structured career paths. If you majored in civil engineering or agriculture, for example, there’s a good chance you’re going to enter one of those fields. But if your major gave you the freedom to explore different career paths – maybe you majored in business management, English, or general studies – you might be left feeling unsure exactly where you fit and what you want to do after graduation.

Before the big, in-person interview with your (potential) future boss in your (potential) future office, you have to get through the screening interview. Usually taking place over the phone, though occasionally over video or in-person, a screening interview allows a recruiter or hiring manager to find out more about you and if you could be a good fit for the job.

When you don’t have a previous job to compare it to, figuring out what you deserve to be paid for your first job can be tough. You’re worried about asking too much, but you’re even more worried about asking for too little.

Interviews are one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the hiring process. Whether it’s an initial phone interview or the final stages of the hiring process, knowing that your chances of getting a job hinges on your ability to convey yourself in the best light is stressful. To help you get through this stage in your job search, we’ve prepared a comprehensive guide on how to prepare for each stage of the interview process, perform well in the interview, and send a great follow-up that can further increase your chances of getting the job. For specifics on interviewing for a technical position or a sales role, check out our technical interview guide and our guide to interviewing for a sales role.

Please click here if you'd like to return to RippleMatch's Career Discovery Fair.