It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, at least for the unemployed job seekers still hunting. Sacramento State students and staff said because of dwindling job rates and rising unemployment, doing well at an interview is crucial.

Candace McGee, Career Center internship manager, said there is no room for mistakes, especially during an interview.

“It is a critical aspect of the career process, especially now that things are so competitive,” McGee said.

McGee said interviewing is an art form that can be learned and mastered.

“The biggest myth out there is that if you’re an outgoing person and are a talker, then you can interview, but that’s rarely the case,” she said. “There are definitely strategies to consider.”

She said her top tips for interviewing are dressing appropriately, showing interest and confidence, being prepared and punctual, and learning how to answer questions with details.

“Make sure you know where your interview is and ask about parking details,” McGee said. “You don’t want to get there huffing and puffing because you were running around trying to find where you were supposed to be.”

During the hiring process, McGee said she looks for students who truly feel the job position is important to them.

“The way students show they care is by dressing properly,” McGee said. “Some students applying for student assistant positions think it’s okay to show up in school clothes, but that just doesn’t work.”

McGee also said confidence is not only a huge plus, but is often transparent.

“You can tell a person’s confidence by the way they answer questions and the tone of their voice. If there voice is really low, I’m thinking they don’t have much confidence and don’t really want to be there. And they may really want to be but they just don’t know how to interview,” she said.

Alfonso Quant, insurance agent and graduate student in business administration, said researching the company is the basis of acing an interview.

“Educate yourself in terms of knowing what the company does, their strategy, and their history. You don’t want to go in there and not have any background on the company,” Quant said.

McGee said that besides researching your company or organization, mock interviews are indispensable.

The Career Center at Sac State offers mock interviews for graduate students and recent alumni.

“I guarantee mock interviews will help students 100 percent because, at least if you’re going to make a mistake, here is the best place to do it,” McGee said.

Molly Bai, freshman business administration major, said the scariest thing about interviews is never knowing the exact questions.

Bai, who is more comfortable with group interviews, said mock interviews gave her a better idea of what questions to expect.

McGee said the most common questions at an interview are: “What are your weaknesses?” “Tell me about yourself,” and “What do you know about our company?”

She said behavioral questions ask for anecdotal stories, not curt “yes” or “no” responses.

McGee said sprinkles of “uhms” and deafeningly loud, awkward pauses during an interview silently scream out signs of a lack of practice and preparation.

She said giving engaging, detailed answers is crucial, as is cleverly omitting certain information.

“You’ve got to keep it strictly business,” McGee said. “Listen to the question before you answer. Don’t ramble.”

Bai and Charles Simmons, a Career Center intern, also agree with McGee. They said it is not the time during an interview to give excruciating details about one’s personal life.

“They don’t want to hear about how you aren’t a morning person, for example,” Bai said.

Simmons said there are three topics to avoid: the salary, vacation time and politics.

“Ask questions about the job at the end to show you’re interested, but don’t grill them,” Simmons said. “Don’t turn the table on them. You don’t want to put the interviewer on the spot.”

McGee said drenching oneself in perfume or cologne, wearing noisy jewelry, bringing in beverages, and “huffing and puffing” into an interview late are ways to make a bad impression.

“We want to focus on you, not your jewelry,” McGee said. “And some people don’t know how much cologne to use so they shouldn’t use any at all.”

Undeclared freshman Gigi Menses, a former hostess who is now reapplying for three YMCA positions, said someone’s first appearance can be as important as what is printed on his or her resume.

“No jeans, no spaghetti straps. You can’t be looking all casual, unless you’re going to work at a gym,” Menses said.

Elizabeth Velasquez, senior criminal justice major, said students should be prepared for judgment and stereotyping and should dress accordingly.

“If they see you with holes or what not, they’re going to see you as a skater or if you’re dressed in all black, then you’re gothic,” Velasquez said. “If you’re not dressed neat(ly), they won’t take you seriously. It’s just the way our life is. If you’re human, you’re going to stereotype no matter what people say.”

George Parrot, professor of psychology, said what someone says isn’t the determining factor in how well he or she does.

“Interviewing is 10 percent about your body language,” Parrot said.

McGee said eye contact says the most silently.

“Making fabulous eye contact is important,” McGee said.

Hanan Salem can be reached at [email protected]