(Book Review) Job Interview Skills 101 - The Course You Forgot to Take - CareerEnlightenmentFor recent grads facing professional job interviews for the first time, Job Interview Skills 101 is a book designed just for you. Author, Ellyn Enisman, sees a gap in new grads’ preparation for finding a job after college: “I have spent my career recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and helping find jobs for candidates just like you and I am still surprised at how unprepared most students are when they graduate.”

If you’re feeling intimidated by the interviewing process you’re not alone. Confidence and clarity in an interview require preparation. The advice in this book can lessen beginner’s mistakes and sharpen your effectiveness.

Take Some Advice from the Interviewers Themselves

This book doesn’t give you textbook answers to common interview questions because “textbook answers don’t work—that’s not what interviewers want to hear.”


Instead it’ll provide you with examples of questions and expectations of REAL PEOPLE, human resource directors and senior managers, who conduct interviews in many fields.

Know What You Want and Go Get It

The CEO of a real estate development firm advises, “Have good reasons why you want to work for my company. Relate them to what you have learned about us before you come to the interview.”

This idea of understanding what you want from the job before you even start the interview is important.

It’s an exciting prospect to picture yourself arriving at an interview feeling confident that you’re in the position to choose rather than simply hoping and praying that you are chosen. Enisman not only believes that this is possible but teaches how it can make you an even more effective interviewee.

Enisman’s Strategies for Using Social Media for Interview Prep

As we know, social media can be a very effective tool for job searchers. It’s no surprise that it can aid us in the interview process as well. Here are a couple of Enisman’s tips:

  1. Use LinkedIn to find people who work for the company you’re interviewing with. Ask them for insights into their own hiring process as well as the culture of the company.

  2. Check out Facebook for a company page and potential employees to contact.

  3. Check Twitter to find out what others are saying about the company. You may even find the person you will be interviewing with.

  4. Use social networking platforms to look for others who are going to interview or have interviewed with the company. Forge connections and ask questions about their experiences.

  5. Don’t let your Facebook profile hurt you. Remove any unflattering or immature content.

  6. Let your Facebook profile help you. Prospective employers will look you up because “your profiles on social sites are now part of your resume.” Use the space to highlight your qualities and accomplishments.

Be Prepared to Work Hard

The information and preparation strategies in this book are extensive. You will learn about many interview situations and how you should behave in each. There are even tips on dress code and follow up which are equally important parts of the process.

Enisman leaves no stone unturned and you’ll benefit from her thoroughness if you’re willing to approach the process with an open mind. She reminds us, “THIS IS NOT WORK. THIS IS AN INVESTMENT! If you invest others will too. Right now, finding a job is your job.”

Work hard and land the job you really want!

For more information on Ellyn and how she can help you with career exploration, job search strategies, resume transformation, and interviewing skills visit her website: http://collegetocareercoaching.com/