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Finding a job and getting through the many parts of the screening and interviewing process sounds exhausting because it is. Even after you get to the absolute final round interview for one of your target companies, there’s no guarantee of an offer, which can further increase distress and lower morale. Being a Bentley student helps, the Career Development Center Helps, being prepared helps, but what can also help speed up the process of getting an offer, or not getting an offer (and moving on to different internship prospects)? Here are a few ideas. Make sure you don’t skip #3!
- Don’t be too picky. Apply to as much as you can (within reason and within your scopes of interest). It’s perfectly understandable to have companies that you would love to work for and those can be really awesome goals. But sometimes, things go wrong. There could be a disconnect sometime during the interview process, and you may need other options (sometimes a lot of other options). So, just make sure you’re keeping a realistic perspective, but simultaneously not giving up on your ambitions.
- Apply. Then, apply some more. Statistically (shout-out GB213), you are more likely to move on to the next round of the recruiting process if you apply to more companies and get your name out there, and therefore more likely to receive an offer. This corresponds very well with my first point, but just make sure that you are actively applying, until the very moment that you receive and accept an offer.
- Network and attend events. There’s really not any opportunity to get around this point. It’s important to talk to people. Employees often know of jobs that aren’t listed or may be willing to put in a good word for you when you do submit your application. This is probably the most crucial piece of advice in this blog, as a helping hand can truly get your application through to upper-management much more quickly than you ever could on your own.
- Follow-up and ask questions! Whether you’re just starting to complete a HireVue or in the last few stages with an employer, it is completely recommended to follow-up and even ask questions about the process. It’s not unreasonable to ask for a timeline of when an offer may be offered, and asking may just keep the employer accountable to that deadline. Sometimes, if you’re in the process of applying to several jobs, it may make sense to respectfully tell employers that you may need them to speed up the process of an offer so that you can appropriately plan. Additionally, specifically sending thank you emails or continuing interview conversations can help speed up this process as well.
