JOB HUNTING Grads: Enter the fray of interviews prepared, experts say

Study up on the company, and leave the nose ring and flip-flops behind.
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
For Pam Webster, it was one of her most memorable interviews with a job candidate -- and not in a good way.
The candidate was applying for a management trainee's job at Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
He came to his interview with Webster, Enterprise's Southern California recruiting manager, with a Slurpee in hand.
"He slurped along during the entire interview," she recalled.
Or how about the time another management-trainee candidate's cell phone rang during a job interview and he left to take the call -- and then returned 20 minutes later to continue the interview.
"It just seems he was not really serious," Webster said.
And that may be point No. 1 for college graduates this year who find themselves looking for their first career-oriented job in a tough job market: If you want to be taken seriously, take your job interview seriously.
That may sound scary to someone who has never been in a formal work environment, but experts say anyone can master the art of the interview. It just takes some thought and preparation.
More than a chat
"An interview is simply an opportunity for you to talk about what you enjoy doing most and what you do best," said Marky Stein, a career coach and author of "Fearless Interviewing."
But, experts warn, it's more than just sitting down for a casual conversation. How you look, how you articulate your skills and how you handle yourself will all be taken into account and then held up against all the other applicants looking for the same job.
The situation isn't hopeless. Here are some suggestions that experts say can help you prepare.
Do your homework. "It's such a big turnoff to an employer with interviewees who don't know anything about the company," said Camille Luckenbaugh, employment information manager for the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
There are lots of ways to get information, starting with the Internet, which will usually give you an idea about what the company does. It will also provide a description of the job you are applying for so you can tailor your comments to those job skills.
But there are other sources of information. Read stories about what others have said about the company. If possible, try to talk to someone who works there to better understand the company's operations and culture.
"If you go in prepared with questions, it shows you've done your research and that it's a company you really want to work for," said Enterprise's Webster.
Stress your skills
Emphasize yourself and your skills. This may sound hard to someone who doesn't have a lot of work experience, but it doesn't mean you have no skills.
Internship experience carries a lot of weight. Experts suggest graduates also think about projects they worked on during school that they can cite in terms of teamwork skills. Volunteer work can be used to demonstrate interpersonal skills, or participation in student groups to show leadership.
"What we're looking for is, 'Do they show responsibility and take on added responsibility?'" said Lisa Pierson, group vice president of Spherion, a recruitment and outplacement firm.
Think of questions and practice interviewing. Preparing in advance "alleviates anxiety -- you really can anticipate [the questions] pretty well," said Jennifer Clough, director of career services at Chapman University.
School career centers are particularly helpful in preparing for an interview. A videotaped mock interview will show a lot about how you present yourself. But if you can't do that, enlist family and friends as questioners.
Clough said a good place to start is by evaluating the job description. "It pretty well says the kinds of things they are looking for," she said.
Get the look
Dress and look professional. It's time to leave the flip-flops, hip-hugger pants and various body piercings at home.
"A lot of it will have to do with the company itself," said NACE's Luckenbaugh. "You can't go wrong dressing up for an interview."
That generally means a suit and tie and dress shoes for men and a suit or nice dress, hose and close-toed shoes for women. Leave the flashy jewelry at home.
But it also means basic hygiene -- shower, comb your hair, trim or shave your beard or mustache, dump the strong-smelling colognes, keep the makeup simple.
"Some people look so disheveled, they look like they just rolled out of bed," said Webster at Enterprise.
Clough said many of these things might not sound important, but they all make an impression -- good or bad -- on the interviewer, and any one of them could make the difference between getting a job or seeing it go to someone else.
"I tell students, 'It's not always the person most qualified for a job, it's the person most prepared.'"