By Amanda Curry 
The Daily Vidette, Illinois State U.

(UWire)--Tuesday night (Feb. 3^rd) Laura Brooks from State Farm, Steve German from Growmark and Eric Richards from Target addressed members of the Society of Human Resource Management organization at Illinois State University. They talked about common mistakes students make during career fairs, interviewing and in their work ethics.

German explained that while it's illegal to hire off of a first impression, first impressions count for a lot.

"Fifteen minutes early is on time, on time is late, and if you're late, don't even bother me," German said.

It's important to bring a fresh resume, cover letter and references. Making sure one's resume is one to two pages in length is also important.

"It's impressive as a recruiter when a student comes up and says 'This is my major. I see you have these positions open. I have these skills.'"
-Laura Brooks

Interviewees need to have a good, solid handshake. They should also always refer to the interviewer as Mister or Misses, even if it is someone they know.

Dress should be conservative and professional for men and women with no hats or piercings while jewelry is kept to a minimum.

"Ladies cut back on the perfume," German said, "I don't want to have to explain it to my wife."

One should never lie during an interview. If an individual has other job offers, be honest but don't brag about it. One should also never bring up salary during the (first) interview.

"At the end of the interview say 'I'd really like to have an opportunity to work for you,'" German said. "Follow up with a handwritten thank you card."

"In the card, reiterate that you would like the chance to work with that company."

Job fairs are an important place to become familiar with the interview process. Many employers line up interviews at job fairs.

Students need to go to fairs as early as their freshman year in order to build relationships with the companies they want to work with.

"You need to do your research about the company. You need to know what they do and what kind of opportunities they have," Brooks said. "It's impressive as a recruiter when a student comes up and says 'This is my major. I see you have these positions open. I have these skills.'"

Specialized networking opportunities are becoming more common for students in the business field. Brooks encouraged students to take advantage of these opportunities.

Networking events present students with more one-on-one time to talk with managers and senior analysts. They also allow students to get business cards and have a contact point with the company.

Richards explained that generation 'Y' needs constant praise. This is one of our major downfalls, along with a failure to listen.

"No one pays you six figures to do an easy job," Richards said. "No one is going to pay you six figures and tell you what a great job you did."

"You need to be happy with what you can do."

Generation 'Y' also has some positive qualities according to Richards. They have a drive to succeed, are not as skeptical as the X generation and have no fear of taking on something new. In order to get a job, focus on these good qualities.

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