A job interview cheat sheet for fresh grads

Guess what, school’s over. Forever. Now you have to join the thousands of hopefuls who are probably vying for the job you want. How do you set yourself apart? Here are a few tips that might just help you do so.

MANILA, Philippines - You once took the great fall from Mighty High School Senior to Lowly Naive College Freshman, and spent the next four years regaining power.

Hate to break it to you, but you’re about to get pushed off that cliff again.

In a few weeks, you will be embarking on what is, technically, no longer a summer break because school’s over. Forever. And you will join hundreds of thousands of graduates all over the country in the hopes of finding your first job.

First hurdle: The job interview. We’re giving you seven tips, and the rest is all up to you. Welcome to the job hunt, where you can’t just wish and pray for the odds to be ever in your favor. Let the games begin.

1. A general tip (in the interview, and in life): Be confident, not cocky.

If you don’t know the difference, then you’re off to a bad start.

2. Do your research. Know what the company needs, and show how you can provide that value.

Only the cocky don’t do research. Even the most introverted can find confidence in thorough research and preparation.

And by “research,” we don’t just mean Googling the company name and reading through their About Us page.

Put your online stalking skills to good use, and search for their past and current projects, who they’ve worked with, and what were the results. This arms you with concrete examples that you can use during the interview. Doing this doesn’t make you a suck-up, it will show that you are truly enthusiastic about being a part of the company, its work, and its culture.

One of the biggest misconceptions about job interviews is that the primary question you should be preparing for is, “How great of a person am I?” Nope, we’ve got social media for that.

Review the description and scope of the job you’re applying for, and decode what the company really needs. The real question to answer is “How can I provide value for the company?” Prepare specific examples that show that you possess those skills they’re looking for.

3. Prepare STAR stories.

Look. After a whole day of facing new applicants, the interviewer will NOT remember you for being “hardworking, passionate, detail-oriented, and creative,” because chances are, everybody else claimed to be those things, too. Instead, answer with concrete examples of how you exhibit those traits by using the STAR framework.

STAR stands for Situation/Task (ST), Action taken (A), and Results (R). What was the situation or problem you needed to solve? What were the actions you took? What was the outcome? (Make sure to emphasize the results!) Preparing these examples beforehand can make sure you can deliver the story with clarity, brevity and impact.

Interviewers don’t remember adjectives, superlatives, labels, and exact GPAs — but stories stick.

I remember the girl who messed up the tarp printing for her org’s event, and how she exhibited impressive resourcefulness in turning her mistake around. I couldn’t care less about what the org was called, or even if she was an officer or just a member!

4. On the day of the interview, come early, and look collected, neat and hygienic.

It seems like a tip I don’t even have to give anymore, but you’ll be surprised at how many people still don’t get this right. Don’t be that applicant who uses excuses like “The taxi I was riding broke down, the driver didn’t know where the place was,” or “I took a wrong turn on a one-way street.”

If you’re feeling extra jittery, come at least an hour early to grab a light snack at a nearby cafe and review your notes, pass by the bathroom to freshen up, fix your hair, pop those breath mints — before showing up at their door at least 10 minutes before your interview slot. It’s hard to make a good first impression if you’re frazzled, sweaty, and panting as you burst through their doors at the very last minute.

A note on the outfit: keep it fresh, clean and minimal. Even if you’re applying for a more creative position, you’ll never go wrong with looking professional. Iron that shirt, watch those hemlines, and leave the distracting jewelry at home. You want them to remember what you said, not what you wore.

5. Sincerity and willingness to learn are more important than giving perfect answers.

I’ve interviewed many intelligent young people who always had the right answers — textbook answers they thought I wanted to hear, rehearsed Miss Universe phrases I’ve seen in how-to-ace-your-job-interview articles like this one.

While preparedness is a must, a rough-around-the-edges sincerity is quite often the dealmaker.

I once took a gamble on hiring a girl who was an impressive achiever on paper, and had excellent speaking skills. During the interview, she gave me answers that were technically perfect, polished, and precise.

And that was exactly the kind of work I got from her: technically perfect, polished and precise — and ultimately boring, flat and uninspiring. Especially for your first job, great employers don’t expect you to be perfect: they want you to be willing to learn.

6. Know the answer to “Why do you want this job?”

If you can’t answer that question with full conviction — even without an audience — then that’s a red flag in itself.

Apply for a job that really interests you, and you’ll be hard pressed to hide the passion and enthusiasm from your eyes during your interview. (You might not even need this article.)

7. Cut the crap.

To be honest, your employer may not find out if you were really the one who spearheaded that org project. Some applicants are just really good at selling BS (“My biggest weakness is that I’m such a perfectionist”) — and end up getting the job.

But the problem with BS is that it catches up with you.

You can pad your résumé and fluff up your answers, but there are two things that are hard to fake: that sparkle in your eyes, and the results you’ll be able to deliver after you land the job.

You do realize you have to live up to everything you said in the interview room after you get accepted, right?