Class of 2021 Senior Resource Packet All the answers to your questions for your senior year! Welcome to your senior year of high school! 2 As you begin your last year at Old Mill High School, the counseling department would like to help guide you throughout your senior year and post-secondary options. It’s going to be a unique year, but we are HERE for you to guide you through it! Counseling Department School Counselor Alpha Breakdown Contact Information Google Voice Mr. Barrett 9th grade kbbarrett@aacps.org 301-615-4118 Mr. Hansen AVID ebhansen@aacps.org 443-216-9022 Ms. Tapscott 10th-12th grade: A-D ctapscott@aacps.org 410-929-6064 Mrs. Falls kfalls@aacps.org 410-541-6344 Ms. Ford ESOL & 10th-12th grade: EJ 10th-12th grade: K-Q iford@aacps.org 301-744-9809 Ms. Hanna 10th-12th grade: R-Z kghanna@aacps.org 920-666-1426 Ms. Klimes All MYP and IB students cklimes@aacps.org 301-744-9809 Many counselors will also have google meet office hours for drop ins. Email your counselor for more information! College Planning: Selection Process Selecting a college can be a rigorous process, but the rewards are endless. Begin the selection process by exploring different types of academic institutions and determine what qualities you are interested in. Below are some qualities to consider. 1. Range of Schools: Reach, Target, and Foundation Schools As you are searching for the college that is right for you, remember to explore many types of academic institutions. Examine schools that would qualify as safety 3 schools that you can guarantee admission, select a few "reach" schools that you are really interested in, but may be a stretch, and some middle schools that fit the qualifications you have. By creating a list of schools within your range, you provide yourself with more options and more of a likelihood of acceptance. 2. Location Location is significant in picking the right college for you. You should consider the distance from your home, weather patterns, and financial ability as deterrents for which school would be appropriate for you. This is an important aspect of picking colleges because it will probably be your first time independent from home for a long period of time. You want to be the right distance from your family and in the right location for your personality. 3. Finances Public state and city schools are infinitely cheaper than private schools. However, if you have the money or you are willing to take out many loans to finance your education, then a private school may be for you. Look at the annual tuition for each school, as well as the cost of living of the particular city in which the school is located. 4. Interests Research the school to see if it offers sufficient and significant amount of extracurricular activities that suit your interests. Most universities are centers of diversity and activities. However, some colleges are more intensive in the arts than politics or the sciences than film. Research the societies, clubs, and classes offered to make sure you select the best fit for your personality and course of study. 5. Environment A school's environment can determine much of your happiness. You should consider if you are interested in a co-ed education, if you want a campus or a school located in the city, urban vs. rural, etc. These colleges have particular reputations, so it is always helpful to visit the schools ahead of time to know if it is for you. 6. Cultural Attributions While this section may only apply to a few of you, it will apply directly to those few. You may be looking for a college with an intense population of your own minority, culture, religion, background. Schools also have overt and unwritten reputations for cultural attachment. This is another aid in picking the best college for you. 4 7. Academic Rank or Prestige Every year, US News and World Report come out with an annual ranking of all colleges in the United States. Many people consult this guide to see what schools are academically more prestigious than others, keeping in mind that these are just arbitrary ranks. However, if prestige and the college name are important to you, then it will help narrow down your selection quite rapidly. 8. Specific Professors If you already have a specific academic route in mind, you may select a school based on the reputation of the academic department, and moreover, on the names of particular professors who teach at the college. Big names are often magnets for students. Moving Forward After you have built a list of schools that you are interested in exploring, the next step in moving forward is narrowing the lists down by visiting the schools and knowing what to ask. 1. Schedule a College Visit Hopefully after you have done your research you have a manageable list of 4-5 schools you are interested in. If you have the time and resources we strongly suggest you schedule a school visit. Every school will look great on their website and brochure, but making a school visit is the best way to see what a college is really like. Call ahead to make sure your college is still doing visits during COVID-19. If you call a school and tell them you would like to make a visit they will usually arrange something for you. Here are some things to look for when making a school visit. ⮚ Preparing Before the Visit Arrange to stay overnight in a dorm if possible (MAY NOT BE AS POSSIBLE THIS YEAR). Usually, the admissions office will help you arrange this or use your own connections. Experiencing student life outside of classes can be a real eye-opener. Attend classes and really immerse yourself in what college 5 would be like. Make a list of your most critical factors in choosing your college and check out the same factors on each visit. ⮚ While you are on Campus Take the campus tour. Ask the tour guide for candid answers to your questions about the school. On your own, check out the beacons of campus life: the dorms, the dining halls, the student center, the student radio station and newspaper, even the student bulletin boards. If you are interested in clubs, sports, or fraternities/sororities, visit with advisors and members. We encourage you to meet with college staff. A financial aid officer can discuss costs and financial aid. An admissions officer can answer any application questions you have. Interview students as you tour the school. ⮚ Important Factors to Consider Print out a campus map from the college website. Take it with you so you can hit the ground knowing how to get where you want to go. If you are driving, locate visitor parking lots in advance. Send thank you notes to professors and staff you met. Attend an information session if you didn't in an earlier visit. Pick up a course catalog. It may be invaluable later. Take photos and bring a notebook. This will help jog your memory back at home. 2. College Visiting Old Mill High School Throughout the school year, various universities will be visiting Old Mill to give presentations on their schools. This is a great opportunity to meet with a representative and ask questions about what their college has to offer. The list of schools coming to Old Mill will be kept on Naviance. Check in weekly to see who is scheduled to come to Old Mill and register to be invited to their presentation. It’s very easy to check this list and register. Meetings this year will be done virtually. ⮚ Log onto Naviance. (If you do not know your username and password please email Ms. Degreenia, counseling secretary jdegreenia@aacps.org ). ⮚ On the top right hand side of the page click on the link Colleges. ⮚ Click on Research Colleges ⮚ Click on College Visits ⮚ From there you can see the visit schedule and register to meet with a college representative. ⮚ After your register you will receive an email with a link to the google/zoom meet. Entry Exams 6 Most major universities accept the SAT test and the ACT test. Check with your schools admissions counselor to see what test they require. In order to register to take the test you need to create an account on collegeboard.com for the SAT or act.org for the ACT test. Below are the dates for upcoming tests and deadlines. Also, when you sign up to take the test, you will be asked for send your scores to the school. It usually takes 2-3 weeks for them to be sent to the schools once the scores are available. Even if you are not sure which schools you plan to apply to, it will cost extra to send the scores later to the schools. COVID UPDATE-This information changes by the day and may even change by the time you read this. Due to the school closure throughout most of Maryland most SAT and ACT test sites in Maryland are closed. CollegeBoard and ACT are looking at the possibility of an online test. However, there is a chance you will not be able to take the SAT or the ACT this year. Most colleges have already decided to be test options. This means you do not need to take the SAT or ACT this year to apply to college. For a list of schools who are test optional go to www.fairtest.org . SAT Exam To register for the SAT exam, please visit www.collegeboard.com. Students will need to create a CollegeBoard account prior to registering for the exam. The SAT exam currently costs $49.50 and an additional $30.00 for late registration. Fee waivers are available for students that receive free or reduced price meals or qualify based on financial need. Please visit http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/waivers/guidelines for more information on financial eligibility or see your school counselor. Upcoming SAT Test Dates Test Date August 29th , you must sign up by July 31st Test Date September 26th , you must sign up by August 26th Test Date October 3rd , you must sign up by September 4th 7 Test Date November 7th , you must sign up by October 7th Test Date December 5th, you must sign up by November 5th Test Date March 13th, you must sign up by February 12th Test Date May 8th, you must sign up by April 8th Test Date June 5th, you must sign up by May 6th ACT Exam To register for the ACT exam, please visit www.actstudent.org. Students will need to create an ACT account prior to registering for the exam. The ACT (no writing) costs $46 and with the writing portion costs $62.50. It would be advisable to visit college websites that you are interested in applying to, to see if the school requires students to take the writing portion. There is an additional $29.50 for late registration. Fee waivers are available for students that receive free or reduced price meals or qualify based on financial need. Please visit www.actstudent.org/faq/feewaiver.html for more information on financial eligibility or see your school counselor. Upcoming ACT Test Dates Test Date September 12th, you must sign up by August 14th Test Date September 13th, you must sign up by TBD Test Date September 19th, you must sign up by TBD Test Date October 10th , you must sign up by TBD Test Date October 17th , you must sign up by TBD Test Date October 24th, you must sign up by September 18th Test Date October 25th, you must sign up by TBD Test Date December 12th you must sign up by November 6th Test Date February 6th, you must sign up by January 8th Test Date April 17th, you must sign up by March 12th 8 Test Date June 12th, you must sign up by May 7th Test Date July 17th, you must sign up by June 18th ● Registration Information School Code: 210572 School Address: 600 Patriot Lane, Millersville MD, 21108 School Phone#: 410-969-9010 ● Test Prep Resources include: ⮚ https://www.khanacademy.org/sat ⮚ http://www.aacc.edu/testprep/ (This is a link to a course offered by Anne Arundel Community College, you can also call AACC to get more info at 410-777-2325.) ⮚ www.theanswerclass.com Application Process It is now time to start applying to your colleges. You want to start this as soon as possible. You will need to write a college essay and get letters of recommendations from teachers and your counselor. The sooner you can start on this the more thought and time you can put into it. Also, your teachers and counselors will need up to two weeks to write your letters of recommendation. ● Senior Recommendation Form This is the form you will need to submit in order to have a letter of recommendation written. It gives you a chance to give us information about your life so we can write the best letter possible. The form this year is a google document. A link to this 9 document will be stored on our home page. For now you can email your counselor to request the link. Within two weeks your counselor will write you a recommendation letter. To request a letter from a teacher email them directly and ask if they would be comfortable writing you a letter. Your teacher will have access to the google form you will have already filled out. REMEMBER, it is your job to follow up with your counselor and teacher to tell us what colleges you want your letter sent to. WE WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY KNOW TO DO IT! Make sure to communicate with us so we can avoid some hurt feelings closer to the college deadlines. ● How to Request a Transcript In order to apply to a school you will need to request a transcript. Your prospective college will want to see an official document that shows your past grades at Old Mill. The process to request a transcript is below. - Log onto Naviance - Click Colleges Tab at the top of the page - Click Colleges I am applying to - - Click the purple/pink circular plus sign button + Enter the name of the school you are interested in Click Add Application button This list must match the Transcript Request Form Once you have added the college to your list, complete the google document titled OMHS Transcript Request Form. This document will be stored on our home page or you can email your counselor for the link. Your transcript will be sent by the school once this is completed. All transcripts will be provided at no charge for the fall semester. ● College Application Deadlines With all this work to do, keep in mind there are deadlines the universities set for you to turn in your applications. The deadlines for schools will vary. Here are the three main types of deadlines you will face. ● Early College Application Deadlines Every university and college has its own application deadlines, but they fall around the same time. Early applicants (early action, early decision or single choice early action) generally need to get their applications in by either November 1 or November 15. This way of applying allows you to get the stress of the application process out of the way early. However, the schools cannot look at your grades from the first half of your senior year. ⮚ Early Decision applications are binding. This means you must attend the school if you are accepted. 10 ⮚ Early Action applications are non-binding. You can be accepted early but still choose from other schools you are applying to. ● Regular College Application Deadlines The deadline for regular decision applications is normally between January 1 and February 1, depending on the college. Get the bulk of your essays done and confirm who will write your recommendations in November, so you won’t have a lot of lastminute work to do during the holiday season. The regular college application deadlines are late enough so that your first semester grades will be looked at. ● Rolling Admission College Application Deadlines Schools with rolling admissions policies – looking at applications as they come in, until all spaces in the class have been filled – also have deadlines as late as May 1. Some may continue to accept applications even later, depending on how many open slots remain. However, virtually all rolling admissions schools recommend that you get your application in by March 1 or earlier to have the best chance at being accepted. ● Keys to Writing a Good College Essay Most schools will ask that you write an essay as a part of your application. Please take the time to put proper thought and planning into your essay. Universities use these essays to get an idea for the type of person they may be admitting to their school. Below are some tips on writing an effective college essay. ⮚ Write an Effective Application Essay A great application essay will present a vivid, personal, and compelling view of you to the admissions staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from the other applicants. The essay is one of the only parts of your application over which you have complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin. ⮚ Keep Your Focus Narrow and Personal Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader must be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Develop your main idea with vivid and specific facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons. ⮚ Be Specific Avoid clichéd, generic, and predictable writing by using vivid and specific details. ⮚ Don't Tell Them What You Think They Want to Hear Most admissions officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear. ⮚ Don't Write a Resume Don't include information that is found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelogue, or laundry 11 list. Also, do not use fifty words when five will do. Eliminate unnecessary words. ⮚ Don't Forget to Proofread Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don't rely on your computer's spell check. It can miss spelling errors like the ones below. Ask a reliable adult, like your English teacher, to help proofread. Common Application-www.commonapp.org ● Standardized online college application that over 500 colleges and universities use. ● Personal data, educational data, standardized test information, family information, academic, extracurricular activities, work experience, and a personal essay are some components of the application. ● Saves time if you are applying to 2 or more colleges that use the Common Application. ● Submit all forms electronically. ● Must complete the FERPA on the Common Application waiving your rights which allows the counselor to complete their section. ● Teacher recommendations and counselor forms can be accessed through Naviance once you have completed the Common Application. Ask teachers and counselor if they will do a recommendation and if they prefer to do it online. Then submit for them to complete. 12 ● Mid-year report is required for all the schools that you have applied to. Notify counselor to complete the mid-year report at the end of 1st semester. Financial Aid Applying for college and being accepted is both a frustrating and exciting process. After being accepted the next step is to determine how to pay for everything. Depending on the school you choose, college can be very expensive, especially after you factor in books and tuition. While you are applying to school you also need to start the process of trying to find financial aid for yourself in various forms. ● Major Types of Financial Aid ⮚ FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) FAFSA is the form the federal government uses to determine your family’s financial need and ability to pay for college. The government uses the information on this form to determine grants, your eligibility for any student loans, and the school can determine campus based aid. The FAFSA cannot be completed until October 1st. Your parents will use their tax documents from the prior year (2019). The final deadline is March 1st, however it is recommended that it is completed by February 15th because colleges offer financial aide at that time. The FAFSA website is http://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa ⮚ Grants Grants are funds made available by the federal and state governments and universities and do not need to be repaid. Some grants are based on financial need, others are based on academic achievement or merit, and some require a combination of criteria. By filing the FAFSA, you are automatically considered for grants. ⮚ Student Loans 13 Student Loans are financial obligations that must be repaid. While some loans are based on financial need, there are loan programs available to all federally-eligible students – regardless of income. Beware of student loans from private lenders. Exhaust all federal student loan programs before taking out private loans. The best rates usually come from federal loans. ⮚ Federal-Work Study The Federal Work-Study Program is a federally funded, need-based employment program available to both undergraduate and graduate students. Jobs are located on or off campus and provide students the opportunity to find employment that corresponds with their educational interests. Average work schedules are from 10 to 15 hours a week, with a maximum of twenty hours. ⮚ Scholarships Scholarships are private funds that do not have to be repaid. Scholarships can come from a variety of sources community groups, corporate donors, or the University; each with its own requirements and application process. They are an excellent resource for students seeking help with the cost of their education, and can help reduce the dependence on loans to cover educational costs. Students are encouraged to search and apply for as many scholarships as possible. Below are some websites you can use to conduct a scholarship search. www.fastweb.com http://www.careersandcolleges.com/ http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp http://www.scholarships.com/ http://www.scholarship-monkey.com/ http://www.collegeanswer.com/paying/scholarship_search/pay_scholars hip_search.jsp https://studentaid2.ed.gov/logon.asp http://www.petersons.com/finaid/file.asp?id=806&sponsor=1&path=ug. pfs.scholarships http://www.college-scholarships.com/free_scholarship_searches.htm ⮚ Scholarships on Naviance Throughout the year scholarships will be posted on Naviance. A major reason to check Naviance is that scholarships for students attending Anne Arundel County Public Schools will be listed. These local scholarships are funded to provide local students with an opportunity to make college more affordable. 14 ⮚ You will receive weekly emails from Mr. Hansen with all upcoming scholarships…….. CHECK NAVIANCE ⮚ Log onto Naviance. ⮚ Click on the tab Colleges at the top of the page ⮚ Click on Scholarships and Money ⮚ Click on the link that says SCHOLARSHIP LIST. College Bound Seniors Calendar Fall Semester ● Begin to narrow down your college choices ● Register for the SAT/ACT tests as needed-Maybe different this year ● Give your teachers/counselors plenty of notice if they have to do any recommendations for you ● Obtain applications ● Meet with college representatives at Old Mill ● Attend college fairs ● Visit prospective colleges ● Check Naviance for scholarships and search online for additional scholarships. Apply to scholarships early and often ● Apply to the colleges of your choice ● Request a transcript through Naviance to be sent to each college you apply to ● Pay $2 per official transcript ● File the FAFSA on October 1st ● Meet all deadlines Spring Semester ● Let your counselor know where mid-year grades need to be sent for Common Applications through Naviance. 15 ● ● ● ● ● ● Continue searching and applying for scholarships Review your acceptance letters and make the choice that is best for you Wait for the financial aid award before making your final decision Spend a night in the dormitory and visit classes if needed Let the college know whether you plan to accept or not Let us know where your final transcript is to be sent Anne Arundel Community College AACC is a fully accredited, public, two-year institution offering extensive lifelong learning opportunities; credit programs leading to an associate degree, certificate, or letter of recognition; and a college experience that is a true value. Many students attend AACC for two years and transfer to a number of accredited and respected four year schools. ⮚ AACC offers the opportunity to complete the first two years of college for less than half the cost of attending a four-year university or college. An Anne Arundel County resident attending AACC full-time could spend $3400 annually in tuition and fees, while students at 4-year public colleges could spend about $12,000 or more a year. You still get a great education, but without the high costs and burden of heavy student loans. In addition, AACC was ranked the 13th lowest in tuition costs and total fees among all 16 community colleges in Maryland. ⮚ AACC offers classes at many locations, including its main campus in Arnold, its sites at Arundel Mills and Glen Burnie, and at centers and schools around the county. With a student to teacher ratio of 17-1, students receive personalized attention and real hands-on experience, which both greatly enhance learning. The success of AACC students can be found at the universities and colleges they transferred to, in the graduate schools, and in the workforce. AACC has the best four-year transfer/graduation rate for full-time students among its peer colleges and has more degrees and certificates awarded than any other single-campus community college in Maryland. 16 ⮚ AACC is one of the nation’s most highly regarded community colleges. AACC is proud of its host of awards, including being named Community College of the Year and as the No. 1 mid-sized community college for using technology to deliver services to students, faculty and staff. Anne Arundel Community College 101 College Parkway Arnold, MD 21012-1895 410-777-AACC (2222) Trade Schools Lincoln College of Technology 9325 Snowden River Parkway Columbia, MD 21046 410-290-7100 Lincoln Technical Institute offers a variety of programs to prepare you for a future career. Various focuses are offered including ● Automotive Tech ● Electronic Systems Technician ● HVAC ● Culinary Private Career Schools There is a listing of all private career schools online that you can reference. These career schools for the most part require a high school diploma but are flexible in terms of GPA and standardized test scores. There are private career schools that can teach you the skills to work in many trades from being a barber to a truck driver. Please follow the link below to learn more. 17 Baltimore Area Building Trades Apprenticeship Programs Baltimore Bricklayers JATC for the Masonry Industry 2 North Dundalk Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21222 410-633-9131 Baltimore Carpenters Joint Apprenticeship Committee 1407 Rome Road Baltimore, Maryland 21227 410-633-9131 Baltimore Cement Masons Joint Apprenticeship Committee 1517 Kenilworth Ave, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20019 202-398-5858 JATC for the Electric Industry of Baltimore 2699 West Patapsco Ave Baltimore, Maryland 21230 410-247-3313 Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union No. 486 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee 1201 66th Street Baltimore, Maryland 21237 410-866-5313 Baltimore Area Roofers Joint Apprenticeship Committee 2008 Merritt Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21222 410-288-4401 Sheet Metal Workers Joint Apprenticeship Committee 4705 Erdman Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21205 410-732-1849 Baltimore Sprinkler Fitters Local No. 536 Joint Apprenticeship Committee 6100 Baltimore National Pike Baltimore, Maryland 21228 410-747-0630 18 US Military Many students start their careers with the US Military. Depending on the branch and how long you choose to serve, a sizeable portion of future college costs can be paid by the military. Contact information is provided below. Throughout the year recruiters will also be at Old Mill to assist with any questions you may have. Military Recruiting Office 54 Mountain Road #1 Glen Burnie, MD 21060 (410) 766-7730 US Army- land force 1-888-550-ARMY US Navy- protects the oceans around the world 410-766-7730 US AirForce- air, space, and cyberspace 410-766-3184 US Marines- trained to fight by sea and land, usually involved in the most challenging situations http://www.marines.com/rmi (no number listed, can request info online) 19 US National Guard- protects the coasts, ports, natural resources, and waterways 1-800-GO-GUARD Job Force If you choose to obtain full time employment following graduation, please be sure to work on a resume. There is a resume builder located on Naviance, for your reference. Below are some resources to assist you in searching for jobs. 1. Monster.com-Job Search Engine with Lots of Extras Monster.com is known as one of the best job search engines out there. You can narrow your search by location, keywords, and employer. Furthermore, Monster has plenty of job search extras: networking boards, job search alerts, and online resume posting. 2. Indeed.com- A Meta Search Job Engine Unlike Monster, you cannot submit your resume from Indeed.com, but the job search engine offers a meta-search engine of many of the major job search engines and job search boards out there. Indeed uncovers a lot of jobs that you would not normally find on most job search sites and they do a good job of making their job search features as easy to use as possible. 20 3. USA.gov USA.gov can be your gateway into the huge world of US government jobs. Navigate to the USA.gov home page, click on the Jobs and Education section, then Government Jobs. You'll find a wealth of resources here to help you find jobs. 4. CareerBuilder CareerBuilder offers job searchers the ability to find a job, post a resume, create job alerts, get job advice and job resources, look up job fairs, and much more. This is a truly massive job search engine that offers a lot of good resources to the job searcher. 5. www.careeronestop.org CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U. S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Explore careers, search for jobs, benefits, salaries, create resumes, apply for jobs, etc. 6. Maryland Workforce Exchange Find a job, create a resume, summer jobs, etc. 7. Yahoo Hot Jobs Yahoo Hot Jobs is one of the largest and most well known job search engines on the Web. 21 8. SimplyHired SimplyHired also offers a very unique job search experience; the user "trains" the job search engine by rating jobs they are interested in. SimplyHired also gives you the ability to research salaries, add jobs to a job map, and view pretty detailed profiles of various companies. 9. LinkedIn.com LinkedIn.com combines the best of two worlds: the ability to scour the Internet for jobs with its job search engine and the opportunity to network with like-minded friends and individuals to deepen your job search. 22 The Interview Women's Interview Attire ● Solid color, conservative suit ● Coordinated blouse ● Moderate shoes ● Limited jewelry ● Neat, professional hairstyle ● Tan or light hosiery ● Sparse make-up & perfume ● Manicured nails ● Portfolio or briefcase Men's Interview Attire ● Solid color, conservative suit ● White long sleeve shirt ● Conservative tie ● Dark socks, professional shoes ● Very limited jewelry ● Neat, professional hairstyle ● Go easy on the aftershave ● Neatly trimmed nails ● Portfolio or briefcase Job Interview Tips Practice Practice answering interview questions and practice your responses to the typical job interview questions and answers most employers ask. Think of actual examples you can use to describe your skills. Providing evidence of your successes is a great way to promote your candidacy. Prepare Prepare a response so you are ready for the question "What do you know about our company.” Know the interviewer's name and use it during the job interview. If you're not sure of the name, call and ask prior to the interview. Try to relate what you know about the company when answering questions. Get Ready Make sure your interview attire is neat, tidy and appropriate for the type of firm you are interviewing with. Bring a nice portfolio with copies of your resume. Include a pen and paper for note taking. 23 Be On time Be on time for the interview. On time means five to ten minutes early. If need be, take some time to drive to the office ahead of time so you know exactly where you are going and how long it will take to get there. Stay Calm During the job interview try to relax and stay as calm possible. Take a moment to regroup. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Listen to the entire question before you answer and pay attention! Show What You Know Try to relate what you know about the company when answering questions. When discussing your career accomplishments match them to what the company is looking for. Follow Up Always follow-up with a thank you note reiterating your interest in the position. If you interview with multiple people send each one a thank you note. Job Interview Questions About You ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● What is your greatest weakness? What is your greatest strength? How do you handle stress and pressure? What motivates you? What are your salary expectations? What do you find are the most difficult decisions to make? Tell me about yourself. What has been the greatest disappointment in your life? If you could relive the last 10 years of your life, what would you do differently? If the people who know you were asked why you should be hired, what would they say? Do you prefer to work independently or on a team? Give some examples of teamwork. What type of work environment do you prefer? If you know your boss is 100% wrong about something how would you handle it? Describe a difficult work situation / project and how you overcame it. Describe a time when your workload was heavy and how you handled it. Job Interview Questions About the New Job and the Company ● ● ● What interests you about this job? Why do you want this job? What applicable attributes / experience do you have? 24 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● What can you do for this company? Why should we hire you? Why are you the best person for the job? What do you know about this company? Why do you want to work here? What challenges are you looking for in a position? What can you contribute to this company? Are you willing to travel? Interview Questions: The Future ● ● ● ● ● ● What are you looking for in your next job? What is important to you? What are your goals for the next five years / ten years? How do you plan to achieve those goals? What are your salary requirements - both short-term and long-term? Questions about your career goals. What will you do if you don't get this position? LASTLY, HAVE A GREAT SENIOR YEAR! 25