According to Reid Grawe, the only reason his position exists is to help Marriott School students achieve their dreams.
As the Business Career Center’s director of information systems, Grawe regularly shares with students the three things employers are looking for during a job interview. And with nearly 100 percent of MISM students placed after graduation, we think he might be on to something.
Are you up to the task?
“Most of what an employer looks for in an interview is your competence,” Grawe explains. “BYU students have quite a leg up on the competition due to the reputation of the school. Recruiters often ask me why they should hire from BYU, and I tell them that once they have one of our students they’ll want more.”
Students looking to improve their personal elevator pitch should visit the Business Career Center, which offers career counseling, mock interviews, and résumé critiques. Click here to learn more about the center and its services.
Will you fit in with the company culture?
“Employers need to know if you are going to contribute to the culture that a company already has,” Grawe says. During an interview, the employer is trying to figure out your personality. “They need to know whether you can work with others in a positive way.”
Scan this recent Business Insider article to learn what questions you should ask to determine if a prospective employer is a good fit for you.
Are you likeable?
Likability—it’s one of the most important things you can showcase during an interview, but Grawe says it’s the first thing people forget about when they shake hands with a potential employer. Make sure you’re making a good impression. “Nobody wants to work with someone they don’t like,” Grawe says.
To up your popularity score, take the twelve-step challenge in “Popular Vote” from the Fall 2014 issue of Marriott Alumni Magazine.