• Visit the Northwestern University Interviewing Center (at 630 Lincoln Street) prior to the day of your interview.
• Figure out how long it takes to get there and get to know the building. You'll feel more comfortable if you are familiar with the environment.

• While in the waiting area, look up and smile at every recruiter who walks in.
• You won't know which one will interview you until they call your name. Meanwhile, you've already made a good first impression.
• Initiate conversation as you walk to the interviewing room. It can be a long, painful walk in silence, or you can immediately impress the recruiter by thanking him/her for seeing you and mentioning why you are so happy to be interviewing (e.g., you could mention a recent company accomplishment or an award they received).
• Make sure to ask for a business card. This reinforces the impression that you are interested in the interviewer and his/her organization and provides you all the information necessary for your thank-you correspondence

FAQS ABOUT ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWING

Q: What is UCS's cancellation/no-show policy?

A: Cancellation Policy:

• Cancel or reschedule your campus interviews online through the NU CareerCat system at least two business days in advance.
• Cancellations of interviews with less than two business days notice must be done via e-mail to Dianne Siekmann, Associate Director Employer Services.
  • Your e-mail should give a detailed reason for the cancellation.
  • An interview cancelled before 12:00 pm (Noon) the business day before will result in 1st cancellation: a temporary "hold" will be placed on your campus interviewing activity until you meet with an Assistant Director to discuss your situation.
  • 2nd cancellation: your campus interviewing privilege will be revoked. Please note: Cancellations after 12:00pm (Noon) the business day before your scheduled interview, will also result in a temporary "hold" on your campus interviewing activity until you meet with an Assistant Director to discuss your situation.

No Show Policy:

• If you fail to report for a scheduled campus interview, you will be considered a "no show" and your privilege to request future on-campus interviews will be immediately and permanently revoked.
• If you have an emergency and cannot make it to your interview or if you have failed to follow the normal cancellation procedures but know you will not be coming in for your interview or if you are running late for your interview, please call the Interview Center at 847-467-5718.
• On-campus interviews are considered to be professional appointments between you and an organization. It is imperative that you attend as scheduled. Canceling an interview on the day of the appointment or failing to attend the interview is unprofessional and inconsiderate to visiting organizations and other students who could use your time slot.

Q: I'm not getting pre-selected. What can I do?

A: What to do:

• First meet with a UCS counselor or advisor. Together, you can review your resume and try to determine if you can do anything to increase your chances of being preselected.
• Next, continue to apply to companies that are not recruiting on campus; don't put all your eggs in the campus interviewing basket.
• Finally, remember that not being preselected does NOT mean you are not qualified. An employer might have 30 resumes that match their criteria but only enough time to interview 10. This means the only thing separating the 10 from the other 20 could be that they happened to be at the top of the resume pile.

Q: Are there other ways to find jobs beyond campus interviews?

A: Yes! In fact, campus recruiters offer only a very small percentage of the opportunities available to students. See the pages on Applying for Positions for ideas and suggestions.

Q: The employers/industries of interest to me aren't coming to campus. What should I do?

A: What to do:

• Not all companies and organizations are able to or choose to send recruiters to campus for a day of interviewing.
  • Many industries (e.g., advertising, non-profit, government, education, public relations, entertainment, etc.) may hire on an as-needed basis, while others may simply prefer to interview at their own offices rather than on campus.
  • For these reasons, it's quite possible that the organizations you've targeted may not be interviewing on campus.
  • Go ahead and send the employers that interest you a cover letter and resume.
  • Follow up with a phone call and see if possibility exists for an interview at their location.
  • If you need ideas about how to uncover opportunities, see the Applying for Positions pages. UCS counselors and advisors would also be happy to meet with you to discuss your search strategy.

Q: Can I get feedback on my campus interviews?

A: Yes.

• Download the Interview Evaluation form (pdf file), fill in your information, and bring it with you to your interview.
• Every time you interview with an employer on campus, ask the interviewer to complete an Interview Evaluation form.
• You may review the results of your interview evaluations by scheduling an appointment with a UCS counselor or advisor.
• Forms are completed for first round interviews only, and you may receive feedback once three interviewers have completed Interview Evaluation Forms for you.

For answers to additional frequently asked questions about the campus interview process, check out the following:

Interview Center Information

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