All of my friends had jobs but I didn’t. That’s because they had a “hook up”. At times, I wished I had a hook up! If I did, I wouldn’t have to go through all those nervous interviews, or waste my ink on those applications that probably got thrown.

One day I asked my grandmother, “Why does no one want to hire me?” She said it was because I didn’t have any experience. How was I supposed to have experience when I’d never had a job before? Even McDonald’s wouldn’t hire me. I applied there so many times. It was a shame.

The Gap was one of the hardest places to apply. Once you filled out an application, the managers would interview you right on the spot. It made me so nervous that I couldn’t talk right. The first question they asked was, “Why do you want to work for the Gap?” Your mind was telling you to say, “For the money.” But you didn’t want to say that because you didn’t want to make yourself sound greedy, even if it’s the truth. So I said, “Because I’m familiar with what the company does, which is selling clothes.”

However, not for long there was another question that always seemed to get me every time, “What can you bring to this company?” I didn’t know, maybe more customers? By the time I got ready to pick it up, I heard them say, “If we don’t contact you in 24 hours, you don’t get the job.”

But if I was asked that question now, I would say, “I’m a hard worker and a very reliable person, and with these kinds of abilities I cannot only do a good job, but I can influence other employees to do so too.”

Despite all the bad luck I seemed to have, I didn’t give up. Eventually, I finally found a summer job.

   The following axe the most common mistakes people make in interviews — the biggest make or break interviewing mistakes:

1. Lack of a good preparation.

【小题1】 One has to prepare himself to make good research on the company, the position and for every related questions that may be asked. Therefore, refine (改善) your answers to the technical questions, the hard questions and the frequently asked interviewing questions. The more you practice, the more professional answers you deliver.

2.【小题2】

You should provide good examples of your background and skills for the position. Why are you fit for the position? Sell yourself. Take the opportunity to talk about your past experience and achievements — sell yourself to the said position.

3. Arriving late.

【小题3】 Though it may happen because of many good reasons, you should apologize first to recover from this first interaction failure.

4. Body language failures.

Poor eye contact, a bad handshake, sitting inappropriately and not smiling naturally are the best evidence for losing a job interview. Don’t let nerves take control of you — relax before an interview.【小题4】 Because these little things make a difference.

5. Failure to ask good questions.

When it is your turn to ask questions, you should show your interest in the job by asking intelligent questions about the job opportunities and the position duties.【小题5】 However, do not ask too many questions for the sake of asking questions — connect yourself to the job and take the initiative (主动权) to ask technical questions and other questions that present your ambition to advance your career.

   What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others.  These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work.  So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.

Your school may have taught you skils, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else，you may have learned how to get to work on time，to follow rules and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop，for example. Just as important，you may become interested in a particular career you see from the inside in a part-time job.

Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools；perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a number of figures. It is better to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record，for instance，may not be too good，yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic（道歉的）about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.

   In America, experts find that campus jobs can help students not only in their studies，but also in their lives after school. That is why more and more universities are providing work experience for students.

In 2011, Clemson University, a public university in South Carolina, asked Neil Burton, head of the Career Center, to develop a program that was not only a way of creating more jobs，but also a way to provide special positions that would teach students valuable skills related to their interests or fields of study. It also wanted the students to work in professional (专业的) environments that would provide useful experience in their job searches after college.

The program works like this: any professor or student in Clemson University in need of professional help can come up with a plan. This could be a biology professor looking for a research assistant, or an administrator who needs help raising donations (捐赠物) for the school. It can also be any outside organization that works with Clemson University, such as a company that is designing new building for the campus.

If the position meets the conditions of the program，it will be listed on Clemson University’s website. Students ask to be thought for the job and go through an interview(面试). If accepted, students are allowed to work for one term. Before they start, they are also required to take a class that tells them what to expect in the position. Finally, at the end of the term, students are tested on what they have learned from the experience.

The program has been a success from the very start. By 2014, Clemson University had 626 students working through the program. And Burton believes the program will have helped over 1，000 students by 2019.

“This is not just a success for the school. Students who take part in the program are 20% more likely to have a full-time job offer once they finish their studies. After all, every day spent in college should help prepare students for what comes after, not just classwork,” says Burton.