By Pedro Silva

In my role at JCSI, I have the opportunity to engage with candidates in situations beyond the recruitment process.  Very frequently I speak with people after it has been determined that they are no longer being considered for a particular position.  At this point, with nothing else to lose and an urge to vent, some will take the opportunity to share their interview experiences with me.  I have also served on recruiter panels at a local outplacement firm and attended many job seeker networking groups where war stories of the job market are in no short supply. Some tell me how each interview leaves them successively scarred.  They know that they have to keep their spirits up, but eventually holding back at interviews is the only way they can protect themselves from the sting of rejection.
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Have you ever seen the Fox hit television show, 24?  It is gripping, action-packed and beyond unrealistic, yet I am hooked every season.  24’s hero and main man, Jack Bauer, is infamous for his 9 lives and vicious interrogation tactics that pry anything he wants out of his unsuspecting victims.   Looking back on a few interviews I have been on…maybe Jack Bauer was the one who was sitting on the other side of the table, not the Hiring Manager.

There’s nothing worse than getting grilled by an interviewer, when your nerves take over any charisma or personality you had walking in the door.  I understand when interviewing a candidate, you want to see how they will react to pressure situations and a few curveball questions…but is that really the most effective way to judge a person’s character and true potential?  As a survivor of the hot seat, here are 5 innovative ways to interview college graduates that will spare them the anxiety and showcase their true talent.

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For a college student, entering a College Career Fair venue is like walking into a cafeteria.  Both facilities are crammed with decisions, persuasion and the uncertainty of what to choose or where to turn next.  Sure, students have to do some impressing, but at College Career Fairs, companies are the ones who possess the task of attracting top talent.  Students and representatives from companies both play eminent roles in the career fair game.  Students have to take off their sweats, conjure up a resume and bring their A-game to prove they are worth a closer look.  Companies on the other hand need to stand out amongst a crowd and portray themselves as the entrée students wait in line for.

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