Figuring out how an interview went can be as problematic as figuring out how you did on a midterm. You know you are prepared. You have done your research and yet, as you leave the room there is this gnawing feeling that something might not be right.

As you go through the interview process it is important to remember that there are things you can control and things you can’t.

The things you can control include all the activities leading up to the interview: doing your research, talking to people who work for the organization and getting a good night’s rest. In the interview you can do your best to respond to questions and admit if you do not know the answer to a question. Before you leave the room you can ask for a business card and then follow up with a short thank you note.

What you can’t control is how the recruiter acts in the interview.

And, unlike being unhappy with a course grade, there is no appeal process if you don’t get an offer.

The interview offers you the opportunity to interact with a representative of an organization. One person may not adequately portray the values of an employer, but they are your window into the corporate culture for the thirty minutes of your interview. If  you find that you are not being treated in a professional manner, take it as a sign of what may lay ahead if you were to be an employee. If you don’t like the people who are interviewing you, you definitely will not enjoy spending hours with them in the workplace.

How did the interview go? Even the worst interview might have gone well if it helps you clarify your career decision.

Next week many of you will be heading home or visiting friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. This late semester break from the routine of classes and work gives you some time to relax and refresh. It can also be a time to evaluate your plans for the semester and chart your progress toward meeting your goals.

Have you joined a professional association in your field? Have you attended a professional conference? If not, you may be missing our on a key resource to help you in your job search.

Most professional fields have one or more organizations that represent their members and their interests through professional development and lobbying on key issues effecting members. Most professional organizations have student memberships. In addition to large national organizations, many associations have regional and local chapters. You can participate via a website or sign up to attend a major annual conference. In this economy, you will set yourself apart if you attend. Most students do not join professional associations and among those that do, even fewer attend conferences. And yet, most practicing professionals would welcome the fresh perspective of new members.

Why join a professional association? It gives you a place to learn about the mega issues facing an industry or field. It also provides you with a chance to attend conferences, meet colleagues and possibly interview for jobs.

Let’s say you are a history major. The American Historical Association, founded in 1884 serves the broad field of history. Their annual meeting is in San Diego on January 7 -12. You can join as a student member, register for the conference and before the spring semester begins, you have gained some serious practical information about your career field. Interested in a career in Human Resources? The Society for Human Resource Management will also hold its national meeting in San Diego on June 27 -30.

Why attend a conference? To learn more about your career field and to make connections. You will attend workshops and listen to keynote speakers. You will get a sense of how many people earn a living in this field. You will learn about the challenges of the profession and hear about best practices. And, you will begin to understand what it takes to be successful. You may even gain some skills in the workshops you attend. But most important, you will talk to the people who sit next to you about what they do.

Take some time over the holiday weekend to do some research and find a professional association that fits your career path. Join as a student member and plan to attend a local or national meeting. And don’t forget to update your resume. You will definitely want to participate in the job center interviews held at most national conventions.

“The college student interviews for a job as a knowledge worker, and finds that the corporate recruiter never asks him about his grades and doesn’t care what he majored in. He senses that what is demanded of him is not knowledge, but rather that he project a certain kind of personality, an affable complaisance. Is all his hard work in school somehow just for show – his ticket to a Potemkin meritocracy? There seems to be a mismatch between form and content, and a growing sense that the official story we’ve been telling ourselves about work is somehow false…..The question of what a good job looks like – of what sort of work is both secure and worthy of being honored – is more open now than it has been for a long time.”

With this quote from  the NY Times bestseller, ‘Shop Class as Soulcraft, An Inquiry Into the Value of Work’, author and Ph.D. in Philosophy Matthew Crawford challenges us to rethink our perceptions of work and gives us permission to explore the manual trades as a life worth choosing.

This is required reading for every college student who will sit down to Thanksgiving dinner and be grilled by relatives in the annual competition to demonstrate how your college degree will gain you the job envied by all your cousins.

If there is one lesson of the economic downturn it is to take ownership of our decisions. There are things we can control and those we cannot. Our career choice falls into the first category. And it is our choice. But sometimes the expectations of others get in the way.

What does a ‘good job’ look like to you? If you have been on the interview circuit or are a serial intern, perhaps you have not found your connection. Could it be that you have unsuccessfully tried to separate thinking from doing? Time to revise your ‘good job’ definition. And don’t worry about what other people think. At some point they will notice how happy you are and wonder at your secret.

The book is also the perfect holiday gift for your parents.

If you are a student athlete, how do you find time between academics and sport to find an internship or a full time job?

Most student athletes commit 20 hours each week to their sport and an additional 18 to 24 hours to their academic course load. In a number of sports the competition continues year round. While competing in a sport can provide you with the team and problem solving skills sought by employers, how do you find time to learn about options and make the necessary connections?

Start close to home. Use any opportunity to ask people about what they do and how they got there. Next, get out of the athletic facilities. Your campus has a lot to offer and the students, faculty, staff and alumni are a valuable resource as you go through the career exploration process. Stay after class and talk to your professor. Register with your career center. Meet with a career advisor to develop a resume. Attend career panels. If you miss them, listen to the podcasts. Take the opportunity to use a course assignment as a way to interview professionals in a career field of interest. Offer to help a professor with their research.

Great ideas but you are going to compete professionally in your sport? Why be distracted by activities beyond the classroom and field? Because one day it will be your first day on the job and if you are 29 and have never had a job, it is not going to be a good day. And, all the 21 year olds who are starting the same day will blow you away. Not a good situation if you are a competitive person.

Look at your calendar. Is there a time of year when you could devote 8 -10 hours a week for 8 weeks to an internship? Carve out some time and start looking for your first internship. Once you have some experience on your resume you will develop a level of confidence that will help you compete with all the non-athletes in a tight job market.

Are all your friends athletes? Are the majority of adults you interact with on a daily basis affiliated with the athletic department? If yes, it is time to venture into the broader world of your campus. It is time to check out your opponents in this competitive job market.

Is there a relationship in the number of resumes sent to the number of interviews scheduled to the number of offers extended?

Many students believe that casting a broad net will result in multiple offers. In reality, in a competitive job market the more targeted your search the better. Why? Because when your resume results in an invite to interview, it will only take a couple of minutes for a good recruiter to determine if this is a serious career choice or a fishing expedition. No employer wants to be the default.

How should you go about your search? Start with what you want to do. Research the field and the leading employers. This is not a five minute exercise. This is a project with a time commitment similar to what you would spend on your final college thesis. You need a lot of detail about each employer, their competitors, their customers and where they generate revenue. This applies to non profit and government agencies as well as Fortune 500 companies. If the non profit is losing funding because dollars are going to a different agency, this is not a good sign for the future.

Next you have to figure out what you would like to do with that employer. Most employers have human resources, finance, product development, manufacturing and marketing departments. If you are interested in marketing, what do you want to sell? And who do you want to sell to?  Again, don’t think the non profit is immune to sales. What is the story you have to tell to obtain a grant over others?

Where are the jobs you are looking for? Many job seekers narrow their search to a 10 square mile radius. As a new college grad, try not to limit your options. You can live anywhere for a couple of years to gain the skill set to return to your ideal location.

Don’t focus on the negatives. Consider your strengths. What can you bring to an employer that will help them be successful?

Now develop your story. Where do you want to work? What do you want to do? Are you willing to relocate? How will you add value to the employer’s exiting team?

Tell everyone you know what you are looking for. The more precise your description, the easier it will be for people to help.

It does not matter how many interviews you have. It matters that you get the one you want. And it matters that the conversation results in an offer.