While You Wait

The folks at Culture and Manners Institute had an interesting note in their Etiquette Tip of the Week about waiting room etiquette when interviewing:

A woman approached me after a talk in Oklahoma and said, "I am the receptionist in my office. The hiring manager has asked me to keep an eye on the job candidates in the waiting room and report back to him which ones are talking on their cell phones, checking messages or texting. Those are the candidates we do not hire.

Avoid using your cell phone or text messaging while sitting in the waiting room before an interview or even a sales call (which is in itself, an interview). Take out a notebook and study your notes (for surely you have done your research on this company -- their leadership, mission statement, sales figures, etc.) Go over the answers to tricky questions in your head. Even if you usually review notes on your phone or PDA, use something else so you don't appear to be checking messages. Leave the impression that you are focused on the business at hand and not distracted by other things in your life.

Loan Repayment Option

This doesn't fall neatly into the Career Services category, but because many of you are dealing with (or will at some point deal with) the very real issue of considering loan repayments while determining your career path, I thought this information would be helpful. The Department of Education has published a comprehensive list of Questions and Answers regarding the Income-Based Repayment plan. This plan is not based on the type of work you do. However, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Progam works in conjunction with IBR and is available to people working in Public Interest careers.

New Resource for Public Interest Job Seekers

PSLawNet, a national resource for all things Public Interest, launched a new blog today. One of the first posts has some great New Year's resolutions for those of you looking for a public interest job this summer.