Your questions: The interviewer will usually leave about 10 minutes at the end for your questions. Have a few in mind before the interview. Don't ask questions that are answered in the recruiting material or the fact sheet. But you may want to investigate some aspects of the position or training program in greater depth. If you have done extensive research on the company, you may have an issue to discuss. Your questions should reflect an understanding and concern for the industry and company for which you hope to work.

Salary usually isn't discussed until subsequent interviews. But if the interviewer asks you what you expect to earn, you can respond by asking what the salary range is for that job. The company usually has a certain number of jobs to be filled in definite salary brackets. An OCS counselor can tell you an average starting salary for such a position. You may also wish to look over the Salary Survey, published by the College Placement Council, or look in the U.S. Government publication entitled The Occupational Outlook for College Graduates. Both are in the OCS/OCL library.

At the conclusion of the interview, ask about the next step in the selection process. The interviewer should tell you when you can expect to hear from the company. Follow-up letters are usually mailed within two to four weeks after the initial interview. It is unusual for someone to be invited for a second interview at the time of the first interview. Do not ask how well you did in your interview! You put the interviewer in an awkward position.

Thank-you notes: Always send one if an employer has taken time to see you at his workplace. Besides thanking him for the interview, reemphasize any point you feel may have been especially important. Also, if the employer showed any doubts about one aspect of your background, follow up with points that would help dispell any doubts.

It's debatable whether to send one after a recruiting interview. Some recruiters say they don't want to be burdened with an unnecessary flood of correspondence. But if you have a reason for writing--to reemphasize your interest in the company or your qualifications for the job--feel free to write.

Relax. Of course you'll be apprehensive. But remember, the interview is a mutual evaluation process. Relax and be yourself. The interviewer is basically trying to get a feeling for what kind of person you are and to find out what kind of person you are and to find out what your commitment to her company may be. If you can portray your own likeable self and demonstrate an intelligence about your career planning, you will be well on your way to getting asked back for a second interview.

Finally, help yourself and other future interviewers by filling out a post-interview questionnaire. This will give our office the valuable information that will help you prepare for future interviews