Appropriate attire, information gathering and networking are just three of the topics that will be highlighted at the Interviewing Tips Workshop at the WSU Davis campus this Wednesday.

WSU Career Services will offer the workshop, which is free to students and open to members of the community.

Jenn Lueckler, a nontraditional student, helped organize the event as part of her duties as a peer mentor.

“I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 15 years,” Lueckler said. “So when I decided to go to college, I didn’t have anything to put on a resume. Helping at a kindergarten Halloween party doesn’t go too far on a resume. So I just thought there are a lot of students in my position who are either looking for a job while they’re going to school or will be looking for a job within a couple of years.”

WSU Career Services counselor Shari Leder will present at the workshop.

“We’ll just talk about the types of interview questions being asked,” Leder said. “(We’ll discuss) how to prepare them and be informed candidates so that they can provide information for the employer, but to also have researched things to see if it’s a good place for them to work.”

As part of the courtesies offered through WSU Career Services, Leder conducts mock interviews with students so they can better prepare for interviews. The mock interviews are videotaped and e-mailed to the mock interviewees so they watch and improve their interviewing skills.

Senior Misty Hearnesberger, who is getting a degree in social work, said she wants to take advantage of any resources to help her find a job post-graduation. She has scheduled a mock interview.

“In interviews, you tend to get really nervous,” Hearnesberger said. “It’s good to practice so you can be as professional as you can be. I think it changes when you’re going for a specific job, because most people have had less professional jobs. I think it’s a little bit different when you’re going for what you actually got your degree in.”

Career Services representatives will also look over resumes and assist students in polishing and editing their resumes to make them more marketable.

“The first part is just getting the opportunity to get an interview,” Lueckler said. “The second part — you really have to go in there and kind of make the future employer recognize that you would be an asset to their company.”

Leder said making a good impression, knowing about the company one is interviewing for and selling oneself are all important to keep in mind during an interview.

“Research the company you are interviewing with,” Leder said. “Enjoy learning about yourself so that when you go in, you can sell yourself for a job, you know what you like and you know why you would be a good fit there.”

Leder also said dressing professionally is an important part of the interview.

“Not dressing appropriate — that’s a big thing,” she said. “I think you can be underdressed very easily. I think it is probably better to be overdressed if you’re going in for an interview. When you’re approaching an interview, I would go dressed for success. And I do mean a suit, and business, tailored, that kind of a look.”

Other interview mistakes include not being specific in personal examples, not selling oneself to the employer, not having background information on the company and failure to research the position.

According to Leder, one major — and common — mistake is overthinking answers.

“The biggest thing I see students trip up with is that they are so worried about what the right answer is for the question that they forget to be who they are.”

The Interviewing Tips Workshop will be held Wednesday from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in Room 103 at the Davis campus.