|
With graduation on the horizon, many seniors are starting to think about employment options. Below are some tips and resources to help you find that perfect job:
Steps to a successful job search
- Know yourself and your skills. Make lists of your strengths, weaknesses, skills, interests and examples of each. You will need to be familiar with these facts in order to use them in job interviews.
- Work hard on your resume. Use action verbs to describe responsibilities, ensure that all information is accurate and complete, and make certain the document has a crisp, clean appearance. Your university’s career services office may offer assistance and examples.
- Talk to professors and supervisors about being references. Ask permission to use someone as a reference and supply them with information about you, your job search and interests.
- Hone in on specific industries, companies and locations you would like to target in your search. There are a variety of places and techniques to learn about openings: word of mouth, professional organizations, school career services offices, job boards such as the Mortar Board Career Center, and a multitude of company and career websites.
- Practice your general interviewing skills and come prepared to each interview. Research the companies, ask good questions, and don’t be afraid to tell the potential employer about your skills and accomplishments.
- Start early, and spend your time wisely. Know how much time it typically takes to find a job in your field (3 to 9 months is the average amount of time before graduation that you should begin your search) and structure your search accordingly.
- Close the deal. Make sure you thoroughly read any offers you receive, research average salaries in your field, and know what’s expected in your new position. Send thank you notes or e-mails to interviewers and company contacts.
Wow employers at the interview
- Know the protocol. Research the company culture and come prepared with knowledge as well as questions. Dress appropriately, pay attention to the details of your appearance, and treat everyone you encounter with respect. Have a strong handshake and make a positive first impression.
- Don’t just rehash what’s stated on your resume. Employers have read your resume, and the document should serve as a jumping off point for questions. Expand upon what you’ve included in your resume to give the employer more detail.
- Practice makes perfect. You want to sound prepared with your responses, but not rehearsed and unnatural. Practice with a friend or record your responses and listen to them yourself.
- Prepare good questions. An interview is a two-way street; your interviewer should be learning from you and you should be learning from them. Make sure you address key questions about job responsibilities but steer away from questions already covered by the company or inappropriate (i.e. salary and benefits questions). Some good questions to ask:
- Can you explain what a typical day in this role would be like?
- What skills do you consider most relevant for this position?
- What qualities should your ideal candidate for this job possess?
- What is the next step in this process?
- Prepare for common interview questions:
- Why are you interested in this position/company?
- Tell me about yourself.
- What are your strengths/weaknesses?
- Where do you see yourself five years from now?
- Do you have any questions for me?
- Be aware of behavioral interviewing. Interviewers use this technique to learn how you have reacted in past situations and how you may handle a similar situation or project with their company.
- You can tell an employer wants a response in a behavioral format if they use phrases such as “please describe,” “tell me about a time when,” etc.
- Make lists of situations illustrating your skills and strengths that you can use in a variety of behavioral interview situations. Be sure to have concrete results illustrating those strengths.
- Answer behavioral questions using the CAR or STAR response. These are two interchangeable strategies that should prompt you to describe the same material: describe the situation or circumstance you found yourself in or the task you were faced with; detail the action(s) you took in the situation; describe the end result, highlighting positive impacts you made.
- CAR: Circumstance, Action, Response
- STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result
- Some common behavioral interview questions:
- Can you describe a time where you needed to use teamwork to solve a problem?
- Please give me an example of a time when you had to assume a leadership role unexpectedly.
- Give me an example of a time when you had a conflict with a teammate or coworker and how you solved it.
- Explain a time when you went above and beyond what was needed.
For more information, visit the resources section of the Mortar Board Career Center. This section connects you with career coaches, allows you to share questions with experts, and provides free access to a library of great articles with tips for interviewing and job searching.
Conference registration opens this Saturday, March 15
 This year’s Mortar Board National Conference, “Carrying the Torch,” will be held July 25-27 in Columbus, Ohio at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North. The conference will feature many opportunities to share new ideas, learn about Mortar Board, and network with chapters from across the country.
Some highlights:
- Alumni award recipients will be honored
- Nationally-renowned speakers will address members
- Members can network with each other, esteemed alumni and national leadership
- The traditions of Mortar Board will be celebrated at an exquisite candlelight banquet
- Delegates from more than 200 chapters can get to know each other and learn about other chapters from across the U.S.
Registration opens March 15 at www.mortarboard.org/conference. The deadline for registration is May 15. Chapter members and advisors for the 2008-2009 academic year are encouraged to attend for a nominal fee of $225 per attendee. These attendees are also responsible for arranging their own travel and covering associated costs.
|
National Office hiring intern
The Mortar Board National Office in Columbus, Ohio is hiring an intern for the summer. Interns should have strong computer and customer service skills, and can be of any major or field of study.
If you plan on spending the summer in Columbus, Ohio and want to learn the ins and outs of a national honor society, consider applying by April 15. View a complete job description for more details and how to apply.
Need a scholarship? Search now.
Mortar Board’s specialized scholarship search engine, hosted by Scholarship Monkey, gives members access to more than a million scholarships with more than $3 billion in awards.
Browse the search engine now.
Find your job with Mortar Board
In conjunction with JobTarget, Mortar Board has launched the Mortar Board Career Center, a search engine for all members, both collegiate and alumni. Mortar Board members be able to search for jobs in a variety and national employers will have the ability to post positions just for the Mortar Board members. Members can also post an anonymous resume that can easily be seen by employers.
Start searching today.
|
