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The job interview process is generally a stressful experience for most people, but this stress can be controlled, potentially heightening our performance levels if we place ourselves in a position to succeed. This postion (the ends) can be achieved from preparation, confidence, and the channeling of both these characteristics (the means) through a well conceived communications strategy. One of the most predictable, yet often difficult questions to answer relates to our former place of employment. This aspect of our job history can trouble us because we’re not sure how we were or are perceived by ”old bosses” and we tend to overanalyze the interviewee’s intentions in assessing our attitude towards our professional past.

In this short video clip, an interview expert takes a direct approach to handling this type of questioning. She offers some practical advice that we can all keep in mind to remain calm and focused. The interview process will never be easy, but there are techniques we can practice to reduce our anxiety and make a lasting impression.

Ryan Rode
Ashworth University

           Thanks to soundfromwayout for permission to use this Photo.

If you are convinced that your dream internship is out of reach, we’re willing to bet that you’re wrong. Landing internships at the Goldmans and McKinseys of the world may be a challenge, but that’s OK. We’ll help you develop a strategy to go after your top choices.

Before we talk strategy, we’d like to give you examples of students who landed their dream internships using our tactics:

Binghamton’s Thomas Burke landed an internship at the Mercantile Exchange through family friends. 

Cabrini’s Dennis Beovich landed an internship as an analyst at a top investment bank through his father.

Sacred Heart’s Joseph Churba landed a Big 4 Accounting Firm internship through a professor.

These are just a handful of students who took their internship search to a new level and scored their top choices. Now we’ll show you how you can do the same.

Dig for connections you never knew you had

The first and most important action you should take is to get in touch with alumni from your school’s alumni network. The majority of alumni will be thrilled to help you, especially if they have made themselves available on the school’s network. If you do not know of such a network at your school, visit your career center and ask for a list of alumni who work in your industry. Remember to always start these conversations with questions, showing interest in the industry, and never with requests for interviews or resume pushes.

Next, take 15 minutes to compile a list of all your family members and friends. When you finish, go through the list and figure out who you will see within the next week. Plan on asking them who they know in your target industry. Email or call everyone else on your list and find out who they know. Make sure you have good questions prepared for your conversations.

If your first contact is unable to help you, ask about introducing you to three people who can. You have the advantage of being a college student and many people will be helpful. (more…)

Photo courtesy of tanakawho

TIPS AND TRICKS
Ten Keys To Job-Hunting Success

The job market is more competitive than every. The good news is you’re doing something about it by furthering your education. The not-so-good news is, that dream job is not going to just land in your lap. Follow these tips and go to the head of the line!

1. Set up a ‘job hunt headquarters’ in your home. It could a corner of your bedroom, a home office or your kitchen. This is where you’ll research companies, work on your resume and contact potential employers.

2. Create a winning resume. Don’t just list previous jobs; stress skills, achievements and results. Develop versions of your resume to fit various job titles. But be honest!

3. Network. Network. Network. Don’t limit yourself to searching the classifieds. Join online community groups in your area of interest, work with recruiters, and call or email potential employers directly. Explore every avenue that may produce a lead.

4. Position yourself as a problem-solver. When pursuing a job lead, don’t think “How can I get this company interested in me?” Instead ask “What can I provide to help this company be more successful?” (more…)

 
      Thanks to Geoffrey Chandler for permission to use this Photograph.

My favorite practice is to research the company that I am interviewing with and asking any questions about them that I can think of.

For me personally, I try to be myself because I want them to be able to evaluate whether or not I will fit into their corporate culture.

How I conduct myself in an interview also depends on the person interviewing me. Some more inexperienced interviewers will completely dominate the conversation—telling you everything they can think of without really finding anything out about “you”.

Always be prepared with an answer to:

“So, tell me about yourself”.

Most good interviewers realize that this is basically a useless question these days, but some still ask and you want to be able to answer that one without missing a beat!

That’s all for now!

Melanie
Associate Program in Paralegal Studies Student
Ashworth University School of Legal Studies  

From Kate Lorenz of CareerBuilder.com:

There are many rites of passage in every young person’s life. Getting your driver’s license, graduation day and turning 21 are just a few. But another rite of passage can be even more important to your future — writing your first resume. While it’s not as exciting as learning to drive, creating your first resume is a vital step in launching your career. The process may seem daunting. You have to put all of your best qualities on paper, make yourself look more attractive than the next person and completely sell yourself, all on one sheet of paper. “You have only a few seconds to snag the employer’s attention,” writes Seattle-based career coach Robin Ryan in Winning Resumes, (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003). “You must sell the employer within 15 seconds of looking at your resume, or you’ll lose the job.” Here are seven tips to help you catch an employer’s attention.

1. Start with the basics.

It sounds obvious, but your resume must include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Be mindful of the address you include. College students, in particular, tend to move often, so include a permanent address, such as your parent’s address. Take care with your e-mail address too. “Make your user ID related to your name, not any nickname attributions,” Ryan says. If you want to appear professional to an employer, a user ID like “sexylegs2000″ will not work. If your personal e-mail address is not appropriate, set up a new account just for job searches.

2. Include an objective and summary of skills.

These sections come right after your personal information and, for a first-time job seeker, should be concise.

For example:

Objective: Editing Position

Summary of Skills: Excellent writer proficient in copy editing and familiar with AP style. Extremely organized, with ample experience meeting deadlines and working in high-pressure situations.

Your “summary of skills” should highlight experiences and qualifications that the employer is seeking. Remember, Ryan says, “a resume is not about what you want. It’s about what you offer an employer.” 

To read more of Kate’s great article, login to the Ashworth University Career Center through the student portal and click here.

Kate Lorenz is the article and advice editor for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Other writers contributed to this article.

Copyright © 1996 - 2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved 

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

The Ashworth University Career Center is a free student resource provided through our partnership with Experience.com, the nation’s largest career advancement site focusing exclusively on college students and young professionals.  You can access the Ashworth University Career Center through the Student Portal.  Simply click on the “Career Center” link on the left hand navigation bar after logging into the Student Portal.  Here’s an example of some of the very informative career enhancement articles you have access to within the Career Center:

Getting Great References 

By Tory Johnson, CEO of Women For Hire

It’s inevitable that at some point in your job search you will be asked for references, and when you are, you want to be sure you have a great group of advocates who are prepared with answers that will help rather than hinder your chances at landing the position.

References are something you should think about at the beginning of your interview process and not just at the end when you are under immediate pressure to provide them.

Start by making a list of all the possible people you can use as a reference. Be sure to think about:

• Former employers
• Former Clients
• College professors
• Deans
• Family friends who have seen you in a professional setting
• Association leaders

Copyright © 1996 - 2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved   

To read more of Tory’s great article, login to the Ashworth University Career Center through the student portal and click here:

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

 
                             Image courtesy of Matthias Meckel.

The Ashworth University Career Center is a free student resource provided through our partnership with Experience.com, the nation’s largest career advancement site focusing exclusively on college students and young professionals.  You can access the Ashworth University Career Center through the Student Portal.  Simply click on the “Career Center” link on the left hand navigation bar after logging into the Student Portal.  Here’s an example of some of the very informative career enhancement articles you have access to within the Career Center:

From Heather Mundell 

Being yourself during a highly stressful situation -like a job interview- can be a challenge. Here’s some information to help you remain true to yourself while making a great impression. Almost fourteen years ago I interviewed for a job with someone who would subsequently become my manager and mentor. The last question she asked me in the interview was this:

“What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned?”

Now when you think about it, that’s a whopper of a question. You can go broad with this one or stay narrow. You can get personal or keep it generic. You can be flip or be serious. But I didn’t think about it. The interview had gone really well, I was relaxed, I was feeling confident, and I simply answered what popped into my head, which was something like, “To always be myself. Pretending to be someone else doesn’t work.” I was 26 years old, and I was onto something. And I was hired.

The brilliance of my answer wasn’t what got me the job. It was a sincere answer, and one in which I still strongly agree with, but that’s not why I got the job. I got the job because there was a good fit between who I was, who my manager-to-be was, the job I’d be doing, and the company culture.

Copyright © 1996 - 2008 Experience, Inc. - All Rights Reserved 

To read more of Heather’s great article, login to the Ashworth University Career Center through the student portal and click here.

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

              Thanks to Toho Scope for permission to use this Photo. 

Today, make the choice to focus on your strengths. It is easy to look at oneself and see areas where you may need improvement. While it’s true that taking time for honest reflection on the areas where we’d like to see improvement is important — it’s equally  important to give yourself your due credit for all the wonderful talents you’ve already acquired — all the bits and pieces that go into making you the incredible person you are. 

Please understand that I’m not suggesting we live in “la la land”, acting as though there’s no area for improvement. Of course there are areas we can all improve in — that’s what personal growth is all about.Instead, what I am suggesting is that you and I spend at least as much time accepting and being thankful for all the positive traits we have acquired already — not just those areas we believe we need to improve. It’s all about balance. Seek ongoing to improve where you can, but be sure to celebrate all that makes up the amazing you as well!

Think about it like this — if you want to help someone improve, and in the process not have them take it as a personal attack — one way to approach the task would be to compliment them on something they are doing particularly well — acknowledging and pointing out one of their strengths (making sure it’s a genuine and sincere compliment of course) — and then bringing up ideas which might be helpful in improving in a given area. Along the same lines, give yourself the same positive boost by acknowledging the “good” things you’re doing, right along side areas that you’ve identified where improvement is needed. (more…)

 
           Thanks to David Churbuck for permission to use this Photo. 

Want to succeed in the workplace today? Success requires proficiency in three areas:

IQ: technical competence in your field of expertise

EQ: interpersonal relationships guided by sensitivity to your own, and others’, emotions; and

NQ: innovative intelligence, or openness and keen curiosity about ways of making novel ideas useful.

Click on the image above to watch my video discussion of these areas.  Enjoy.

Dr. Tom Guarrielo
CIO and Co-Founder of True Talk, Inc.
Co-Author of “Work Different: Design For The Rest Of Us” 
Ashworth University Contributing Blogger

*Dr. Tom Guarrielo is the Chief Idea Officer and Co-Founder of True Talk, Inc., a leading management development consulting company based out of New York. Through his popular and respected The True Talk Blog, Tom provides some of the best business innovation and organizational planning strategies on the web. We would like to thank Tom for openly allowing us share his perspectives with our Ashworth student community. He’s been nothing but helpful since we first contacted him. Visit the True Talk website to learn about the life and work of Dr. Tom Guarriello. Thanks Tom!

                        Image courtesy of deadgirlbelchesstars. 

Of all the forms of reluctance, shyness around other people tends to be very resistant to change. I suspect that everyone is shy from time to time and that oftentimes shyness gets in the way of taking advantage or new opportunities or new relationships.

While it is true that there is an inherent interest by many in overcoming shyness, as a counter-weight to that appal, there is a case to be made on the other side. The following quote is from Isaac Bashevis Singer:

“I don’t think that people should get over being shy. It is a blessing in disguise. The shy person is the opposite of the aggressive person. Shy people are seldom the great sinners. They allow society to remain at peace.”

Indulging those who seek relief, let me pass on some tips for overcoming shyness that I collected from an article by Roger Elliott.

1. Practice becoming fascinated by other people. Ask them about themselves, and concentrate when they answer you. Remember what they tell you about themselves so you can talk about it later, or on another occasion.

2. Great socializers make other people feel comfortable and interesting. How do they do that? By being really, genuinely interested in other people. If you are talking to someone and you feel boring or inferior, ask why that is. Is it really all your fault? (more…)