Saturday, August 27, 2011

Telling Your Stories

Rachel Gibson, Career Counselor here at WSU Career Services, recently reminded me of a great technique to prepare for behavior based interview questions. It would be easy to prepare for interviews if you knew what questions were going to be asked. Of course, you don't, but here is a method to prepare that just might be the next best thing.

Behavior based interview questions ask you to think of a time you demonstrated a skill important in the job you are interviewing for. So. . .as part of your interview prep, think of three to five stories that a) stand out to you for whatever reason or b) you are proud of and want to share. Write out each story, read it, and ask yourself "what skills does this story demonstrate?", making note of these answers. You may want to take this a step further, and write down a story for every skill requirement listed in the job posting.

Career Services is happy to help with this exercise, so if you're a person who does better taking things through--or if you could benefit from the opportunity to practice telling your stories, make an appointment.

Credit for this exercise goes to Richard Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute, available for checkout in our Career Library.

Get a Job!

~jan

Jan Mead
Wichita State University Career Services

Friday, August 12, 2011

Job Search

Looking for a different job? Want to keep your current job until you land that new one? Want to receive a positive reference and recommendation from your existing employer? Here are a few words of advice – it’s not a good idea to look for a new job on your current employer’s time.

What does this mean? 1) Don’t include your work phone number or email address on your resume, cover letter, or application. 2) Don’t update your resume at work – or print it on office stationary. 3) Don’t search for or apply for jobs when you are at work – or supposed to be at work. If your supervisor comes to your desk to find you talking to someone about a new job, updating your resume or job search correspondence, or conducting internet searches not related to your work with him, he will probably not be happy. Say goodbye to the idea of a positive recommendation.

Another good reason not to include your work phone number or email on your resume or job search correspondence – it does not make a good impression on potential future employers. As a prospective employer, it gives me a negative vibe about you if I think someday you’re going to be looking for another job on my time.

When you are called for an interview, try to schedule it before or after work or during your lunch hour. If you can’t do either, take a vacation day or personal leave.

It all comes down to common sense, courtesy and respect for your current employer. Ask yourself how you would want to be treated if you were an employer. It is a small small world and it’s amazing how news travels far and fast. You want the news about you to be good news.

Get a job!

~Jan Mead

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

It Never Goes Away

It never goes away. Sounds ominous doesn’t it. What am I talking about? Anything you put on the Internet. I just heard a pretty computer savvy guy say that anything you put on the internet is “out there” –archived--for eternity. I don’t know if this is true, but in the interest of safety (yours and mine), I’m going to assume it is.

Please let me remind you one more time to be careful what you post on Facebook, Twitter, and similar sites. Reportedly, Facebook reserves the right to change privacy settings at any time, so those “funny” things you post and think only a few people will see, more than a few people might see.

What does this have to do with career? Employers are very selective in who they hire. Why wouldn’t they be? Everyone they hire is a reflection of their organization. Of the employers I talk with, it is the regular practice of many to Google prospective employees and check their Facebook pages, in addition to conducting reference checks.

So, that picture of you holding a bottle of alcoholic beverage in one hand and making an obscene gesture with the other hand, followed by a potentially offensive comment just might not be so funny if it costs you a job opportunity.

Be cautious. Be professional. Get a job.