Play To Your Strengths

Have you ever taken a moment to stop and think, what am I good at? You may do well in your major and you may be really involved in your extracurricular activities. BUT, what makes you good at those things?

Becoming self-aware of your strengths is critical to your career development. This knowledge allows you to reflect on the parts about you that are the core of your work ethic.  Once you are conscious of this, you are able to apply these strengths to pretty much any field. The purpose of this is to open you up to opportunities and help you find something in yourself that you probably didn’t even know existed before.

Virginia Tech Career Services pays for several professional resources that assess your strengths. Our most popular ones include:

Strengths Quest: http://www.dsa.vt.edu/aspirations/strengths/

This assessment categorizes you into your top five strengths, out of over 30 possible strengths. Examples of strengths are Relator, Responsibility, Empathy, etc. The purpose of these strengths are to allow exploration. With this information, “students can be intentional in investing in their talents, expanding their curiosities, and putting those talents to use.”

Myplan.com: http://www.myplan.com/

This assessment focuses on interests, values, personality type, and skills to direct your attention to potential careers relating to each. It encompasses its own assessments, personal anecdotes, with explanations about why some careers fit some strengths. Be sure to get the appropriate code from Career Services to take the assessments for free!

Do What You Are: (Get the assessment in the office with an appointment)

This assessment focusing on personality type is one of the more popular ones known to universities and employers, due to the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. When you take this tool, you have the possibility of being one of 16 different personalities. The assessment is based on your initial preferences to certain values and traits. The result may describe you exactly! It’s remarkable how well this assessment can identify your personality. Then, for your own reference, the results categorize what your personality works best at. There is an abundance of information that can come from this assessment.

To learn more about what personality type can mean to you, check out this link: http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/

Why are these assessments beneficial to you?

All three of these tools are known worldwide for self-exploration. Then, to better utilize this information, some assessments use your results to suggest what you would be good at in a career. Another really great feature about these assessments is that they focus on the positives. Everyone has something positive to contribute to a job. Instead of focusing on what you can’t do, you can focus on the things you can do! It is positive psychology incorporated into a professional sense.

To find out more about who you are, check out the links provided in this page of our career site: http://www.career.vt.edu/MajorCareerExploration/SelfAssessment.html

We also encourage you to make an appointment with a full time Career Advisor to better understand the purpose of and results from all these assessments. 

Salary Negotiation and Handling Job Offers

There is always a lot to consider when you decide to embark on a new opportunity. Around this time of year, many of you are interacting with employers, starting to receive offers for full-time jobs, internships, co-ops, and are finding yourselves having to make decisions on WHICH TO CHOOSE.

The following are issues to consider…

Business Communication

• How has your experience been interacting with the recruiter?

• What are good questions to ask when you are trying to make a decision?

• How do you respond to an offer letter?

• What parts go into this personal evaluation?

Evaluating the Offer

Negotiation

• Is this even an option for the company I am interacting with?

• Outside of salary, what else can I negotiate?

Accepting and Declining Offers

• How do I this both professionally and timely?

To answer those critical concerns….

How has your experience been interacting with the recruiter?

Maintaining open communication with employers is crucial to making a well-informed opinion. Be sure to stay positive, professional, polite, humble, clear, direct, and easy to reach. Never complain, assume, or brag.

What are good questions to ask when you are trying to make a decision?

Ask questions and take notes as you receive answers! You are going to want to know about expense accounts, amount of travel, opportunities for advancement within the company, what your work hours are going to be, who you are going to be working with, insurance package and benefits, moving allowances, and retirement benefits.

Other questions some students forget to ask, but are equally as important are about vacation and sick time, dress code, start dates, frequency of pay, and how pay is evaluated (salary, hourly, commission?)

How do you respond to an offer letter?

An offer letter is a formal agreement that officiates the offer the company is giving you. It also describes the position you will be taking, and other pay and date specifics.

When you receive one, be sure to do the following things. Ask for time to think about whether or not you want to accept, set a date to decide that the employer is comfortable with, thank them for the offer immediately, and start the evaluation process!

What parts go into this personal evaluation?

Consider what is important to you. Think about how you want to spend work and personal time, is this job a good match for your skills and interests, does the company have similar values to your own? Map out the company’s logistics:

• Size of the company, hours, pay, location, benefits, opportunity for advancement

• Do these details align with your personal preferences and career plan?

Is salary negotiation even an option for the company I am interacting with?

This does not mean you look greedy! There is a very appropriate way to handle part of your career decision. Do keep in mind most companies do NOT actually do salary negotiation. But if they do allow it, be sure to research what an appropriate number would be for the position you intend to take.

It is very important that you are never the first person to even mention salary when communicating in the hiring process!

When the employer does bring it up, you will have an idea of what you want to say. You can use salary negotiating calculators online. Here is an example of one that considers location of the job: http://www.salaryexpert.com/

Outside of salary, what else can I negotiate?

You can negotiate things such as time off, re-location expenses, your start date, and much more.

Here are some more sites that are used for calculating appropriate salaries:

• The Post-Graduation Report on career.vt.edu

• Glassdoor.com

• Salary.com

• Paycheckcity.com

How do I do accept and decline offers both professionally and timely?

When declining the offer, do not feel bad! Remember, this is a business decision. Be sure to thank them for the offer, give an idea as to why you are declining, do it over the phone, and do not delay the time that you decide to decline. Be aware of not burning a bridge with these companies. At the time that you are declining, they may not be the best fit; however, you never know what the future holds for your career.

When accepting the offer, you want to do some similar things…minus the rejection! Be sure to accept over a phone call, thank them for the offer, indicate why you wanted to choose them, and follow up about officiating the acceptance.

From there, you will likely follow company protocol as to how to really get started. Be prepared for talking start dates, background and drug checks, and things to do for that first day of work!

Lastly, always remember to congratulate yourself on a job well done! You are officially on your way to a career path.

For a quick reference to answer some more FAQ’s about salary negotiation and making career decisions, visit the Virginia Tech Career Services site: https://www.career.vt.edu/JobSearchGuide/SalaryQuestionsNegotiating.html

Got Experience?

While summer and winter breaks are a great time for students to take a break from school, they are also a wonderful opportunity to experience work in the real world. Whether it be through a part-time job, co-op, or internship; employers are consistently looking for work and relevant experience on a student’s resume.

When is a good time to start? As soon as you can!

It is never too early to start gaining experience in your field of interest. However, it is important for juniors and seniors to actively look for these experiences, as they are entering the work force much quicker than underclassmen.

So what kind of experience should you be utilizing over breaks?

As you can see in the visual above, many students attain work experience through paid internships, volunteer work, field study, part-time jobs, and much more. The important thing to keep in mind when attaining these positions, is to keep your options open.

Your odds at getting offered an opportunity are typically better when you have numbers on your side. So do a little research…or a lot of research. Last summer, I applied to over 40 internship positions. I believe I received feedback from half of them, interviews from a quarter, and then offers from 4 of them. Prioritize your needs in an internship or related experience and apply to everything that qualifies under that. Think about your availability, compensation needs, the type of technical skills you would like to learn, and location of the opportunity. Maintain open communication with employers you are contacting about certain positions. Even if they can’t take you for an immediate break period, they may be able to in the future.

Why is it important to work over break?

While your degree and classwork is very important to whatever career you decide to pursue, it is not solely reflective of your work capabilities. Classes are great for theorizing, disciplining yourself, time management, and providing background knowledge in a field. However, actual work provides specific technical skills, meaning behind why you are doing the things you are doing, and a background knowledge on what’s it’s like to work in the real world.

In addition, working over break provides employers with insight about your work character. Seeing that you didn’t just take the break time to watch TV and sleep shows your commitment to jump start a career. Working over break periods are a great opportunity for you to become a competitive candidate for a job. They also provide you with insight about the type of worker you are. You may enjoy multi-tasking or just working at one project at a time. You may enjoy working at a computer all day or more travelling. These kinds of preferences can only be discovered through implementation. If you can learn these things about yourself sooner, rather than later, then you will be saving yourself a lot of time and money when you enter the real world.

So where should I look for internship and job opportunities?

Part of your tuition pays for job searching resources. With that being said, you may as well take advantage of them!

Be sure to create profiles on these sites and begin your searches here!

• Hokies4Hire: https://www.myinterfase.com/vt/Account/LogOn?ReturnUrl=%2fvt%2fstudent
• CareerShift: http://www.careershift.com/Default.aspx?sc=VT
• Going Global: https://www.career.vt.edu/scripts/GoingGlobal/login.asp

In addition to the above resources, other sites to visit include:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/
• Indeed.com: http://www.indeed.com/find-jobs.jsp

To find out more about how to attain experiences, start with this site: http://www.career.vt.edu/Experience.html

LinkedIn and Networking: An Overview

The top piece of advice I have gotten from mentors, bosses, and teachers is that networking and maintaining relationships with potential employers is the best way to find a job.

It is common sense really. If you know someone who is within a related field to your own, he/she is more likely to think of your name first when it comes to fulfilling a position. But how do you become a good networker?

There are many opportunities for networking, both online and in-person.

As we live in a digital world, an online presence is very important.

                          

LinkedIn is a great place to present yourself professionally, as well connect with potential employers and mentors.

How do you go about creating a strong LinkedIn account?

Try to think of your LinkedIn account as an elaborate version of your resume.

There are several things you are almost always going to want to include:

• Your name with a headline about what you are currently doing and what you are seeking (think of it as a professional slogan).
• A headshot of yourself wearing professional clothes, doesn’t have other people in it, and is high-quality.
•  Education that reflects the degree you are pursuing/have attained, what school you are attending/attended, any minors you have, honors, awards, a competitive GPA, and other relevant academic information.
• A professional summary that explains more in-depth information about what you are doing and what you would like to be doing. These brief paragraphs qualify your skills and goals for the future.
• Work experience that includes a position title, company name, location, dates of employment, and a description about technical skills you picked up and/or major projects you participate in within this job.
• Any other Skills or projects you have participated in that gave you technical abilities. This could include class projects, skills you picked up on your own time. Be sure to include the most relevant information you can about your professional experiences.
• Be sure to include your contact information and the best way to reach you by. 
• LinkedIn also has a space to mention your interests, and birthday. Definitely utilize those sections to talk about your extracurricular activities, school clubs, and any hobbies you have.
• Obviously these aren’t the most professional parts, so don’t exhaust this section. However, it can be a great way to really personalize your LinkedIn account.

For more information on tips for students developing a LinkedIn account, check out this site: https://university.linkedin.com/linkedin-for-students

What about networking outside of LinkedIn?

Career Services has some great tips on the importance of networking. To read about the different types and why it is so essential, check out this site: https://www.career.vt.edu/JobSearchGuide/Networking.html

In short, here are some things to know about networking:

• It begins with just talking to people. Talk to: Professors, colleagues, neighbors, bosses, and life mentors, parents’ friends…
• People in your major are probably going to be the most relevant people to talk to in networking situations. Be sure to foster relationships with the people you respect in your field.
• Maintaining these relationships with those you meet in your field, your major, or your jobs is the most effective way to network. Not only have you made initial contact, but the people you are networking with can speak on behalf of your skills.
• Networking should be so common to you that you no longer necessarily think of it as networking…you should think of it as connecting with people and maintaining relationships.
• Forbes is an excellent resource for professional advice. 
• Check out this article to learn about the 8 ways to network correctly: http://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2014/07/28/how-to-network-the-right-way-eight-tips/

Always remember in your networking goals to maintain a professional appearance, make contact often, and be open to new opportunities.

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Welcome to blogger, Olivia Brescia

This semester, Olivia Brescia is writing for my Career Chasse blog, as well as developing new ideas to promote the Virginia Tech Job Searching portal, Hokies4Hire. A senior majoring in Public Relations with minors in Psychology and Leadership and Social Change, Olivia enjoys running, painting, spending time with her family and friends, and eating in her free time. She loves working at both her jobs at Career Services and her Marketing internship at Polymer Solutions Incorporated. Both opportunities embrace her passion for meeting and helping new people, writing, and creativity. 

Thank you, Olivia, for sharing your insights on so many different topics with readers.

What comes next after the job fair?

 So you did it! You made it through the Connection Job Fair! But you aren’t quite done with all this career mumbo jumbo yet…

Now comes the follow up part of your job search!

No matter how you felt after leaving the fair, it’s important to remember the many ways you can make your presence a force to be reckoned with in terms of the work force.

Keep it simple! Shoot an email or give a phone call to the recruiters you spoke with. Hopefully you collected some sort of contact information from them, but if you didn’t, feel free to check out the list of employers that attended. Perhaps, it can be just as easy to get a name from that resource.

·         Here is a link to see the list of employers:

http://career.vt.edu/CONNECTION/Index.html

Make it personal! If you can, let them know you appreciated talking with them, ask them any leftover questions you had, and clearly state your interest in working for their company. Maybe this is a good chance for you to bring up skills that you think the company will be interested in!

My best piece of advice is to maintain connection. Even if there isn’t an opportunity immediately, there could be one in the near future. Remember to be positive, communicative, and flexible.

Depending on the information you discussed with recruiters in regards to the next step, remember to always follow directions to exactness. It’s important that employers can see that you are respectful of their time and purpose. It also proves that you are able to uphold a professional image.

You may be asked to go through on-campus interviews, other rounds of interviewing, shadowing sessions, salary negotiation and other forms of the job application process. Prepare yourself for any and all of this!

·         Information on how to prepare can be found on this blog post from Rasmussen college:

http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/main/things-to-do-after-attending-career-fair/

As much as I would like to tell you that you are almost done, that is relatively misleading. You may find the job you want immediately, but its important to keep these tips in mind for your career exploration. Odds are, you will end up working for most of your life. Practicing how to network, brushing up on your interviewing skills, and updating your LinkedIn account and resume are essential components to successfully exploring a career path.

·         If you need more information, check out the Career Services site for more tips on how to follow up after the job fair.

https://www.career.vt.edu/Interviewing/AfterThanksFollowUp.html

Also, check out this cool infographic with some stats on following up with employers!

Career Fair and Interview Dress: Which of these 8 tips do you already know?

After working at the Connection Job Fair and Interview Day on campus earlier this week, our staff came up with a list of some tips for students as you dress for business casual or business professional settings like a career fair or an interview.  Taking these steps demonstrates that wearing business casual or professional attire is not an unfamiliar concept to you, even if it is. And, your appearance leaves an impression...make sure it's a good one.

New suit, skirt or jacket? Make sure you remove the thread X that is sewn to hold a slit together in the back of a jacket or skirt. That X is not supposed to remain there when you wear the item.

Wearing a button down shirt? Button the collar buttons on each side.

If your pants have belt loops, wear one! You’re not fully dressed for business without one. 

Baseball caps are great to cover up a bad hair day or to wear outside. They don’t belong at career fairs or interviews.

Good quality coats, blazers or suits may come with a tag sewn to the outside of a sleeve. Remove this tag before wearing.

Save tight skirts, very short dresses and other revealing attire for some other time – not a career fair or interview. What you wear going downtown or to a party may seem dressed up, but it's often not the same as business casual or professional dress. Wonder if an outfit works? Come ask us in Career Services.

If you attend an event like a career fair where you wear a nametag, make sure you place your nametag somewhere you want a person to try to read it. It’s a good idea to position nametags on your right shoulder or right jacket lapel so the person you meet can easily read your nametag after shaking your hand.

Consider how long you will be on your feet at a career fair or walking to an interview. Save your fun extra high heels for a different time. Although both combat and cowboy boots are in style, they are a bit too casual for business casual attire.

Follow these tips, follow up and follow through, and your search for a position will end with these words: You're Hired!

Connection Job Fair Prep

It’s that time again! Time to meet your future! In person. Don’t be intimidated by that though, this is a very good thing. The Connection Job Fair is a very convenient resource for you and your peers to meet potential employers, to network, and to learn about the opportunity that lies outside of college.

There are few things you should do before just showing up next Tuesday. As always, I have one big piece of advice when it comes to job fairs: RESEARCH.

Research what kind of job or experience you want in your near future, research what employers will be there, research the specific companies you know for sure you want to talk to, research what you should wear, what you should bring, research the appropriate things to ask when speaking to the employers, and research what things they want to hear.

That all sounds like a lot, but when you start, I promise one part of your research will just flow into the next. Plus, it can be a really fun process to become a young business professional!

To make your research load a little lighter, here are a few quick tips I have:

• Pick out a standard outfit that is undoubtedly business professional OR business casual. For business professional, guys this means pants, ladies this means appropriate length skirts or pants. Dress it up with a blazer and you all are good to go! For business casual, a nice top and pants work for men or women, and women can wear a dress or top and skirt. Wear shoes that are not difficult to walk in.
•   Practice your handshake! Remember—firm but not overpowering.
• Make eye contact with the employers—confidence goes a long way in terms of employers seeing potential in you. 
• If it seems fitting, take notes while you speak with them. This shows an investment in what they are saying and it may be information that will become useful for you down the road.
• Have several copies of your resume to hand out to employers as you meet them. Even better, make personalized copies of your resume to hand out to the employers you know you are going to talk to. JUST BE SURE TO HAND THE RIGHT RESUME TO THE RIGHT EMPLOYER.
•  Look up a good 3-5 companies that you definitely want to talk to, learn what their purpose and mission are, what they are looking for in a new employee, and what they have been doing most recently.
• Showing familiarity with a company shows that you have a drive to work for them and gives you the advantage over other candidates.
• Practice your elevator speech
• This is a brief blurb about who you are, what you are doing, and where you want to go. Think of it as what you would say to the CEO of a major company on an elevator ride. Time is ticking and you want to present the best of yourself!

•  Generate some questions to ask employers.
• Ask what employees do on a day-by-day basic, ask about the application process is like for their positions, ask what they enjoy most about working there.
• Forbes has an excellent article about the top 10 questions to ask an employer.
• Relax! It’s just talking and networking at this point, but it’s definitely a great starting point for your career path.

If you have any more questions about how to prepare for the job fair next Tuesday, or even job fairs after that, check out the VT Career Services page at www.career.vt.edu.

Good luck! 

Written by Olivia Brescia, Peer Career Advisor

3 Parting Questions for Recruiters at Career Fairs

Within the next few weeks, there are 3 on-campus career fairs : Connection Job Fair and Myers Lawson School of Construction Fair on Tuesday, October 20, and Civil and Environmental Engineering Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 27. As you get ready for these fairs, here are 3 questions to be sure you ask before you leave an employer’s booth.

The Ideal Candidate?

How would you describe your ideal candidate for this position? This is one of my favorite questions to ask in interviews. Career fairs aren't interviews, you may think. And yet, the brief time you have with a recruiter at a career fair really is a mini interview. I like the ideal candidate question because you can hear what the employer is looking for and figure out how you fit. When the employer finishes describing her ideal, then it’s time for you to speak up and share how match that ideal. Not sure what I mean?

Let’s say the employer says, they seek someone with customer service skills, leadership experience and strong communication skills. Then I could jump in and say, “You mentioned you would like someone good at customer service. I feel like I’ve been able to grow those skills in my role as a server, salesperson and teller in the various part-time positions I’ve held. And, for the past year, I was the leader of my 30-member study abroad group where I had to act as both a resident advisor, event planner and mediator. I feel like I’m building both my oral and written communication skills in my classes where I’ve had to write several research papers and also make presentations of my findings.” In an interview an employer is looking for the best fit. This question about their ideal allows you to prove how you fit.

Are you interviewing?

Before you leave your conversation with an employer at a career fair, be sure to inquire about next steps. Many employers stay after the day following a career fair to interview students. Ask an employer when they plan to do interviews. By asking, you might have the chance to talk to them the next day. If they’re not staying to interview, ask if they are returning to campus later this fall. Some employers do, as on-campus interviewing continues until December. To view on-campus interview opportunities, login to Hokies4Hire and read more about on-campus interviews here.

May I have your business card?

Finally, don’t depart an employer’s booth at a career fair until you have contact information for the employer. Ask for a business card. If the recruiter doesn’t have one, ask for an email address or phone number so you will be able to follow up. Follow up is key to success in your search for a job or internship.

SUCCESS!!! Ensuring you ask these 3 questions as you talk to employers at career fairs can make for better results as you attend career fairs.  Come see us in Career Services if you want help to improve your performance at career fairs and in interviews.

Career Exploration

If you ask a mentor, a parent, or a boss what job they thought they would have been when they were younger, chances are it is not the job they have currently.

It’s helpful to plan ahead for your career; but it is absolutely subject to change.

Career exploration is meant to encourage this variability. It allows you to look at the qualities of several jobs, as opposed to the job itself.

Self-reflect

So, take a second and think, “What am I good at and what do I like to do?” Strip away your education if that isn’t necessarily what you are passionate about. Just think, “My personality type would go really well in this line of work…”

But what if you don’t know your personality type? Take an assessment! There are tons out there, but here are a few of my favorites:

Personality Assessments

•  Myers Briggs personality assessment
•  Myplan.com
•  Strengths Quest

All of these assessments are excellent resources for you to start your career exploration. They provide positive reinforcement to your best qualities and insight into the type of careers that lie best with your interests.

The best piece of advice I have ever gotten was to network like no-one’s business. Not only does this get your own personal brand out there, but it also provides you with inherent knowledge about all the opportunity. You may cross paths with a Vice President of a fortune 200 company that works in the corporate communications department, but his background is in engineering and design work. Odds are he didn’t plan that career path, but he can tell you how he got there. That vice president probably just listened to what his co-workers told him he was good at, and followed the guide that is his personality.

Now let’s talk experience!

Whether you are student, a recent graduate, or have been working for several years, it’s always a good time to get experience  to test out your career or major choice. There are certainly many options for just that. You can get experience in graduate school, internships, organizations, volunteer positions, full-time jobs, etc. Notice how none of those necessarily require a specific major. It’s important to choose a major that’s right for you, but don’t feel like your major  will determine everything. Keep an open mind about exploring careers. Take the experience when you can, reflect on the parts that were positive, think about opportunity for improvement, and move forward in your career path.

If you have any questions about career and major exploration, check out this site on the Virginia Tech Career Services page.

Searching for a Job?

We know…there are just too many options!

When it comes to job searching, there really are no limits. Some of your friends may have picked up a job either through a prior experience or through a networking opportunity, coursework; whatever the case, there are endless opportunities out there.

My best  advice in your job searching is to never limit yourself in the jobs you are seeking. Although it is appropriate to use an advanced search, be careful about your keywords. Also, play to your strengths. What you may have done in the past may not necessarily be your future.

Places to look online: 

•  CareerShift
•  LinkedIn
• Hokies4Hire
• Plain and simple: a Google search

When a job in your field is posted, often times, you will see that they are using several portals to post the job.

Choose the user-friendliest site you know. I personally think CareerShift makes it easy to search, choose, and save postings. Often times, these sites will direct you to their company website or another job portal to apply. That’s okay! Just follow the steps it takes you on until you can submit.

In all of these resources, be sure to build some type of profile.

Personalizing yourself online, especially with job posting sites, speaks to your own brand and gives you an advantage because it enables employers to look for you while you are looking for them.

Building your profile includes: 

•  First and last name
•  Phone and email for easy contacting
•  A general version of your resume
• A headline stating what you are currently doing

 In online searching, I always like to think less is more…to some extent.

• I search the most important general key word I can think of that has relevance to what I want to do.
• Location is a big deal to me, because that affects the pay I would want to make.
• Therefore, I choose 4-5 different locations I would be willing to work in. You can choose to do less or more; however, do keep in mind the places you would really like to be at in the next stage of your life.
• I think it’s been really helpful to specify the experience level. This way my search results don’t get clouded with positions that I am far too under qualified for.
• With all that in mind, everything else should be a broad array of opportunities in terms of what you would be willing to apply to.
• Some shortcuts you could use would be sync up information from your LinkedIn account, or allow the job portal to pull information automatically from your resume; be sure to check the information gets plugged into the correct places.

More tips!

• Apply to as many openings as you can stand. It never hurts to have options.
•  Obviously by concerned with making those applications the best they can be. Always remember: quality AND quantity.
• Do follow-ups! Especially when it’s a job you really want. Phone is more personal, but email can work if a phone number isn’t available.
•  Be prepared to answer questions anytime anywhere (I once did an impromptu interview while at the gym, it helps to just practice your ability to compose really quickly).
• Always maintain contacts, even if a position you wanted isn’t available at the time, it’s possible something else may come around later. Just maintain grace with your contact; check in every now and then, and eventually your name may be called.
• Save a version of a really solid resume and cover letter. Throughout your experiences applying to jobs, tweak these documents to cater to the specific companies. This saves you time and it personalizes your applications.

Job searching can be a really fun process! Be flexible, efficient, and open to possibilities; and you’ll land yourself a pretty fun opportunity. 

Mock Interviews = S U C C E S S

You've heard it since you started playing the piano or t-ball when you were 5 years old.

"Practice makes perfect." 

This principle really does ring true for success at different sports, musical performances, and lots of other activities, including interviews. As the fall recruiting season starts up, you may find yourself preparing for more than one interview. What can help?

A mock interview.

Consider Jenna (true story but changed her name): A couple of years ago, Jenna had to do a mock interview in Career Services as part of a class assignment. Lucky for her, this practice took place prior to a real interview for a co-op position. Jenna aced her co-op interview and got the job. And, the success didn't stop there. This fall, Jenna started her senior year with a full-time offer in hand from her co-op employer.

Build your confidence.

And then there's David (true story but changed his name): David took the same class that Jenna did and had a tough time in his mock interview. Why? His GPA wasn't as high as he would like it to be, and he just couldn't get past it. His low GPA made him really down on himself. You can't be like that in an interview...there is no one in the room to sell the employer on what you bring and how you add value, except you. David took time to do some self-exploration with a career advisor and worked at thinking and speaking about himself in a more positive light. As a result, David interviewed successfully to land a summer internship this past summer.

We can tell lots more success stories that center around our Mock Interview Program in Career Services. If you want to work to achieve success in your next interview, call 540-231-6241 to set up an interview that fits your schedule. We allow an hour for these interviews where we spend 15 - 20 minutes asking you typical questions used in initial interviews. Then, we spend the rest of the hour discussing your performance and providing tips to improve. Equipped with video cameras, we are able to tape your session where you can watch yourself later as much as you want.

And, if you can't make it for an in-person mock interview, no worries. You can practice sitting right in front of your computer with Interview Stream. This resource provides prerecorded interviewers asking the questions and tapes your replies. When complete, you can send the video file to a friend, a family member, or a professor to review. Or, you can set up a time to meet with one of our Career Advisors to critique this interview.

What are you waiting for? Experience the success that Jenna and David did by adding a mock interview to your fall schedule. What's the equation for interview success? Score a job offer with a mock interview before your next interview! Forget algebra. Here's an easy equation for you to remember - when it comes to interviews,

Mock Interviews  =  S  U  C  C  E  S  S

Done with the job fairs? On to the next step: Interviews!

You may have recently attended a job fair or applied to your dream job or may just be shopping around for another experience. Whatever the case may be, you aren’t done yet. You still have one more step until you can transition into that next position. Interviewing gives you the chance to finally put your money where your mouth is. In other words, it’s time for the employer to get to know you as more than just what your resume says.

So how do you properly prepare for an interview? Like many situations, preparing just means practice.

Step one: Research! Get to know who you could potentially be working with.

• Review their company website
• Catch up on their most recent updates through social media
• Memorize key words and statements from your research
• Possibly learn about the individual who plans to interview you *It always helps to establish a relationship

Step two: Prepare your best game day outfit.

• Dress the part in business professional
•  Review the Career Services site to know what exactly that means
• Here is a visual aid if you don’t want to search too hard

Step three: Practice your demeanor.

• Practice your handshake: firm, but not too firm
• Sit upright and maintain an appropriate amount of eye contact
• Try your best not to fidget or touch your face/hair
•  One tip I always stuck to was making sure my hands are grabbing the hand rests so I know I’m not making distractions

Step four: Figure out what you want to reply to a series of expected questions.

Employers almost often ask these questions - make sure you have a basic response to each of them.  

• “Tell me about yourself.”
•  “Why do you think you would make a good candidate for this job?”
• “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
•  “Name one time where something didn’t work out the way you expected it to and how did you handle it?”
• “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”

Ensure your responses reflect your skills and that you can back up all of your claims with evidence, such as a past experience.

Step five: PRACTICE.

• Combine all of these steps and practice your interviewing; do it with your parents, your friends, your mentors, your co-workers, anyone!
• Too shy to do talk to someone else? Try practicing in a mirror or videotaping yourself. In any scenario, practice the words you expect to be saying.
• Practice in a Mock Interview through Career Services or using Interview Stream.

For more interviewing tips, visit the Career Services website for links to more resources, tips and advice. 

Good Luck!

Written by Olivia Brescia, Peer Career Advisor