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THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICING FOR INTERVIEWS

There is a saying that says “practice makes perfect.” I believe with anything that you want perfected, whether it be a singing performance, a skit role, or playing in a band, practicing is a key component to perfection. Interviewing is also a skill that can be perfected with practice over time. Interviewing does not come natural for everyone, but very few people practice so that they are prepared before the interview is conducted.

Preparation before an interview is important because it can help to reduce stress and anxiety and you can now begin to boost your confidence. By having confidence, you will perform better in an actual interview.  These are the following things that you can do to prepare. First start with writing down a list of commonly asked questions. Secondly, prepare to answer the questions, especially the questions that are considered uncommon, such as “If you were a tree (or animal) what kind of tree (animal) would you be?”

To identify areas where you can improve, you have to get an outside opinion.  Mock interviews are a good way for someone that does a lot of interviewing to assess your performance. The interviewer should select the questions so you do not know what to expect.  This will force you to improvise as you would in a real interview. The interviewer can then assess the impression you give.  The feedback you receive will be invaluable to your interview performance and your job search.

The Job Fair is Only 1 Week Away!!!

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Visit us in C-102 to prep for the job fair and for a list of companies!

Communicating Effectively with Your Professor

What are some effective ways to communicate with your professor?  Why does this matter?  These are questions we’ll address in this post.  

 

Why is effective communication with your professor important?

 

Your professor has the power to give you a grade, yes.  Most importantly, though, you can maximize your learning experience beyond grades by staying in step with instructors regarding their expectations and understanding all you can about the course.  This all starts with communication.

 

Just Ask

If you’re confused about what an assignment calls for, or you’re not sure about the grading system, attendance policy or anything else on the syllabus, ask your professor.  Be pro-active and make sure you understand what’s expected in the course early on.  

 

Do you need additional time for an assignment, have to take an extra absence, or know you’ll be late because of a work obligation?  Approach your professor, by email or in person, with the request.  Realize that they do not always have to agree to your request.  However, giving them as much notice as possible, providing valid reasons and keeping requests to a minimum may make them more willing to agree.  

 

Notify your professor of urgent matters or emergencies.  Even if you are unable to tell them in advance, notify your instructor as soon as possible about any missed classes or missed assignments and fill them in on some of the relevant circumstances.  

 

Email like a pro.  Impressions made in email count, too.  An email is more likely to be taken seriously if it is written professionally and politely,  including attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  Make sure you proofread before sending.  

 

Help them put a face to the name.  Instructors may have dozens of students across multiple courses.  It may take them weeks to identify whose name they’re calling for attendance or when they hand back assignments.  Stand out by asking questions during class.  If you’re shy about speaking up, try approaching them before or after class.  They’ll be more likely to remember you if you talk, rather than sitting back.  

 

Attend office hours.  If possible, save the more complex questions and topics for the professor’s designated office hours.  This is your chance to bring up any questions or confusion you have about the subject, the readings or assignments.  Office hours generally give instructors and students more time to address matters that require more in depth conversation than things that can be noted before or after class.  

Remember, as a college student, you’re building your knowledge toward your future, including your future career.  Your professor can be a source of experience, knowledge, encouragement and even a part of your network.  If you do well in the class and have a good relationship with that professor, they might become a recommender for schools, scholarships and internships down the line.  Communicating with respect and professionalism with your professor can help you go further in school and in life.  

                                                                                                                                   ~ Yee Ho

Finding Your Place in The Job Market

While spending the first 1-2 years in college, drowning in academic assignments, many students tend to avoid thinking about life after college, (yet, it is approaching). We spend resources and dedicate time to evaluate our own interests, values and skills in pursuit of our career aspirations. However, at times understanding the jobs’ market and the potential future growth in a specific career is just as important when choosing and beginning a career.

The job market in 2017 is better than it has been in years. Unemployment rates are slowly dropping and employers are having hard time finding qualified candidates given the shortage in the job seekers market. This reality provides recent college graduates (potential employees) with an advantage. In comparison to previous years there is less competition on every job offered.

Like most career development preparation assignments, the market research begins with your own evaluation. Once you evaluated your interests and have a career path in mind you can begin planning to find a job match for your aspirations. Apart from your interest it may be beneficial to consider more practical, market related factors that are likely to have a significant impact on your career. They include the level of competition in the field of choice (how many jobs are open per college graduate), the future market growth, the compensation levels and more.

By examining the markets, you may construct powerful conclusions regarding your career of choice.  
Essential aspects for consideration:
1. Location after college – your city, state and overall job market location may have a dramatic impact on the level of competition you are expected to face right out of college. For instance, there are 4 available positions for every unemployed resident of Salt Lake City, UT, whereas in New York City the statistics show only one available position per unemployed. Given these numbers an individual is up to four times more likely to get a job in Salt Lake City, UT rather than in New York.  For the full statistics: https://www.indeed.com/jobtrends/unemployment

2.  Growing Fields – Some fields are expected to experience far greater growth rates in the next 5-10 years as opposed to others. Fields with high growth rates tend to provide college graduates with better chance at getting a job right out of college. The increase in demand for such employees is also likely to cause an increase in the compensation in the long run. Thus, it may be beneficial to plan your career ahead based on market growth. Fields such as IT, Medicine and Engineering are expected to experience the highest growth rates. A full list may be found in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm

3. How Narrow or Wide is your field of interest? – How flexible is your degree of choice. Many degrees do not correlate with one specific occupation (Liberal Arts, Business Administration, and Finance) but rather cater to larger fields. A Liberal Arts student can go into the business filed, education or even law. Degrees in nursing and accounting however, are very specific in nature and lead to a specific occupation.

4. How fast can you progress? Starting fresh out of college you would probably get an entry-level job. Nevertheless, it is important to evaluate how fast you can move up the ranks to secure a senior position. Research should also be done to determine what steps you would have to take achieve that progress, it may be in the form of an academic degree, years of experience or licenses.

5. Compensation – look up the average salary paid for an employee working in the field of your interest to determine whether such salary level satisfies your compensation aspirations.