By admin, on December 19th, 2008 
Don’t wait until you’ve been offered an interview to start practicing for the interview! It is not uncommon for an interview to be scheduled in short notice, giving you very little time to prepare beforehand. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for the interview before it’s even been offered:
- Before you apply for a position, begin thinking about how you would market yourself in an interview for that position. What unique qualities can you offer the employer? What specific skills or experiences make you the best candidate for the job?
- As you research the company, ask yourself, and begin articulating, how you fit the position, the department within which you would be working, and the organization as a whole. How would you add value to the company’s customers? How might you help reduce their bottom line? How might you help the company accomplish its goals?
- While writing your resume, practice talking about some of the accomplishments and details you will be including in the document. Why did you choose to attend your college? What did you learn from your internship? What was your greatest contribution to your previous (or current) employer?
- Of course, set up time to practice with a career counselor, industry contacts, friends, family, and faculty.
An extra benefit of using the above mentioned tips is that, in the process of practicing for an anticipated interview, you become very clear about how you would be an asset to the organization to which you are applying. Therefore, your resume and cover letter will likely be much stronger because you will know exactly what skills and experiences to highlight. You will also tend to be much more articulate and confident when following up with the employer after submitting your application materials. The end result? It’s more likely that you’ll be offered an interview – an interview for which you will be very well prepared.
By admin, on December 1st, 2008 
Maybe nothing! Jeff Schmitt’s article, “Job Hunting Realities: What ‘No’ Really Means” contends that an employer’s “NO” may not have anything to do with your actual fit for the position. I would tend to agree with Mr. Schmitt. But it doesn’t hurt to step back from the initial sting of rejection to evaluate what, if anything, you might do to improve yourself for the next round of applications. If you’re new to the field, perhaps a recent college grad or a college senior, it’s especially worth while to evaluate your job hunting strategies.
If you landed an interview, then your resume and cover letter are likely in pretty good shape. Prior to the interview, did you take time to practice? I have heard many a college student and young professional refuse interviewing assistance because they feel confident in their ability to “express themselves in person.” I have no doubt that you’re perfectly capable of expressing yourself in person. However, an interview requires that you express yourself in a way far different than normal conversations – you must talk about yourself in-depth, providing detailed, relevant, succinct examples. If you spoke this way about yourself on a regular basis, you’d likely not have many friends! Since you don’t talk like this all the time, practice is essential.
Practice your interview, preferably with a professional who does not know you very well. Your friends and family are familiar with your habits, your manner of speech, your idiosyncrasies. A professional will better be able to identify aspects of your interviewing that may be masking your true talent.
For example, does your confidence come across as arrogance?
Are your nervous habits, (such as, fidgeting, over-sharing, quiet talking, etc.), distracting from your abilities?
Are you observing certain cultural norms, (such as avoiding eye contact, standing very close/far, making physical contact, etc.), that are unexpected in North American culture?
Are you appearing too casual/too formal in your manner of speaking?
Are you providing examples that truly demonstrate your abilities?
A professional career advisor should be able to help you identify if there any stumbling blocks in the way of employers seeing your real potential.
After the actual interview, ask for feedback. If you didn’t get a job offer, at the very least get some suggestions or advice from the employer about improving your interviewing. Perhaps they’ll give you a list of things you could improve – in which case, you’ll learn from the experience and do better next time.
Keep in mind, just as Jeff Schmitt argues, you may have done nothing wrong at all! But, evaluating your job hunting strategies, particularly your interviewing skills, will keep you sharp and ready for your next round of applications.
By admin, on November 13th, 2008  If you’re an international student hoping to work in the United States after completing your undergraduate degree, you have a few hurdles ahead of you. The way I see things, you have three major hurdles to overcome:
- Through coursework and practical experience, mastering the content knowledge required within your chosen field
- Becoming comfortable articulating your value to prospective employers and network contacts
- Employer’s willingness to hire international candidates
You have control over hurdles one and two, which in turn can have a positive impact on hurdle three.
Most of the international students with whom I have had the pleasure of working have had little to no trouble mastering the content knowledge within their field – they have typically excelled in their courses and, when given the opportunity, often stand out as interns or researchers. So, in terms of hurdles, the first one seems to be a less daunting one.
Hurdle number two seems to be the one that really stumbles a lot of international students. My first suggestion would be to make sure you’re staying in close contact with your school’s international student advisor and are familiar with the most current regulations for OPT (Optional Practical Training), CPT (Curricular Practical Training), H1Bs and green cards. For some employers, the idea of hiring an international student may appear more complicated than it really is. It’s important that you have a clear understanding of your work authorization and are able to communicate this to potential employers. Possibly even more important is that you are able to articulate your skills, experiences and knowledge clearly and persuasively. Too often I work with very talented, bright and eager international students who are either uncomfortable talking about themselves, uncertain if it’s appropriate to do so, or both! My blunt response to these concerns? Yes, it’s appropriate to talk about yourself, so get comfortable doing it! As a woman born in the Philippines and raised in Canada, only moving to the United States in 2001, I fully appreciate the concern that you might come across as boastful, or worse, if you talk about your talents and skills to an employer. Typically, North American employers expect you to know how you can benefit their organization. They want you to have thought through your worth and then prove that worth to them by providing examples. Some of this is accomplished in your resume and cover letter, much more is shared during interviews and networking interactions. There are certainly ways to talk about yourself without sounding, or feeling, boastful (I’ll likely discuss this further in a separate post). The key is to give yourself permission to talk about why you’re special and uniquely qualified for the position for which you’ve applied.
Once you’ve overcome hurdles one and two, you will have done your best to positively impact the employer’s willingness to hire you – which is hurdle number three. Keep in mind that in some cases, some employers are simply not in a position to hire international students, likely due to company policy. If you know this about an employer in advance, I’d strongly encourage you not to use your valuable time and energy trying to change the employer’s mind. Instead, turn your attention to networking with alums of your institution, with other internationals who have landed employment in the U.S., and with members of professional associations within your field. Also, take advantage of resources available through your institution’s Career Center and international student services office. For example, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is hosting an International Student Virtual Career Fair. Student sign-up will begin on December 1, 2008, so check with your institution’s Career Center to see if they will be participating.
As I mentioned earlier, I came to work in the United States in 2001, and was an immigrant to Canada when I was a child. The issues faced by international students are near and dear to my heart. If you are an international student, either studying in the US or Canada, I’d love to hear from you!
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Related links:
Job Search for International Students (LU Career Center)
Working with International Students (LU Career Center)
By admin, on November 11th, 2008 No, really, what makes you so special? And, I don’t mean the fact that you can wiggle your ears or that you make a mean chicken alfredo – unless, of course, either of these talents are requirements in your chosen career field. What makes you special as a professional? What makes you stand out from the hundreds of thousands of other professionals out there, some of whom may be applying for the exact same positions to which you are applying?
Maybe you’re wondering why it’s even important to think about what makes you special. In my article, “Job Search in Tough Economic Times,” I mention that it’s not a good idea to blend in. You want current or potential employers to recognize your value – in order for that to happen, you need to not only recognize your value, but be able to articulate your value, as well. Knowing the ways in which you are special helps this process.
Many of us don’t take the time to really stop and think about the characteristics that make us especially marketable. So, I challenge you to do so – take a moment to think about 3-5 specific characteristics, (i.e. personal traits, skills, knowledge or experiences) that make you special as a professional within your chosen career field. Keep in mind that many of your competitors, (fellow applicants), will likely have similar skill sets, educational backgrounds, or even work experiences as you. So, if for example, your education is a characteristic you’ve identified as making you special, be sure to think of the aspects of your education that may be different than those of other candidates. Did you work full time while completing your studies? Were you an active member of student organizations? Did you write a paper on a particular topic that might be of interest to potential employers?
Once you’ve identified your 3-5 characteristics, take a few more moments to think of examples that illustrate each one. Then, become comfortable talking about these characteristics. Yes, I mean out loud. These characteristics will eventually become part of your “brand.” (I apologize, I know “branding” is a somewhat overused term, but I think the word really does fit in this situation.)
Then, as you write resumes and cover letters, as you network, and as you interview for positions, allow these characteristics to become something of an over-arching theme for how you market yourself. Of course, over time, re-evaluate these characteristics – you’re likely to have developed new ones.
Hopefully, you’ve been told you’re special; hopefully, you know that it’s true. Now, my hope is that you can articulate why.
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