Tag Archives: student
Students: Common Interviewing Mistakes
Entry by Pat Patterson
The “dead fish handshake” – Always shake your interviewer’s hand firmly and confidently (just make sure you don’t over do it).
The “poker face” – When you answer questions, do so with a smile on your face and at least appear as if you are enjoying yourself. A pleasant attitude is contagious, and your interviewer will remember you as a positive person if you are pleasant.
Forgetting to breathe – I don’t mean literally forgetting to breathe and passing out (I hope no one is that nervous during an interview) – I mean try not to talk too quickly. Take some deep breaths and slow your speech enough to be understood. If you think you may be speaking too quickly, there is a good chance that you are. Practice answering questions with a friend to gauge a good talking speed.
“Thanks Tom, uhh…I …
Employers: Non-traditional Interviewing Approaches
Entry by Pat Patterson – from the January 2011 INTERNnetwork
Non-traditional Interviews
Virtual Interview
With today’s technology, interviews do not necessarily need to be face-to-face. If you are unable to meet with students for interviews or vice versa, conducting an interview via video/audio equipment may be a viable option. Many career services offices have webcams and Skype accounts to accommodate students and employers for virtual interviews. If your organization typically conducts preliminary phone screening interviews, you may even consider a virtual interview as a substitute.
Meal Interview
If you have a client-focused organization that regularly involves interacting with different individuals, including lunch or dinner meetings, consider interviewing students over lunch or dinner. By doing so, you may be able to gauge a student’s social skills and mannerisms in a more relaxed setting. Even if you are not a client-focused organization, conducting interviews over meals may …
Interview Like a S.T.A.R.
Entry by Pat Patterson
From the January 2011 INTERNnetwork:
In internship interviews, employers commonly ask behavioral interview questions that focus on past events in your life and your responses. Since a student will typically not have much work experience, behavioral interview questions are open-ended questions that focus on past performances to assess behavior – in particular, how you may respond to similar situations in the future. “Can you tell me about a goal you accomplished at a previous job?” is an example of a behavioral interview question.
Since behavioral interview questions are open-ended, they can be difficult to answer. Therefore, you need to be prepared. The S.T.A.R. technique for interviewing is a method for thoroughly answering behavioral interview questions. Using the S.T.A.R. technique, you describe your actions in past situations to answer behavioral questions.
S.T.A.R. is an acronym for Situation, Task, Action, Result.
Situation – Provide some …
Students: Are You Ready for Career Fairs?
Entry by Nicole Goble, Director of Recruiting and Development in the financial services industry in Zionsville, IN
It is that time of year again; spring, campus career fairs are right around the corner. If you are still in the hunt for a summer internship, making the best of your time at each one is highly important. I have drilled down on research, research, research so it won’t be mentioned (but please do research 🙂 ). Here are a few things to separate you from the sea of students in line at company booths:
1. Go Alone.
It is ok to say hello and shake hands as you meet fellow classmates; however, steer away from going with a friend. This time is about talking with employers and company’s about what interests you.
2. Dress to Impress.
This is easier said than done from my experience. For …
Employers: Are You Ready?
Entry by Pat Patterson
Career fairs are fast-approaching – are you prepared to market your organization? Regardless of whether you are a large or small organization, career fairs are a great opportunity to recruit new talent:
“Think about all the money AT&T, Coca-Cola, and Ford Motor Company put into national advertising and promotional campaigns,” explains Keever-Watts, president of The Keever Group. “In the arena of college recruiting, however, any company can be a ‘big fish’ on campus.”
She points out that this is due to employers dealing in a much smaller, more confined market. In addition, Keever-Watts adds, the target audience—which is composed of students—is buying what the employer is selling.
“To make things even more favorable, it’s an employers’ market, which means that students are casting a wider net when it comes to finding a job,” she notes. “While the economic downturn hurts us …
Start the New Year off on the Right Foot
Entry by Pat Patterson
What is your New Year’s resolution? If your resolution is to enhance your professional workplace skills (or even if it is not), then I have the perfect web site for you – www.JobSTART101.org:
A free, first-of-its-kind course, JobSTART 101 covers topics ranging from how to communicate and solve problems to how to develop a professional persona that helps drive a career for long-term success. Designed to be engaging and fast-paced, students have the option to complete the entire course in approximately 90 minutes or tackle the six topical modules one at a time, and participate in interactive components, such as videos and workbooks.
“While our nation remains focused on job creation, it’s equally important to ensure that our workforce has the skills and training to succeed in today’s economy,” said William D. Green, chairman and chief executive officer of …
Students: How Many Hats Can You Wear?
Entry by Pat Patterson
In today’s workplace, employers are placing more emphasis on an employee’s ability to multi-task…and I don’t just mean texting and talking at the same time. A diverse collection of workspace-related skills may increase your likeliness of landing your dream job. According to research from Robert Half International, multi-tasking is a prominent attribute desired for the hottest jobs of 2011:
“The common thread among the jobs highlighted in our research is that they help businesses improve efficiency and profits, and foster a more positive customer experience,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International. “The most successful job candidates bring multiple skill sets, a track record of success and a strong sense of accountability to their roles.”
Read more.
Knowing this information, at your current or upcoming internship, you may want to ask your supervisor for opportunities that may enhance any …
Employers: Crafting Your Internship Postings to Attract Talent
Entry by Pat Patterson (from the December INTERNnetwork)
Now that you have a need for an intern(s), it is important to advertise your opportunities properly to encourage students to apply. When writing a position description, be sure to include the following key elements:
Organization overview: It is helpful to provide the potential applicant with a brief overview of your organization, along with links to your company web site, blog, social media accounts, etc. Remember, internship postings are a form of advertising and students are searching for organizations that will be a good fit for them.
Internship title: Be specific (e.g., “marketing intern,” “event planning intern,” “accounting intern”). Giving your internship a detailed title will help the student determine if he/she wants to learn more.
Minimum GPA: Based upon a 4.0 scale, determine the minimum GPA you will accept from applicants (4.0 = A; 3.0 = B; 2.0 …
Employers: Total Internship Management Roadshow Jan. 18, 19, & 20
Entry by Pat Patterson
Attend one of three nationally recognized recruiting seminars about successfully implementing internship programs to utilize affordable college talent. Indiana INTERNnet has partnered with Intern Bridge to deliver the Indiana INTERNnet Total Internship Management Roadshow in the following locations:
January 18, 2011: Fort Wayne, IN
January 19, 2011: Indianapolis, IN
January 20, 2011: Evansville, IN
The workshops are designed to help employers build world-class internship programs that have a direct impact on your organization’s bottom line. The workshops will introduce attendees to best practices for building a talent pipeline through the use of effectively managed internship programs. Whether your organization is considering hiring one college student, or one hundred, these workshops will demonstrate how to do it creatively and efficiently. Based on just-released data from over 100,000 students attending 500+ universities nationwide, the programs will provide key data and metrics surrounding topics such as supervisor …
Networking to the Right Internship for YOU
Entry by Nicole Goble, Director of Recruiting and Development in the financial services industry in Zionsville, IN
Each month I have the opportunity to take someone from within our office (staff or financial representative) for breakfast and interview them for the monthly newsletter I write. It is a neat deal; I ask them 5 pretty simple questions for the newsletter and spend the rest of the time focusing on them, how their business is going and what is new personally. This week I sat down with a representative that has been with our company for 10 years and has really been a huge benefit to me as a recruiter; therefore, we talked recruiting for a good portion of the breakfast. He told me a story about a former representative that found his dream job using our sales cycle. It was so simple but so astounding, how had …
Questions to Consider when Interning during the School Year
Entry by Valerie Petrey, Public Relations & Event Planning Intern, Purdue Liberal Arts Career Development
Most of us intern during the summer because it’s less stressful – no classes, club meetings, group projects, etc. However, with the workforce being highly competitive, it’s good to be open to the possibility of interning the semester you plan to graduate.
If you’re a December graduate and have time to spare, interning in the spring is a great idea because not as many people are applying to internships then. If you are graduating in May, like me, you should still consider doing an internship during your last semester. Last semester internships are your final opportunities to show employers what you’ve learned while attending college, and what you can contribute as a full-time employee at their company. Employers are more likely to hire someone they have seen working in action.
Whether you’re graduating this month, …
Employers: Recruiting Your Interns
Entry by Pat Patterson
If you plan on hiring interns for the summer of 2011, plan to begin recruiting soon if you have not started already. As a general rule of thumb, employers should begin recruiting for an internship six months in advance of its start date to allow for a large candidate pool.
Collaborating with high schools, colleges, and universities, is one of the best, most common ways to recruit interns. Indiana high schools, colleges, and universities offer many opportunities for intern recruiting on campus. Employers may participate in career/internship fairs, conduct presentations, perform on-campus interviewing and/or get involved with various career services sponsored events. It may be best to target two to three schools in close proximity with academic programs that match your ideal criteria.
Employer Presentations
Presenting on campus is a convenient way for students to learn about your organization and its job openings – both …
Let’s Wrap It Up
Entry by Brittney Horn, Membership Intern, Greater Lafayette Commerce
And I’m not talking gifts here people! Though the holidays are coming up quickly, for some of you that fateful time that your precious internship ends is looming in the near future as well. Yes, I know I’m excited for all of the traditions I celebrate, but don’t let these last few weeks go by without accomplishing any work with your internship! These last few weeks are the time to make all of your hard work count by following these few tips:
Wrap up any projects/assignments you have. Please do not be that intern that leaves unfinished work left for a new intern to finish. It’s hard enough on your first day at your internship and they really don’t need to be tidying up your leftovers. Get a recommendation letter. Any notable intern supervisor will gladly write you …
Turkey Break: You Can Never Overcook Your Intership Search
Entry by Pat Patterson
Students and employers, Thanksgiving break is a great opportunity to prepare for upcoming career fairs. Although it may not sound like fun, researching and preparing for career fairs will help all you students land internships and all you employers find the perfect interns…not to mention, make you feel better after stuffing your face. After all, what else are you going to do for the six to eight hours that your turkey is cooking?
Students and employers, check out Indiana INTERNnet’s event page to view upcoming career fairs near you.
Students, check out past blog entries for career fair advice: Students: Preparing for a Career Fair, Career Fair Game Plan, Career Fairs 101: Create Customized Resumes, Career Fairs 101: Avoid the Herd Mentality, and Career Fairs 101: After the Career Fair.
Employers, check out our past blog entry: Career Fairs 101: Selling Your Company …
Homework for the Holidays
Entry by Brittney Horn, Membership Intern, Greater Lafayette Commerce
So I realize the title of this post may scare most readers away because who really wants to do homework over the holidays? But I promise you if you do just a little work, it will pay off tremendously in the end.
Anyone still reading out there? Moving on…
The homework I am assigning to you is looking for that summer internship! (See it’s not so bad…). A summer internship is your time to shine and show off all that knowledge that you learn during school. Internships also provide an excuse to get away for 2-3 months to wherever you want to go! Participating in a summer internship can help you find what you want to do for the rest of your life, which is pretty important to happiness if you ask me. You can learn so much from other co-workers …