Be Yourself

There are hundreds of interviewing tips out there, including; dress appropriately, make eye contact, shake hands, be honest, practice, etc. These are all vital guidelines to follow in the interview. To keep it simple, though, I will share some of the best advice I’ve ever been told. And that is to BE YOURSELF!

It is best to be honest about who you are and what you want from a job. Honesty will also create a better match between you and your new employer. What's the sense of faking it through a series of job interviews, just to take a job you don't like or that doesn't suit you? You'll just end up repeating the entire process as you look for yet another job!

Good luck!

Until next week,

Faith

After the Interview

Interviews suck. Plain and simple. There are too many great pieces of advice I could give you that could help you during your interview, but you know what? You will walk into the interview room and forget them all. So, my advice will be for what to do after the interview.  This piece of advice goes back millions of years (okay, not millions). You ready for it? It is called “THE THANK YOU NOTE”.  

Write your interviewers a thank you.  Thank you notes show you are courteous, interested in the position, and remind the interviewers of your positive qualities. My advice is to email AND snail mail a thank you letter. It doesn’t need to be fancy or long. Here is a list of things you should include…  

·         thanks for taking the time for the interview

·         what position you were interviewing for

·         be specific about why you are interested and how you are a good fit for the team

·         highlight a key point from your interview that you believe the interviewer will    remember

·         let them know you are available to answer any more questions they have

·         list your contact information

·         you are looking forward from hearing from them soon 

Remember to proofread your thank you note. Misspelled words and incorrect grammar is a big no-no. A thank you can seem elementary, but it may be the deciding factor between you and the next guy. 

THIS IS SPARTA!

Lauren

STRESS--LESS

                Interviewing is like pawning used socks – the only exciting point in either case is when somebody tells you that what you’re selling doesn’t stink. Yep, in fact, interviews can be awkward, challenging, and downright intimidating at times, but nevertheless, they are vital to landing a job or other opening. So, what advice can I offer? DON’T STRESS.

                Walking into an interview there will be hundreds of talking-points that you will hope to address; conversely, upon walking out of the interview, there may be hundreds of talking points that you wish you wouldn’t have addressed… but in either case DON’T STRESS.

There is a certain amount of pressure that you should put on yourself prior to any large event, but only to the extent that it doesn’t hinder your sleep, your mood, or your sanity. Keep an even keel and don’t let the moment get to you – just before the interview, take five minutes to clear your mind and just breathe.

When you walk out of the interview make sure to write down a list of three things that you did well during the interview. This will help to dissipate the lingering anxiety of waiting for an answer from the interviewer, and will ensure that regardless of the outcome you left with a positive experience.

Do whatever you can to remove all of the unnecessary pressure from an interviewing situation, and as always, feel free to employ your own DE-STRESSING methods. Simply focus on the end goal of shaking unnecessary anxiety, and this should help you to clear your mind and express yourself more completely.

T.D. Bjornestad

How to choose a major.........TRY IT

You wouldn’t buy a car without test driving it. You wouldn’t buy a shirt in every color if you haven’t tried it on. You should not spend 4 or more years in a major unless you can make an educated guess that it is a field you’re interested in. So…make an educated guess. Research possible career opportunities related to that field. Participate in job shadow days and internships to learn more about different jobs. Experiencing what the average person’s day is like in the field you’re interested in allows you incite in to that career. Try it before you buy it.  College is expensive; make sure you spend your time there studying the right area.

-Heather

Where do you draw the line?

Where do you draw the line? Everyone has met someone who could not stop talking about themselves and how awesome they are. You definitely don’t want to be that person. But, keep in mind that you do have to sell yourself during your interview. During your interview you want to sell yourself and showcase all of your absolutely amazing accomplishments but you don’t want to come off as that person who will not stop talking about themselves.  That’s great to know but how do I do that, you say? Well it’s a balancing act.  I would suggest writing down a couple things that you want to talk about in your interview. That way if you’re shy, you still get your point across. And if you’re an overachiever you reign in your “self-talk”.

-Heather

Undecided

So you still don't know what to major in? Like Lauren said, that's totally OKAY! Thats why you are in college; to explore your options and find out who you really are and what you like to do.

There are several resources offered to students in major and/or career selection. Check with the advising and career service center at the school you are thinking about attending. The advisors will have numerous tools, tests, and interest inventories for you to take that may help you pinpoint the direction you want to take. You may also have someone in your high school who can help you, for example, someone in the Career Center or Counseling department.

Don't panic and think you are not ready for college. Many students go to college with an undeclared major, just like Lauren, and are just as successful!

Faith

Not knowing is okay.

Knowing what you want to do with your life is stressful.  Picking a major can seem almost impossible, especially if you have no idea what you want to do.  You know what?  Not knowing what you want to do is okay.  There is nothing wrong with being undeclared for the first part of your college career.  Heck, I was undeclared for two years.   It wasn’t until the end of my sophomore year that I realized I enjoyed and was interested in political science.  

My advice to you is to take a variety of classes that sound interesting to you.  You might learn that you enjoy history.  You might learn that you hate English. Today you want to be a chef.  Tomorrow, you may want to be a journalist.  That is the beauty of college.  You learn ‘who you are’.  It might sound a little cliché now, but it is true.  It is okay to have no idea what you want to do or what you want to be. Don’t stress about it.   

There's a tiger in the bathroom!

Lauren