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Knowing that the job market is increasingly competitive, below is a suite of resources that outline how students, recent graduates, and job seekers can put themselves in the best position possible to acquire fulfilling internships and employment.
What Job Seekers, Employees and Employers Need to Know About Social Media
This guide from The University of Dayton talks about the importance of responsible social media use and its possible impact on job hunting. This resource breaks down the privacy settings of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, showing what potential or current employers can see about you even if you have a private profile. It also includes questions job seekers should ask themselves before posting on social networks. This is a valuable resource for job seekers, as friends and family might not be the only people looking at their social media profiles.
View the GuideFive tips to help you shine during your interviews:
- Research the company: Get informed about their mission and values. This will allow you to align your answers with their goals and values, showing that you are genuinely interested in working for them.
- Prepare questions: Show your interest by coming up with relevant questions. This demonstrates that you have done your homework and are proactive in seeking more information.
- Make eye contact: Direct eye contact conveys confidence and trust. This conveys confidence, attentiveness, and trustworthiness.
- Dress for success: Choose clothing that reflects your professionalism. First impressions matter, especially when you're trying to land your dream job. Dressing appropriately for an interview can convey professionalism, attention to detail, and your understanding of the company culture. Here are some tips on how to spruce up your wardrobe for different types of interviews:
- Formal Interviews: Think corporations, finance, or law firms. For men, a well-tailored suit in a conservative color like navy, grey, or black is a safe bet. For women, a skirt suit, or a professional dress are viable options. Pair them with polished shoes and minimal accessories.
- Casual Interviews: Tech startups or creative fields often have a more relaxed dress code. However, it's still important to look neat and put together. A button-down shirt, and clean shoes are appropriate.
- Remote Interviews: You still need to dress up for a video call interview! Dress as if you were going to an in-person interview.
- Embrace nerves: It is okay to be nervous. Remember that the interviewer knows what it's like and they appreciate your honesty when you tell them you're a bit nervous.
Handling Difficult Interview Questions
You must prepare for every interview. Research the company you have applied to. Learn all about the company and its mission from its website. Read the job description closely. Determine how the job you are seeking fits into the organization and what some of the goals and challenges of this position might be. Prepare several thoughtful questions that demonstrate your interest and motivation.
When answering an interview question, always relate your answer to what you can do for the company, the job, and the organization. Tell the interviewer what the interviewer wants to hear. When discussing your background and accomplishments, Prelate them to the position. Do not discuss personal information. Provide examples of your work quality, accomplishments, and abilities as they would apply to the specific position for which you are applying. Use the phrases, "for instance" or "for example". Have addresses, phone numbers, and employment dates accessible. Bring several copies of your resume and a list of references with contact information to the interview.
When answering questions, don't sound like you’re reading from a script. Prepare answers to common interview questions. If you don't know something or don't have a certain experience, first be honest and admit to your lack of knowledge, experience, or qualifications. Then immediately say, "however" or "but" and then proceed to outline what you do know or what you have done. Explain how that would assist you in quickly getting up to speed.
Here are some interview questions and how you should answer them.
Behavioral Questions
Interviews may also include behavioral questions that aren’t as easy to prepare for. Behavioral interviews assess what you have done in the past, not what you say you might do in the future. This allows hiring managers to assess you more objectively. The premise is that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. Interviewers develop a list of questions based upon specific competencies needed to be successful in the role they are hiring.
To do well in a behavioral interview, you must be able to tell stories that link your experience and skills to the position. Key words to use are "For example" or "For instance". Do your homework and research the employer’s core values, since some questions will more than likely relate to them. Be sure to focus on the job and the key skills the employer wants. Back up your answers with work or school examples. Present a situation or task that you faced, describe the action you took, and detail the results that you achieved.
Examples of behavioral questions:
- Tell me how you worked effectively under pressure or in a stressful situation.
- In working on a project, what was your role and what did you do. What problems or issues were there and how did you handle them?
- Tell me about a situation in which you demonstrated your leadership ability.
- Interview preparation with recorded mock interviews.
- What are your three greatest strengths?
- How would you handle a situation if your boss failed to adequately communicate with you?
How to answer one of the trickiest interview questions
"What Is Your Weakness?"
Have you ever been stumped by the "What is your weakness?" question in an interview? It's a common and legitimate question. Interviewers aren't aiming to embarrass you or find reasons not to hire you. Instead, they're gauging your self-awareness and your approach to overcoming challenges.
How to Answer the 'Weakness' Question
When answering this question, you need to find a balance. You don't want to come across as too perfect, nor do you want to disclose a trait that could hurt your chances of landing the job. Here's a step-by-step approach:
- Identify a Non-Essential Skill: Pick a weakness that isn't a core requirement for the job. For a marketing job, saying you aren't good at coding is perfectly acceptable.
- Show Self-Awareness: Acknowledge that you know this is a weakness and show that you are aware of it.
- Describe How You're Improving: Showcase how you're working on your weakness. This shows that you're proactive and invested in personal growth.
Examples of 'Weakness' Answers
Now that you understand the strategy, let's look at some examples:
- "I sometimes struggle with delegating tasks. I'm aware that it's important to trust my team so I've started to delegate small tasks and gradually increase the responsibility."
- "Public speaking has always been a challenge for me. However, I've been attending Toastmasters meetings to improve my communication skills."
Remember, the goal is not to present yourself as flawless, but rather to illustrate your ability to recognize, accept, and work on your weaknesses. With a bit of practice and mindfulness, you'll master the art of skillfully revealing your weaknesses in a job interview. Good luck!
Addressing Career Breaks in Job Interviews
In today's competitive job landscape, having a gap in your employment history can sometimes feel daunting. But it's important to remember that life happens - whether it be family needs, pursuing personal interests like travel, or coping with global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. The key is to reframe these gaps positively and present them as periods of growth and learning.
Here are some strategies to do just that:
- Making Travel Gaps Work for You Taking a few months off for travel is quite acceptable in a post-COVID-19 era. If you've taken time to explore and travel, it's perfectly okay to discuss this decision as a natural part of personal growth. Acknowledging that work is not the sole aspect of life, and recognizing the importance of self-care, is not only accepted but valued. Therefore, taking a pause for personal enrichment is totally okay and can be beneficial in the long run.
- Focusing on Family Taking time off from work to look after your family is a indication that you are a caring person. When you talk about this break, you show that you put family first. This choice can make other people wish they were brave enough to do the same.
- Presenting Personal Projects If you spent some of your career break working on your own project, this is something to be proud of and to share with potential employers. Whether it worked out or not, you would have learned a lot. Say something like, "In the time I wasn't in a regular job, I started my own project {and name it}. It helped me grow my organizational and creative problem-solving skills. I'm excited to use what I've learned in your company."
- Emphasize Continued Learning Proving you remained engaged in your industry during your job gap can be impressive to potential employers. Did you attend conferences or seminars? Did you take online courses or do volunteer work related to your industry? As an example, "During my year-long job gap, I attended various industry-related webinars and seminars {name them}, which allowed me to stay up to date with the latest trends."
Above all, remember that while employers enjoy hearing about your career journey, they also appreciate when you're direct and honest. Telling your story, clearly and with sincerity, shows you're at ease with your career choices.
Job Hunting in the Age of Remote Work: Virtual Interviews & Onboarding
Review this useful guide on everything you need to know about virtual interviews and starting a new job online: Job hunting in the age of remote work
How Can Teachers Prepare for a Successful Job Interview?
Here are some key tips to help you prepare for your next teaching job interview.
- Understand the School: Always do your research. Get to know the school's values, teaching philosophy, and curriculum. It's crucial to show how well you align with their approach.
- Prepare Your Philosophy: Be ready to articulate your teaching philosophy succinctly and clearly. This should tie in with your practical experiences in the classroom and show your passion for teaching.
- Examples, Examples, Examples!: Concrete examples of your teaching experience will always trump theoretical knowledge. So, whether it's describing a successful lesson plan or a tricky classroom situation you navigated, have those examples ready to share.
- Anticipate Common Questions: Make sure you're prepared for common interview questions like "How would you handle a difficult student?" or "How do you assess student learning?"
And most importantly, be yourself. Teaching is a noble profession and your passion, dedication, and willingness to make a difference can shine through in an interview.
Best of luck in preparing for teaching interviews!
Popular Useful Job Search Sites on your journey:
On your endeavour to search for your next job, the Robert Half Talent Solutions' article contains useful links that will guide on your next job search.
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