Senior Struggles: Keep track of your accomplishments…before it’s too late!

December 15, 2011

Follow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

As college students, most of us are fortunate enough to be able to focus all of our time, thought, energy and passion on just one person: OURSELVES. So, you would think it would be easy to keep track of everything we do, accomplish, try to do, fail at doing, learn from etc. After all, this is the time in our lives when we will spend hours writing cover letters, personal statements, getting interviewed for jobs we desperately need and trying to figure out our futures in general. Why then, is it so hard to think of good, concrete examples of proud accomplishments, learning experiences or meaningful failures when the time comes to actually answer those questions, and write those personal statements or cover letters?

The answer is that there is just too much going on in our lives right now. Personally, I often find myself thinking, “This would be a great thing to mention in an interview!” after completing a group project, then that thought flies away as soon as walk into my house and start chatting with my housemates.

The solution to this? Write it down silly! Of course we all want to be more organized and that never seems to really happen, but there is a website designed to do just that. iDoneThis is an interesting website (not just because there is a lowercase ‘”i” in front of the name) designed to help you keep  track of your daily accomplishments from the most mundane: “I didn’t snooze my alarm clock this morning!” to the most important: “I persuaded my class group to move in a different direction with our project, and got some excellent feedback on my leadership skills from my professor!”

While the former can serve as a record of your daily discipline and habit making process, the latter is prime material for interviews and personal statements. I remember one interviewer asking me, “Describe a time you persuaded a group to do something; how were you able to do that?” I’m sure there are plenty of times in my time at Michigan that I persuade people to do things, I just couldn’t think of a single example at the time of the interview.

If iDoneThis isn’t for you, find a tool that works. That may be another online tool or even just a plane old paper journal. Perhaps, like me, you’ll find it easier to record everything in the notepad app on your iPhone. The point is, we all forget the things we think we’ll remember and we’re only getting older, so it’s best to start keeping track of the things that matter most to our future right now….so write that down, before you forget.

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Posted by Nell Gable

Senior Struggles: Use a spreadsheet template to organize your job search

December 7, 2011

messy stack of papersFollow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

We all know the feeling: lying awake in bed at night going over your list of worries: “when’s the deadline for that analyst job application?” “Did I remember to send in my referrals??” “I have an interview next week and I can’t even remember what the job description said!” That feeling is terrible, and once again, the best thing you can do to prevent it is to stay organized.

It seems like we’re ALWAYS telling you to stay organized, and now we’re going to show you exactly how to do that. We’ve selected a great Excel spreadsheet, downloaded free from Microsoft’s Office website, which will be extremely helpful for managing your job applications, contacts, and interviews. Use these sheets as a tool to record your job search activity and your quest for employment will seem far more manageable, giving you the confidence to be successful.

Click here to visit the download page for the helpful Job Search Log.

Photo credit: Kate Ter Haar / CC BY 2.0

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Posted by Nell Gable

Senior Struggles: Researching Employers Effectively

November 2, 2011

Follow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

Preparation is the key to interview success. And while most preliminary interviews won’t require you to have detailed knowledge of the company, being able to incorporate your understanding of company practices into your answers will demonstrate your initiative and strong interest in the position. Here are some ways to prepare for your interviews thoroughly and efficiently:

  • Start by familiarizing yourself with the company website. Look for interviewing tips in the employment section, then check out the website from the perspective of a customer or client — because that is whom the company is catering to.
  • Conduct your research in a way that allows you to generate questions for the interviewers. Since you’ll want to ask something that is not answered on the company’s webpage,  ask yourself:”what’s missing?” as you do your research.
  • Evaluate different points of view on the company you are researching. Aside from the company’s website, you will want to look at trade journals, consumer reviews, and recent news articles.
  • If you have more time to prepare, try setting up a google alert (www.google.com/alerts)  to email you when news on the company you are interviewing with is posted. This will help you go into the interview with the most up-to-date information available.
  • Don’t ignore the company’s social media presence. Make sure you “like” the company on Facebook, follow it on twitter and monitor their blog if they have one. This will demonstrate a continued interest in the company’s work.
  • Use your University if Michigan alumni network! Create a profile on LinkedIn, and with the U of M Alumni Association’s social networking tool, inCircle. See if you can connect with anyone from the company you’re interviewing with, and conduct an informational interview.

Remember if you don’t have time to adequately prepare for all of your interviews, then you are probably applying to too many jobs and you will need to narrow your search. If you’re feeling unsure of how to prepare, or just want to fine tune your skill, you can always schedule a mock interview at the Career Center; we are always here to help!

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Posted by Nell Gable

Senior Struggles: Managing Multiple Interviews

October 26, 2011

Follow each week as we present step-by-step suggestions to achieve post-college success with less senior year stress.

Interviewing for multiple companies is great — those interviews indicate that you’re doing something right with your application! However, prepping for all of those interviews can be stressful and time consuming. Why not make your life easier in one simple step? As with many issues of stress in the job search, organization can make the feeling feel manageable.

Prepping for an interview is like studying for an exam on yourself, and all of your past experiences. You’ll need to have a firm understanding of your past successes, failures, and achievements (both academic and work-related), and how they have provided you skills, and shaped your work ethic and future goals. First, take a look at some preparation resources organized by interview format (behavioral interviews are the most common). Then, create a word document where you type out sample questions and write your answer, with a supporting example. Examples will show interviewers that you are the real deal — try using the STAR technique to format your answers. Once you’ve covered all the basic interview questions, which you will inevitably be asked over and over again, save the document to your computer for future reference. Then, you can review the document before any future interviews as a refresher.

As always, The Career Center can offer you a host of online and in-person resources to help you prepare for you interviews. Follow these links to some helpful articles on interviewing, or schedule an appointment or mock interview at The Career Center.

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Posted by Nell Gable

Looking Forward to an Interview: Mastering the Mentality

January 18, 2011

After weeks or even months of job-searching, tweaking your resume, and composing cover letters, you’ve finally done it: you have landed an interview. The initial excitement and relief is almost immediately countered by the following realization: you have to go through an interview…

Anxiety and dread, coupled with feelings of uncertainty and anticipation, begin to overwhelm you. What will the interviewer be like? What questions will they ask? Am I really qualified for this? Why am I shaking already?

A man yelling in exasperation

Can I send someone to interview in my place?

Ok, maybe some of you don’t experience anxiety to this extent. Or maybe it doesn’t hit you until the moment before the interview begins. But regardless of your level of confidence when it comes to interviewing, it is always beneficial to conduct a serious analysis of your mentality in this situation.

First of all, you are qualified. Unqualified individuals do not get invited to interviews. Your desire to work for this organization as well as the experience you’ve gained in preparation for it are already evident to the employer. They just want to know more about you – they want to know that you are a good fit for their organization.

The second thing to remember is that an interview is a conversation. You engage in conversations every day. Whether they are with friends or new acquaintances, five minutes or an hour long, friendly or argumentative – communication is something you are experienced in. An interview is an opportunity for you to get to know someone and for them to get to know you. Personally, I love it when people show interest in me and ask me questions about myself. Why should it be different with interviewing? View it as a stretch of time where you get to talk about yourself, share your passion for the related field of work, discuss your future aspirations and learn more about the company.

Finally, the last bit of encouraging advice I have to share is that they want you to perform well. If you are relaxed yet confident during the interview, are able to express your passion for the line of work and your desire to work for the company, and are able to articulate your experiences and qualifications while fully engaging in the conversation, then you are only making the employer’s job easier. They want to meet an obvious hire; it makes the decision easier for them!

So whether you’ve landed an interview, or you are optimistic that an interview will be a part of your near future — congratulations! You can skip past those negative feelings and focus on preparing for that interview with an attitude of confidence and discipline.

Photo credit: Martin Kingsley / CC BY 2.0

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Posted by Paul

Telephone Interviewing — The Perils of Pajamas

May 5, 2010

A recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education cites an increase in the number of departments conducting first round interviews remotely — typically by phone but perhaps increasingly through other technology.  The cost benefits for hiring committees are clear. Conducting telephone interviews is a much cheaper way to screen an applicant pool.  As the first step in the interview process, the phone interview becomes critical.  But it also brings some unique challenges compared with in-person interviews.  What are some of those challenges, and how can you maximize your chances for success?

Telephone Logistics

A successful phone interview starts with ensuring that there are no logistical problems from your end.  Consider ahead of time the best number for you to use.  If it’s a cell phone, you’ll want to be sure you are in a place that has good coverage.  It probably goes without saying that your phone should be charged (but then again, when it comes to interviewing nothing should be left unsaid).  Regardless of what phone you use, try to eliminate the potential for any distractions, for example, call waiting clicking in.  And perhaps most importantly, be sure you are in a location where you know you will not be disturbed — by colleagues if you are at school, by family or other distractions if you are at home.

Non-Verbals: Maintaining (Eye) Contact

Communications experts tell us that much of what is communicated happens through our non-verbals; yet with a phone interview it is seemingly all about the verbals.  How can you ensure that you are sending an overall positive message during your phone interview without the benefit of positive non-verbals?  You may not have eye contact to rely on, but these ideas can help:

  • Dress for success.  Sure you could wear your footed pajamas and no one would know.  But it’s important for you to establish the right tone for this interview, just as you would in person.  Dressing down in the comforts of your own home may establish a tone that is informal, casual, perhaps too relaxed.  Some experts suggest dressing up just as you would for any other interview, to help get you in the right frame of mind.
  • The same applies for other traditional non-verbal tips.  Sit up straight, perhaps with a slight lean forward as you may in an in-person setting.  All of these ideas will help you convey the right tone.  If done right, this tone will come through even over the phone lines.
  • Master the names.  Phone interviews typically include several people from a search committee, who will introduce themselves at the start of a conversation.  Putting names to voices and using the names appropriately can be a way to establish personal connections, even if you are not able to look the person in the eye.
  • Avoid getting lost in paper.  Yes, with a phone interview you have the ability to have notes in front of you, and to take notes as the conversation unfolds.  And yes, you run the risk of getting lost in paper and losing sight of the conversation.  Focusing on the department’s course guide, or the 17 page vita of a search committee member, means you are not focusing on questions and answers.  My advice is to MINIMIZE these distractions.  You can always take notes immediately after the conversation.

Managing the Conversation

In any interview you want to feel as though the search committee is really with you, that you are having a conversation in which everyone is engaged.  It’s easier to judge whether this is happening face-to-face.  You can read the body language and facial expressions of the committee to tell how they are responding.  And if the body language seems negative you can react accordingly.  These visual cues don’t exist over the phone.  The risk is higher that you could lose the group if you are not careful.  Trust me, I’ve seen searches where committee members are rolling their eyes at a particularly difficult answer; or chairs roll back and people slump down in their seats; or worst of all, interviewers become distracted by other work on their desks!  Some simple strategies can help you manage phone conversations correctly:

  • Consider keeping your answers briefer than usual.  The greatest risk is that interviewers check out from the conversation, and you don’t even know it.  In a phone interview it is so much easier for attention to wander.  And if that happens, it is so hard to get it back.  Keeping your answers shorter and more concise allows the committee to follow up if they would like more information.  It also allows you to…
  • Check in with the group on occasion.  More concise answers allow you to (occasionally) ask the group if you’ve answered the question sufficiently, or if they would like to hear more.  If you’re unsure about a question, it’s probably better (occasionally) to ask for clarification rather than answering something different than what they were hoping to hear.
  • Don’t be afraid of small silences as you formulate your answers.  This is true in any interview, where even a brief pause may seem like an interminable amount of time passing.  This may feel even more awkward over the phone, without the physical connection.  But better to pause briefly, for a second or two, to compose a coherent answer rather than feeling the need to immediately launch into an answer as soon as the question is finished.  Again, your goal is to be sure you’re on point with your answers rather than rambling and losing your audience.  If a brief pause can help you do that effectively, then it’s worth it.  If pauses make you too uncomfortable, you can also insert some of those generic time fillers – “hmmm, that’s a good question….”  or “hmmm, let me think about that for a second….” — while you think of your answer.

So stow the loungewear, and make sure the cat won’t jump up on the table.  Prepare as you would for any interview, paying special attention to the challenges the phone presents.

As always, I would love to hear your stories of surviving the telephone interview.

Photo Credit: david.nikonvscanon on Flickr

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Posted by tomlehker

How to use your Michigan experience in a job interview

January 28, 2010

There’s been a lot of talk the past couple days about how Florida quarterback and former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is struggling in practices for the Senior Bowl, which is kind of like a football player’s first job interview for the NFL. The simplified version of the Tebow story is this: pro teams are worried that the skills Tebow has won’t translate well into the NFL, and aren’t convinced he has the right tools to succeed at the pro-level like he did in college.

No, this post isn’t all about football. But Tebow’s predicament illustrates a situation that many students are in when they begin looking for work: you’ve got all sorts of great accomplishments from your time here at Michigan, but how do you translate those experiences into reasons why an employer should hire you? Here are some ideas to take with you into your first/next interview:

Tim Tebow getting hit

Follow this advice and you'll do better in your first interview than he did

Class Experience
Sure, you can put your GPA or a list ‘relevant courses’ on your resume, but how much is that really telling someone about your skills and abilities? A better way to translate your academic experience for an employer is to focus on discrete accomplishments and tasks like group projects, presentations, or research projects. These can be effective, concrete examples for questions like “tell me about how you work in a team-based setting” or “the last time you worked on a project, how did you manage to stay on task and budget your time?”

Extracurriculars
Quite a few Michigan students get involved in one or more student organizations during their time here on campus. If you’re spending the equivalent of a part-time job with a student org, you can bet that you’ve gained some experience that will be of interest to an employer. Think about the organization and logistics involved when you planned a workshop or social event, and use it as an example of a time that you took an idea and successfully implemented it. Or if you get an interview question like “tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult team member,” you can use an example of a disagreement you had with a fellow exec-board member of your group, and how you solved it (don’t forget to tell them that last part!).

Part-time Jobs
Not everyone has the time to get a summer internship or to be heavily involved in a student organization. If you’ve held part-time jobs on campus that aren’t quite related to your area of interest, there are still ways to demonstrate value. Retail jobs provide valuable experience working with difficult customers, and offer a great example to provide an interviewer when she asks “if you’re faced with a question that you don’t know the answer to, what do you do?” Current/former servers can easily answer questions about how they manage to stay calm in a fast-paced or chaotic work environment. Whatever your part-time job was, remember that it’s less about the industry, and much more about how you can relate the specific skills that you used.

For more interviewing help, including a list of common interview questions, check out the interviewing section of our website.

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Posted by Scott Tsuchiyama

Interviewing – Passing the Airport Test, and More

November 16, 2009

What makes for a successful interview?  How do search committees determine airportwho gets an offer?  Of course a lot goes into that equation.  Something that often comes up is the notion of fit.  “We’re looking for the candidate who is the best fit for us,” a search committee says.  Fit may seem like a subjective concept.  So what is “fit,” and how does a job candidate demonstrate it?

To understand fit, it is important to remember where interviewing falls in the job search process.  A search committee has already reviewed a large number of applications.  You have been selected to interview based on things like your CV and cover letter, and perhaps letters of recommendation.  You are usually part of a much smaller pool of interviewees.  At this point of the process there is tacit understanding that anyone being interviewed has the qualifications to do the job, at least on paper.  Interviewing is the in-person test to see who is best — who fits best, given our needs.

Fit becomes even more important with tenure-track jobs, where the assumption is that this might be a lifetime appointment.  Given those stakes, making the right hiring decision becomes even more important.  So just what does fit look like in the context of academic interviewing?

Candidate Qualifications

Certainly one way a search committee assesses fit is continuing to evaluate your academic background and your potential contributions as a scholar.  The interview is your opportunity to place your work as a researcher and teacher in the context of the specific department and institution.  How will your research tap and benefit from the resources available at the institution?  How might your teaching interests mesh with the department, both filling existing needs and perhaps extending course offerings into new areas?  Fit in this case measures your ability to allow the search committee to envision your work in their current environment, to assess you as a professional colleague.

The Airport Test

But fit also involves a more elusive concept.  One employer highlighted the importance of fit this way: If we bring on a new employee, I want to be sure this is someone that I’m comfortable being with.  I want to be sure that if I’m stuck with this person in a 4-hour layover in an airport, I might actually enjoy being with them rather than going crazy being stuck with them.  For this person, fit measures your ability to get along with others.

In an academic interview the “airport test” may come when you are faced with especially tough questions or ornery questioners during your job talk.  How do you handle those situations, and what does that say about you — do you overreact, or are you calm and composed?  During a lunch as part of the interview process, are people enjoying the informal conversation or are they rushing to be done with you?  When faced with the seemingly inevitable administrative snafus of a campus visit, do you handle them gracefully or wear your frustrations on your sleeve?  These situations and more will all be clues to those who interact with you, and will all be a part of the evaluation process.

Fit is a Two-Way Street

Finally, remember that fit does work both ways.  The search committee is evaluating you, but just as importantly, you should be evaluating fit from your position.  Perhaps you do have the qualifications to do the job, but is that enough?  Does the department offer the environment that meets your needs?  Does the institution provide resources to help you reach your goals?  And do you even want to live in the geographic area?  Hopefully you enter the interview process with a clear idea of your needs, to then assess if the particular opportunity fills them.

One More Perspective

I recently heard a faculty member talking about the campus visit.  She talked about the buzz that invariably happens as soon as a job candidate leaves for the final time.  Faculty gather in groups in the hallways sharing their thoughts about the candidate.  I am sure that the buzz is partly about the candidate’s scholarly record and their potential contributions to the department.  But I am equally confident that the buzz is also about those other harder-to-define qualities of fit.

I encourage you to join the discussion.  What are your concerns about demonstrating fit during the interview?  What have you seen or heard that has worked well for candidate?  Leave your comments below.

Photo credit: Joi on Flickr

1 Comment | PhD Academic | Tagged: | Permalink
Posted by tomlehker

Friday Favorites: Resilient U.S. Metros, Gen Y writers, and interview questions

October 30, 2009

Every Friday we post links to a few interesting resources that we’ve come across lately, or have been using a lot with students on advising. Here’s some favorites for this week:

1. Businessweek has put together a list of The U.S. Metros Least Touched by Recession, which includes 40 areas that have been pretty resilient to the economic downturn due to large numbers of jobs in health care, energy, government, and education. You’ll notice quite a few cities in Texas, as well as traditional UM-student favorites like D.C. and Boston, and fellow Big Ten cities like Madison and Indianapolis.

2. Penelope Trunk recently wrote a great blog post, The Internet has created a generation of great writers, that really flies in the face of what many people are saying about the effect of IM, Twitter, Facebook, etc. on writing:

“First, only 38 percent of the writing young people do takes place in the classroom. Prior to the Internet, almost all writing people did was for the classroom. The increased amount of writing that young people do outside the classroom these days is so significant that Lumsford calls it a paradigm shift.”

While I don’t always agree with her, Penelope consistently writes things that challenge and intrigue me. She’s definitely worth reading.

3. Following a mock interview, we’re often asked for a list of interview questions. While it’s tough to be prepared for every question, here’s our list of common interview questions. We also like this list of 100 Potential Interview Questions. There are a few on the list (#11, 26,43, 88, 95) that are specific to interviews for technical positions, bizzare, or illegal to ask, but the majority of questions there are great to practice with. If you haven’t yet come in for a mock interview, you can make an appointment by calling (734) 764-7460.

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Posted by Scott Tsuchiyama

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