PageTwo Tuesday, O ctober 25, 2011
by Luke Holmen holmen@unm.edu
Interviewing for a job can be one of the most important and terrifying milestones for students, according to the staff at UNM’s Career Services. Jenna Crabb, director of Career Services, said the organization conducts mock interviews and résumé and cover letter writing instruction to help students prepare. “Before an interview, we encourage students to research the company and find out as much as they can about the jobs that are available to determine their career path,” she said. “You want to make sure you know almost more than they do about their company, and tailor your cover letters and résumés to each specific company. You aren’t going to (stand out) with a generic letter.” The Daily Lobo asked Cassandra Chavez, Career Services’ career development coordinator, for tips on nailing the perfect interview. Daily Lobo: What do they really want to know when an employers asks “tell me about yourself?” or “what are your strengths and weaknesses?” Cassandra Chavez: The number one thing I would recommend is to practice the behavioral questions that we practice with students, because they are very difficult. Strengths — you are going to want to keep those to a minimum. You want to be modest, but you are going to want to list strengths that are important to that job. For weaknesses, you can always say a weakness, but you want to come back to a strength.
DAILY LOBO new mexico
volume 116
issue 45
Telephone: (505) 277-7527 Fax: (505) 277-7530 news@dailylobo.com advertising@dailylobo.com www.dailylobo.com
New Mexico Daily Lobo
Show me how to: Interview
One weakness I would say is, “It’s really hard for me to say no (when asked to do something for someone), so now I am trying to prioritize when I should say yes, and when I should say no.” DL: What should you wear and bring? CC: Always overdress. It’s hard to dress too nicely … even for a job waiting tables … which most college students wouldn’t dress for. Be conservative, don’t show too much skin. Bring a résumé for every person interviewing you, but make it either one or two full pages; don’t include partial pages. We want it to look full: if it’s one and a quarter, trim it to one; if it’s one and a half, make it two. DL: And then what? CC: You can keep impressing even after the interview. Write a thank-you letter specifically addressing each member of the panel. Talk about follow-up questions, not standard questions, something they asked you specifically. You need to remember that because it was obviously important to the interviewer.
Public Service Career Showcase
featuring City, Federal and State agency recruiters. November 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dylan Smith / Daily Lobo Professional appearance is key when interviewing. A well-constructed tie can boost confidence.
UNM Ballrooms
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