After participating in the mock interview for English 304, I have discovered some of my strengths and weaknesses during the interview process.
I excel in interviews due to my personable nature, so my strengths are thinking on my feet and spinning questions to my advantage in order to provide the interviewer with information that I feel is important. I embellish on simple questions to set myself apart from other interviewers. I am looking into HR positions which is an advantage because I have a clear goal and I can ask questions of the interviewer easily, since they are likely in the HR department.
Some of my weaknesses for this particular interview included the fact that I did not know as much about the company as I would have liked. I also had not gone over routine questions and prepared answers. Before interviews, it seems to be a good idea to look over the commonly asked questions so that you have answers in mind. Also, it is good to plan what you would like the interviewer to know about yourself. I believe that if I had put a bit more time into my preparation, the interview would have been excellent.
This being my first mock interview, I was relaxed and confident. I believe that those two factors are key. I also try to represent myself honestly when interviewing. I want to be the best fit for a job without having to play up certain aspects of my personality that I believe the company would find desirable.
October 17, 2007
October 12, 2007
Presentation Critique
I really enjoyed the presentation that Megan Craig did on The Psychology of Color. I found her presentation interesting and it made me think about the colors of my room and how they fit with my personality. I thought that the slide show was wonderful. She had a neat layout with pictures at the bottom and gave lots of examples. The slide show was not one uniform color, but complimented her subject material well. I liked that it was easy to relate to. I have a bright green room, so when she told the class that green represents freshness, I understood why my room relaxes me.
I also enjoyed Lauren Sindall's presentation on the Equipment used in Competitive Swimming. I did not realize what all went into competitive swimming and all of the equipment used. I enjoyed the fact that she had props as well as a nice layout for her PowerPoint. She knew what she was talking about and was comfortable and confident in her presentation.
I also enjoyed Lauren Sindall's presentation on the Equipment used in Competitive Swimming. I did not realize what all went into competitive swimming and all of the equipment used. I enjoyed the fact that she had props as well as a nice layout for her PowerPoint. She knew what she was talking about and was comfortable and confident in her presentation.
October 03, 2007
What makes me happy...
I have been extremely stressed this semester (and more specifically this week), so I believe it will be beneficial for me to list a few things that make me happy and events that I am looking forward to in order to put a positive spin on the stress.
- This week is almost over (it is hump day after all) which means that I will be done with half of my tests and projects before Fall break
- My best friend from home is coming to visit. She is the one person that I truly believes understands me and I cannot wait to have fun with her and show her around
Clemson.
- My brother just informed me that he is coming to Clemson to visit two times this fall! I have not been close with my brother previously, but we are becoming closer and that makes me happy. Also, we're traveling to New York City together this Thanksgiving because our youngest brother is in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. I am extremely excited about that trip!
- I am going climbing on Friday, so I will finally get to work out and feel better about myself. Working out - getting those endorphins and my competitive edge pumping- makes me feel more confident in myself.
- I love fall. The air is crisp and the leaves start to change colors. I can sit outside and watch the gorgeous sunsets, smell the burning leaves, enjoy the morning mist, walking barefoot, fall sports (soccer, Frisbee, and football) and find an inner peace while doing work outside.
- Laughing is my favorite and I have made some wonderful friends this semester that bring out the best in me.
- I enjoy traveling. Even though I am not traveling at the moment, I am planning a study abroad trip to France for next fall and have been reminiscing on the wonderful adventures I had on my last trip to Europe while making my PowerPoint presentation for English 304.
- Singing makes me happy. I love singing at the top of my lungs in the car, in the shower, and pretty much anywhere else. I especially enjoy singing in the morning because it brings a positive outlook to my day.
- I love the morning. I am a morning person and the best aspects of the morning are: waking up to the sunshine and birds chirping, the smell of coffee, the warm shower, and the start of a new day.
- I enjoy getting lost in good books and reflecting on life. I have a quote book that I started in 7th grade and keep adding to; there are quotes about life, love, perseverance, poems, and truths. Some of my favorite truths are that you are stronger than you know, there is some good in everyone, the simple things in life are the most valuable, and you choose how experiences shape you (you always have a choice).
September 26, 2007
Resume and Cover Letter Websites
After reading some of these articles, I believe the main point to express is that organization and specification lead to success.
In the article Some Resume Objectives do more Harm than Good, one becomes aware of the importance of the objective an a resume. It seems to be a balancing act between an aspect that could really harm or really help one in attainment of a job position. On one hand, an objective helps the reader to find good candidates for a particular job with ease, but on the other hand, if one's objective is too vague or too specific, one's resume could be eliminated without a second glance. That is a real risk that I am reluctant to take as I will be looking for an internship. I would like to find an article that is written specifically for college students though. I feel that the advice for someone that has had limited job experience would be slightly different.
I enjoyed the article on What HR Professionals look for in a Resume because I believe that the mistakes listed are ones that most people forget to check. Many people believe that they are clear and concise, but are in fact, wordy because they do not proofread.
Also, many people, like myself, get frustrated while hunting for jobs that they are qualified for. In the middle of all of the stress that is associated with the job hunt, people tend to get lazy and send in resumes without investigating the company and what the company may need. If one can find a need and show how one can fill it, then there is a greater chance that one will be hired.
Displaying skills is always important and for some reason is ignored in some resumes due to lack of detail about previous employment or fear of being too wordy. For example, I know that I do not have the specific experiences of working in a Human Resources Department, but I do know that in my other jobs, I have learned skills needed to perform well in an HR setting. I have tried my best to communicate those skills- interpersonal, communication, customer service, organization, and leadership- in my resume to increase my chances for hire.
In the article Some Resume Objectives do more Harm than Good, one becomes aware of the importance of the objective an a resume. It seems to be a balancing act between an aspect that could really harm or really help one in attainment of a job position. On one hand, an objective helps the reader to find good candidates for a particular job with ease, but on the other hand, if one's objective is too vague or too specific, one's resume could be eliminated without a second glance. That is a real risk that I am reluctant to take as I will be looking for an internship. I would like to find an article that is written specifically for college students though. I feel that the advice for someone that has had limited job experience would be slightly different.
I enjoyed the article on What HR Professionals look for in a Resume because I believe that the mistakes listed are ones that most people forget to check. Many people believe that they are clear and concise, but are in fact, wordy because they do not proofread.
Also, many people, like myself, get frustrated while hunting for jobs that they are qualified for. In the middle of all of the stress that is associated with the job hunt, people tend to get lazy and send in resumes without investigating the company and what the company may need. If one can find a need and show how one can fill it, then there is a greater chance that one will be hired.
Displaying skills is always important and for some reason is ignored in some resumes due to lack of detail about previous employment or fear of being too wordy. For example, I know that I do not have the specific experiences of working in a Human Resources Department, but I do know that in my other jobs, I have learned skills needed to perform well in an HR setting. I have tried my best to communicate those skills- interpersonal, communication, customer service, organization, and leadership- in my resume to increase my chances for hire.
September 20, 2007
Interviewing Tips...
I enjoyed reading the interviewing tips, since I will be interviewing for internship positions and plan to make recruiting my job focus.
The most interesting things that I discovered were that too much eye contact is a bad thing (I did not think about the creepiness that too much eye contact could cause), one should address negative qualities but with a positive spin, one should have ideas about the direction that the interview should go in and one should lead into information about oneself, and one should not talk too much.
I really enjoyed the article A Job Hunter's Guide to Recruiter Code Words. I think that this was the most informative article that I read. It really combined what recruiters look for and demonstrated the actions that one should avoid. While most of the code words contain a negative connotation- too much information, factual discrepancy, search virgin, poor presentation, serial networker, and mortician,- there are others that I would personally love for someone to use when describing me, such as a "walking description," or even better, a "purple squirrel." I hope to work hard enough and become proficient and experienced enough in my field to be desired and actively recruited by employers.
I think the most beneficial aspects of these websites for myself are the information regarding talking and eye contact. I am confident in myself and like to make lots of eye contact because I am genuinely interested in getting to know people. I can often remember the color of a person's eyes after having met him or her. Also, I love to talk; I am a personable and extremely social individual. I did not realize that some of my natural actions could be turning away potential jobs. Now that I am aware of this, I will strive to fix it so that I can attain the best job possible for my career advancement.
The most interesting things that I discovered were that too much eye contact is a bad thing (I did not think about the creepiness that too much eye contact could cause), one should address negative qualities but with a positive spin, one should have ideas about the direction that the interview should go in and one should lead into information about oneself, and one should not talk too much.
I really enjoyed the article A Job Hunter's Guide to Recruiter Code Words. I think that this was the most informative article that I read. It really combined what recruiters look for and demonstrated the actions that one should avoid. While most of the code words contain a negative connotation- too much information, factual discrepancy, search virgin, poor presentation, serial networker, and mortician,- there are others that I would personally love for someone to use when describing me, such as a "walking description," or even better, a "purple squirrel." I hope to work hard enough and become proficient and experienced enough in my field to be desired and actively recruited by employers.
I think the most beneficial aspects of these websites for myself are the information regarding talking and eye contact. I am confident in myself and like to make lots of eye contact because I am genuinely interested in getting to know people. I can often remember the color of a person's eyes after having met him or her. Also, I love to talk; I am a personable and extremely social individual. I did not realize that some of my natural actions could be turning away potential jobs. Now that I am aware of this, I will strive to fix it so that I can attain the best job possible for my career advancement.
September 13, 2007
In Ten Years...
Ten years is a long way away for me. So many things will change during that amount of time that it is hard to say with certainty where I will be and what I will be doing.
Concerning myself, I would like to be content and happy in life. I hope that I will still be singing and participating in some sort of outdoor sport, whether that be hiking, coaching a soccer team, biking, tennis, etc. Being the outgoing person that I am, I will be surrounded by my friends and family; I plan to see them as frequently as possible. Hopefully in ten years I will be married and be starting a family of my own as well. I would like to be involved in my children's lives, but I would also like to have a life of my own because I do have ambitions.
As far as jobs go, after 10 years I will have worked in an HR department and hopefully received a few promotions, saved some money, and traveled the world; I have an extensive list of places that I would love to visit! Then my personal life will take priority for a few years, as I plan to have two children. However, when they start school, I would like to get a job in Student Affairs at the college or university that is in my town. I am interested in Student Affairs and think that it would be a great career decision for me due to the fact that I will have had ample experience with policies, procedures, and people. More specifically I would like to be involved with a special scholarship program or study abroad program to incorporate some sort of educational enrichment into my life and possibly provide more opportunities for travel.
This is my projected future and I am avidly working toward a lifestyle that is as close to this as possible because I believe that it will make me happy and bring a sense of purpose to my life- a purpose that is elusive at the moment.
Concerning myself, I would like to be content and happy in life. I hope that I will still be singing and participating in some sort of outdoor sport, whether that be hiking, coaching a soccer team, biking, tennis, etc. Being the outgoing person that I am, I will be surrounded by my friends and family; I plan to see them as frequently as possible. Hopefully in ten years I will be married and be starting a family of my own as well. I would like to be involved in my children's lives, but I would also like to have a life of my own because I do have ambitions.
As far as jobs go, after 10 years I will have worked in an HR department and hopefully received a few promotions, saved some money, and traveled the world; I have an extensive list of places that I would love to visit! Then my personal life will take priority for a few years, as I plan to have two children. However, when they start school, I would like to get a job in Student Affairs at the college or university that is in my town. I am interested in Student Affairs and think that it would be a great career decision for me due to the fact that I will have had ample experience with policies, procedures, and people. More specifically I would like to be involved with a special scholarship program or study abroad program to incorporate some sort of educational enrichment into my life and possibly provide more opportunities for travel.
This is my projected future and I am avidly working toward a lifestyle that is as close to this as possible because I believe that it will make me happy and bring a sense of purpose to my life- a purpose that is elusive at the moment.
September 08, 2007
The Machine is Us/ing Us
I enjoyed this You Tube video about computers and the way that they will affect everyone. The title, The Machine is Us/ing Us, is interesting and thought compelling to say the least. I believe the title is making a statement about how we created the machines and computer technology, hence we are the machine in a way. However, since the advancement of technology, machines have come to dictate more and more aspects of our lives. It is almost unheard of that people will turn off or even leave their cell phones behind for the day or even a few hours. We have become dependent on machines for personal and business purposes; even though we made the machines, the machines still dominate some aspects of our lives.
Web 2.0 affects people who are in and coming into the workforce similarly due to the recent advancements on the Web. Everyone must be aware of the new applications available to them as well as updated applications. This means that people already in the workforce will have to stay up to date with technology and the rules and regulations regarding it to succeed. This will take some effort, but can be done. Those that are coming into the workforce must be made aware of all of the applications available and the changes that are regulating the web. People will have to be increasingly computer savvy in the workforce.
As technology continues to advance and become more easily accessible, we will have to rethink everything: our rights, our privacy, our goals, our businesses. Everything will change as more and more information is accessible on the web. Laws and regulations will have to be put into place for the protection of information and people and everyone will have to abide by the rules put into effect. Our relationships with others has already changes since the creation of the Internet and e-mail and will continue to change. Technology is advancing rapidly and everyone must keep up with it and adapt to the changes that technology brings. No one will be left unaffected; everything will change and it is up to us to determine how.
Web 2.0 affects people who are in and coming into the workforce similarly due to the recent advancements on the Web. Everyone must be aware of the new applications available to them as well as updated applications. This means that people already in the workforce will have to stay up to date with technology and the rules and regulations regarding it to succeed. This will take some effort, but can be done. Those that are coming into the workforce must be made aware of all of the applications available and the changes that are regulating the web. People will have to be increasingly computer savvy in the workforce.
As technology continues to advance and become more easily accessible, we will have to rethink everything: our rights, our privacy, our goals, our businesses. Everything will change as more and more information is accessible on the web. Laws and regulations will have to be put into place for the protection of information and people and everyone will have to abide by the rules put into effect. Our relationships with others has already changes since the creation of the Internet and e-mail and will continue to change. Technology is advancing rapidly and everyone must keep up with it and adapt to the changes that technology brings. No one will be left unaffected; everything will change and it is up to us to determine how.
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