Transcript Exposed Interviewing

Scanning Job Ads-Job Description Sample
Job Purpose:
Promotes and nurtures the education of students by planning and tailoring courses of
study; monitoring, assisting with, and correcting academic efforts.
Duties:
Develops and presents lesson plans by using a variety of techniques, including lectures,
projects, exhibits, field trips, audiovisual and library resources, computers, and the
internet.
Monitors, assists, corrects, and grades student results by preparing assignments and
tests for in-school preparation and homework.
Maintains order in the classroom by counseling students with behavioral problems.
Keeps parents informed by maintaining records of academic performance, attendance,
and social acclimation.
Updates job knowledge by attending faculty meetings; participating in educational
opportunities.
Skills/Qualifications:
Classroom Management, Verbal Communication, Resolving Conflict, Presentation
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Skills
Scanning Job Ads-Happiness
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Scanning Job Ads-Values
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Autonomy: receiving no or little supervision
Helping Others: providing assistance to individuals or groups
Prestige: having high standing
Job Security: a high probability that one will remain employed
Collaboration: working with others
Helping Society: contributing to the betterment of the world
Recognition: receiving attention for your work
Compensation: receiving adequate pay
Achievement: doing work that yields results
Utilizing Your Skills and Background: using your education and work experience
to do your job
Leadership: supervising/managing others
Creativity: using your own ideas
Variety: doing different activities
Challenge: performing tasks that are difficult
Leisure: having adequate time away from work
Artistic Expression: expressing one's artistic talents
Influence: having the ability to affect people's opinions and ideas
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Scanning Job Ads-Details, Details!
Once you find a job ad you are interested in, highlight the important areas of
information:
The company name, the company contact information, and company description
The job title (and job number if applicable) and job requirements
The contact person, her/his address, phone number, and email address
Does the company require a résumé or an application, or both?
Does the company require a cover letter?
Does the company require a list of references of your past employers?
How does the company want you to submit your information?
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Hard copy? (How many copies of each document? Mailed or delivered in
person? If the company wants you to apply in person, be prepared to complete
the application rather than writing “see résumé.”)
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Online application
Application deadline
Date the job begins
Salary
Work hours
Travel requirements
Age requirements
Driver’s license requirements
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Exposed
You are a student at a university with little or no work experience. Without experience it
can seem like you are applying for work while being totally exposed. Since you have
little or no work experience it can become very stressful writing about your experiences.
However, you may have life, volunteer, and school experiences that demonstrate your
skills and abilities to a potential employer.
Employment applications are prepared so that potential employers can understand not
just your experience, but also your personal qualities and skills. Examples of personal
qualities/skills might include your work ethic and problem solving skills.
To prepare the documents for your next job application, write down your personality
characteristics, skills and knowledge along with experiences that will demonstrate each
one.
Answer the following questions:
1. What does the word “exposed” mean here?
2. The lack of what kind of experience leaves the applicant feeling they are “exposed”?
3. What experiences could be effective in demonstrating one’s worth to an employer?
4. What examples of behaviors can be of interest to an employer?
5. To prepare the documents for a job application, what three aspects of your life should
be listed?
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Job Skills Vocabulary-Action Verbs
• Use action verbs in resumes or other job documents to describe all skills, jobs, or
accomplishments-they are more concise and therefore more reader-centered
Ex. Was the boss of a team of six service employees-non-action
Supervised a team of six service employees-action verb
• Here are other examples by category:
Communication Skills
Negotiated price reductions of up to 30% with key suppliers
Interpreted financial information from the company’s annual report
Other words: Persuaded, Presented, Publicized, Translated
Helping Skills
Assisted customers with choosing appropriate products
Trained new employees in the plant through demonstration techniques
Other words: Aided, Built, Demonstrated, Facilitated, Helped, Performed,
Represented, Solved, Supported, Upheld, Worked, Volunteered
Efficiency Skills
Eliminated unnecessary cost of each unit of production
Maximized profits by 15% during the month of July
Other words: Allocated, Edited, Enhanced, Merged, Outlined, Prevented,
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Prioritized, Reorganized, Reduced, Revised, Simplified, Standardized
Job Skills Vocabulary-Action Verbs
Research Skills
Examined a new mechanism that may reduce sickness on the campus
Surveyed a group of CAU students with regard to Product A
Other words: Analyzed, Collected, Compared, Controlled, Evaluated, Identified,
Investigated, Located, Measured, Organized, Reported, Researched, Reviewed,
Wrote
Teaching Skills
Instructed Department B on how to reduce inventory and raise net sales
Prepared a tutorial manual for an English class last semester
Other words: Aided, Advised, Communicated, Defined, Developed, Encouraged,
Evaluated, Fostered, Guided, Helped, Lectured, Supported, Supervised, Taught
Technical Skills
Assembled an entire computer programming simulation for my CPT course
Programmed three new computer programs tailored for a network system
Other words: Analyzed, Built, Calculated, Computed, Conducted, Designed,
Engineered, Maintained, Operated, Reengineered, Remodeled, Transmitted
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Resume Styles/Design
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Resume Styles
The skills style is well suited to students who have gained valuable experience
through a number of unrelated jobs and courses-Applicable skills can be established
through any activities that you feel will demonstrate your qualifications: courses,
work, volunteer activities, personal life, and so forth
Chronological organization is very conservative, and it is most useful for people
who have work experience in positions which are closely related to their desired
employment. This style is also most suited to people who have not had long periods
of unemployment time between jobs. This format starts with the present, or most
recent, job and progresses back in time
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Why is the design of my resume so important?
Employers will usually take, at most, only thirty-five seconds to look at this
one-page representation of yourself before deciding whether to keep or discard it
Designing your resume can be a challenge and requires you to take a closer look at
how readers read
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Resume Styles/Design
The Quadrant Test
Readers typically read from left to right and from top to bottom when
information is "balanced" (about an equal amount of text and white
space) on the page-they will scan in order quadrants 1, 2, 3, and 4
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Resume Styles/Design
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Using Columns to Lay Out Your Resume
One way to create a balanced page is by using columns, but the reader's eye will
stop when it reaches the end of each column-you wouldn't want your reader to have
to make too many stops and miss important info, so you should use no more than
three columns
Ex. Purdue University
W. Lafayette, IN Graduation:
B.A Professional Writing
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Other types of emphasis
By using more than one font type in a way that is consistent throughout your resume
(using, for example, a sans serif font for all headings, and a serif font for all text),
you create emphasis-another way to create emphasis is by using bold,
CAPITALIZATION, italics, and underlining-however, you should not mix methods,
nor overuse them. You would not, for example, want to CAPITALIZE, ITALICIZE,
AND UNDERLINE pieces of text-overusing these tools makes the reader ignore the
items you wish to emphasize
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Resume Styles/Design
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Serif and sans-serif Fonts
Fonts can create a hierarchy of information-fonts are divided into two categories:
serif and sans-serif. Serifs are the short stems on the ends of the strokes of a letter,
as in T of the Times New Roman font. Sans-serif fonts are fonts without stems —
sans means without
Ex. Sans-serif-Arial/Calibri
Serif-Times New Roman/Garamond
Serif fonts tend to keep the eye reading along the text-Sans-serif fonts, make the eye
stop-sans-serif fonts are typically used for headings and titles, allowing the reader to
quickly locate information, while serif fonts are used for descriptions
The key to using fonts in your resume is to be consistent-for example, if you decide
to use a sans-serif font for a main heading, do so for all your headings, and use the
same sans-serif font each time-you should use no more than two fonts in your
resume
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Business Communications-Tone
• Consider the following tone guidelines for any kind of business communication:
1. Be confident but not arrogant
Ex. Not: You must agree that I am qualified for the position.
But: My qualifications in the areas of accounting and customer service meet your
job requirements.
2. Be courteous and sincere
Ex. Not: You didn't read the instructions carefully, thus your system has shut down.
But: The system may automatically shut down if any installation errors occur.
3. Use appropriate emphasis and subordination-To emphasize an idea, place it in a
short simple sentence at the beginning of a paragraph. To subordinate an idea, place
it in a compound sentence.
Ex. Emphasis: Smoking will no longer be permitted in the building. The committee on
employee health and safety reached this decision after considering evidence from
researchers and physicians on the dangers of second-hand smoke.
Subordination: The committee on employee health and safety has finished
considering evidence, and they have reached the decision that smoking will no
longer be permitted in the building.
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Business Communications-Tone
4.
Use nondiscriminatory language
Ex. Use gender neutral job titles/language
Not: Chairman
But: Chairperson
Not: Dear Gentlemen:
But: To Whom it May Concern:
Not: Each student must provide his own lab jacket.
But: Students must provide their own lab jackets. Or Each student must provide his
or her own lab jacket.
Avoid demeaning stereotypes
Not: After the girls in the office receive an order, our office fills it within 24 hours.
But: When orders are received from the office, they are filled within 24 hours.
Not: Connie Green performed the job well for her age.
But: Connie Green performed the job well.
5. ABOVE ALL ELSE, BE POSITIVE!!!
Ex. Not: I know my qualifications are not very impressive, but…
But: My qualifications make me an excellent applicant for this position…
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Business Communications-E-mail Etiquette
• Be sure to include a meaningful subject line; this helps the recipient prioritize
reading your email
• Just like a written letter, be sure to open your email with a greeting like Dear Dr.
Jones, or Ms. Smith:
• Use standard spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. THERE'S NOTHING
WORSE THAN AN EMAIL SCREAMING A MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS.
• Write clear, short paragraphs and be direct and to the point; professionals and
academics alike see their email accounts as business. Don't waste their time
• Be friendly and cordial, but don't try to joke around (jokes and witty remarks may
be inappropriate and, more commonly, may not come off appropriately in email)
• Never send an attachment to someone you don't know the first time you contact
them (unless, of course, the contact has posted a job ad requesting a resume in a
Word document). They (or their computers) might think it is spam or a virus, and
delete your message.
• Avoid unnecessarily large file sizes. Digital photos especially: learn how to resize
your digital photographs.
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Self-introduction-Outline
I Educational Background
• University Name/Major/Current or graduated
• University choice/Major reason
• Other majors/academic interests
• Relevant coursework
II Work (military-if relevant) Experience
• Company Name/Job title
• Responsibilities
• Skills Learned
III Volunteer Experience
• Organization Name/Job title
• Responsibilities
• Skills Learned
IV Strength/Weakness
• Strength>Experience that proves strength
• Weakness>Solution
V Language/Computer Skills
• Language/Proficiency
• Computer Language/Program Proficiency
VI Motivation
• Career>Reason>Reason
• Company Application>Reason>Reason
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Self-introduction-Sample
My name is Park XX, and I am happy to introduce myself to you. I hope that by the
end of your reading, you will believe in my potential to become an asset to your
organization.
Firstly, I am in my last semester at Chung-Ang University’s Seoul campus, and will
graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English Language & Literature. I chose this
school and major because I wanted to learn how to communicate in a foreign
language in cross-cultural situations. I feel that I have been successful in this
undertaking and this ability has been enhanced by participating in volunteer
activities that helped to foster relationships between Korean and foreign students.
During my vacations, I have participated in internship programs in Korea and
overseas. In the summer of 2008, I worked as an administrative assistant for the city
planning department of Salt Lake in the United States. I was responsible for data
entry of communications from various city departments. I learned how to organize
and prioritize information in a timely fashion in order to meet deadlines deemed
crucial to city planning operations.
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Self-introduction-Sample
I also have experience as a volunteer for the G20 Summit held here in Seoul. I
worked as a translator for foreign journalists, and helped them with any enquiries
they had concerning the city and G20 events. This was occasionally stressful as
communication problems can occur in any situation involving people from different
cultures. However, it was very satisfying to overcome these challenges and the
whole experience left me with a new-found confidence in my ability to
communicate with people from diverse backgrounds.
My strength is that I have the ability to organize information, and present it in a way
that is comprehensible to others. For example, during the later stages of my military
service with the Republic of Korea army, I was chosen to be a safety trainer for new
recruits. In this capacity, I had to organize and prioritize the information that they
would receive, so that they would not endanger their fellow soldiers by misusing
potentially dangerous equipment.
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Self-introduction-Sample
My weakness is that sometimes I can be overly cautious in my approach to various
challenges that occur during the course of life. In order to overcome this, I am
participating in confidence building activities that require me to enter new fields of
endeavor. For example, I am now beginning to study Chinese in order to prepare
myself for a future study trip to eastern China.
I have diverse skills such the ability to communicate in English (TOEIC: 960), and
can use various computer programs such as Photoshop, MSOffice, and EditMe. I
have used these programs not only in the course of my education, but also during
my internship, volunteer, and military experiences detailed above. As well, I have
studied their use and have certifications in Photoshop and EditMe which might
prove useful to your marketing department.
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Self-introduction-Sample
I wish to pursue a career as a translator with the Ministry of International Trade and
Commerce because of my interests in language and globalism. My interest in
language was sparked by the experience of attending Kuala Lumpur International
School where I interacted with many students from diverse language backgrounds
using the lingua franca of English. We shared many experiences and came together
as classmates by our ability to communicate with each other in a meaningful way.
My purpose in using my ability in your ministry is to promote the interests of our
country in a way that reflects well upon our people and its commerce.
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Testing
• Job knowledge tests typically use essay type items to evaluate technical or
professional expertise and knowledge required for specific jobs or professions.
Examples of job knowledge tests include tests of basic accounting principles,
A+/Net+ programming, and blueprint reading.
Sample Prompt: Describe the capabilities of your computer.
• Work samples and simulations typically require performance of tasks that are the
same or similar to those performed on the job to assess their level of skill or
competence. For example, work samples might involve responding to a customer
complaint or creating a document in Word.
• These tests typically focus on measuring specific job skills, but can also assess more
general skills such as organizational skill, analytic skills, and interpersonal skills.
Sample prompt: Describe how would you handle a conflict with a co-worker
• The content of biographical data instruments varies widely, and may include such
areas as leadership, teamwork skills, specific job knowledge and specific skills (e.g.,
knowledge of certain software, specific mechanical tool use), interpersonal skills,
extraversion, creativity, etc. Biographical data typically uses questions about
education, training, work experience, and interests to predict success on the job.
Some biographical data instruments also ask about an individuals attitudes, personal
assessments of skills, and personality.
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Sample Prompt: Describe your greatest strength and your greatest weakness.