| CAREER
GUIDE | SEPTEMBER 20, 2005
Make Your Statement
The interview is considered the
most important part
By Crystal
Marshall
Special to The Shorthorn
In today’s competitive workforce, it is important to impress
prospective employers by not only presenting a résumé
with previous work history, extracurricular activities, volunteer
work and education background but by mastering the interview, too.
Wesley Ragle, coordinator for the UTA Career Services Center, said
that one of the first steps before an interview is preparation.
“Always research the company and find out about them,”
he said.
Ragle said that many companies will ask prospective employees about
the company to see how interested they are in the position for which
they are applying.
Nursing student Latoya Oduniyi, who works at Baylor Hospital, said
students should be clear on why they want the job.
“Practice with a friend answering questions that relate to
your job you are applying for,” she said.
In addition to practicing with friends, Career Services offers sessions
to help students prepare for interviews.
“We have practice mock interviews available to our students,”
counseling specialist Bill Fenson said.
According to Ragle, common questions asked during an interview are
about strengths, weaknesses and behaviors.
Career Services suggests that answers about behavior should explain
the situation, the task or problem, the specific action taken, and
the results of that action.
Ragle said the most difficult statement to respond to is, “Tell
me a little bit about yourself.”
“When this question is presented, this is when your 30-second
commercial should begin,” he said.
Ragle describes the “commercial” as something similar
to a résumé with education, skills and qualifications.
In addition to difficult questions, sometimes employers will ask
questions interviewees should avoid answering.
According to Career Services, illegal interview questions center
on a person’s private life or personal background. Federal
law forbids employers to discriminate against job applicants based
on race, creed, sex, age, national origin or handicap status.
Questions regarding religion, age, marital status and number of
children are illegal, and interviewees are not obligated to answer
them.
However, some employers ask these questions without knowing what
is legal and illegal. One strategy for answering illegal questions
is to try to learn the concerns behind the question and try to address
those concerns.
Prospective employees should also ask questions.
“A great opening question is to ask them what is the typical
day like for the position they are hiring for,” Ragle said.
Prospective employees should ask the employer questions that are
related to the atmosphere of the workplace, the position and immediate
supervisor.
|
|
