College Grad: Ace that Job Interview! – Part II
Last week’s post tackled the homework basics that will pave the way toward a successful job interview. Now let’s focus on some strategies that will leave a lasting, positive impression long after the interview is over. Practice answering typical interview questions. Search for specific interview questions that relate to this particular field. If a friend will step into the role of interviewer, all the better. Ready answers will demonstrate you put time and thought into preparing for this important meeting. And the more you practice, the more comfortable and confident you’ll feel during the real interview. Rehearse and memorize your “elevator…
College Grad: Ace that Job Interview! – Part I
You and thousands of other college graduates are gearing up for life after finals, when you’ll join the rest of the adult world as a member of the workforce with a “real” job. Your task? Outshine the competition and rise above the crowd of graduates clamoring for the best entry-level positions with the best companies, offering the most promising career potential. A tall task but one that’s far from impossible. The first step is an attention-grabbing resume that will land you an interview. See Resume 2018 – Part I and Part II for practical tips to creating a top-notch resume.…
Qualities to Expect in 2018 College Grads
The 2017-18 graduates will be awarded 1 million associate degrees, 1.9 million bachelor degrees, and 790,000 masters degrees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This group represents a bounty of young adults eager to launch or further their careers in the real world. Aside from the necessary skills and training needed for their open positions, what qualities should recruiters and hiring managers look for among this crop of potential employees? The 3 “Rs” Reliability Review the graduate’s work experience or extra-curricular activities for demonstrated evidence that he/she can be trusted and counted on to perform well consistently. Resilience…
EVP: What It Is & What It Can Do for Your Company
Are you missing out on a fab opportunity to impact just about every aspect of your business for the long-term? If you’re not familiar with or have brushed aside the re-emerging concept labeled “Employee Value Proposition”—EVP for short—then yes, you are missing out. Heralded as the solution to the talent retention dilemma in this highly competitive labor market, EVP is the definition/explanation of what an employer expects from his employees merged with what the company provides in return for the skills, capabilities, and experience this valued workforce brings to the company. “Your EVP is the value that employees gain in…
Going Green – St. Patrick’s Day
Since 1967, the St. Patrick’s Association, Inc. has spearheaded the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown St. Paul. The year’s March 17 noon parade marks the 52nd spirited tribute to the area’s sizeable Irish population. Mayor Thomas Byrne led the first parade in from the Hilton Hotel (now the Radisson) down Kellogg Blvd. to the St. Paul Hotel. The focus of the parade has always been families. “It’s a baby buggy parade, and we work hard to keep it that way,” notes association treasurer Steward Loper. The Association traces its founding back to Sean and Judith Clerkin’s desire to take…
Resumes 2018 – Part II
GOAL: A fresh resume that will garner a lot of attention and land you an interview. Utilize these four tips that will ready your resume for the opportunities that await you in 2018. 1. You want the first second spent scanning your resume to invoke an “Ah, at last . . .” reaction, not a “toss this . . .” response. Before he/she reads even one word, the visual layout of your resume will have created a lasting impression. An attractive, yet easy-to-read font, a professional design, and brain-pleasing visual spacing all contribute to a positive reaction that can dramatically…