Lose the Costumes and Grab Your Suits!

Now that Halloween has passed and the costumes have been tucked away,we'll take this time to focus on a new type of apparel: business attire. Ever wondered if you have the right outfit to wear to your interviews? Check out this video for some helpful hints:

 

For additional tips and FAQ's, click here!

By: Kelly Gooch

contact: goochke@jmu.edu

Get Rid of Interview Spooks with InteriewStream

Do you get nervous about interviews? Do you feel like you need more preparation? Need more time to think about your responses?

There is no need to be scared... JMU Career and Academic Planning has exactly what you need!

JMU is proud to introduce a brand new way for students to practice interviews online:

Because Halloween is right around the corner…why not get in the spirit of things and check out Scary Interview by InterviewStream! Simply head over to http://scaryinterview.com. Trust us… there’s nothing to be scared about when it comes to interviewing!

InterviewStream is now available to all JMU students, regardless of major or anticipated graduation date! Use this preparation to increase your confidence for upcoming job & internship interviews. 

With InterviewStream, you can:

•   Conduct practice interviews online with your webcam* (where you can choose to be interviewed with frequently asked questions in interviews or create your own question set)
•  Filter down interview questions that cater to your specific major/focus/interest
•  Review your performance or send the link to someone else for feedback 
•  Watch videos with expert tips on how to answer some of the toughest interview questions

*You must have a webcam to do an interview on InterviewStream. If you don’t have a webcam, you can schedule an interview using a computer and webcam in Sonner Hall.

All JMU students are encouraged to take advantage of this new program!

For more information on InterviewStream, visit http://tinyurl.com/JMUInterviewStream. To start using InterviewStream, login through Recruit-A-Duke at http://tinyurl.com/JMURADLogIn. You will see the InterviewStream logo in your sidebar.

By: Melissa Peale
contact: pealeml@dukes.jmu.edu

You, the Interviewer

Generally, when you go in to interview for a job position, your goal is to impress. You wake up early, get dressed up in your most professional business attire, arrive well before your time slot with your freshly reviewed resume in hand, and put on your flashiest "I'm your guy" smile. You might be a bit nervous, but that's good- some anxiety will do you well. You're probably thinking something along the lines of  "I hope they like me".

Perhaps we turn the tables. Suppose instead, you do all of these things in preparation, but walk into your interview thinking "I hope I like them". Now the whole mood has changed. You are the top dog, and you want to find the best possible job to suit your personality and working style. Think about it; for one, this job's a great opportunity, but not the only opportunity in the world. Also, the company has a need just like you, otherwise they wouldn't be hiring, let alone interviewing you. This interview is not just about you and your answers to their questions. You need to interview them too.

So how does one go about interviewing a company? Incorporate two types of questions: first, the fit between the job demands and your skills, and second, the company culture. Consider these examples:

Job Questions:

• What is the position?
• What are the job duties?
• Who is the ideal candidate for the job?
• What skills are most important to success in this position?
• What would I be doing on a day-to-day basis?
• Who will I report to? What is that person like?
• What resources will I have to do this job?

Company Questions:

• How does it feel to work here?
• What is the turnover like here?
• What reasons have people given for leaving? What are the people generally like who leave?
• How is conflict handled? 

Not only does interviewing the employer help you to decide if you would like to "hire" the company, but it also shows that you are intelligent, self-confident, and sure of what you are looking for!

Original article from EQleader.net by Dana C. Ackley, Ph.D.
*See full article at http://www.eqleader.net/how_to_interview_a_company.htm

By: Kelly Gooch
contact: goochke@jmu.edu 

Mock Interview Madness

Ever since mid-September, recruiting season has turned the first floor of Sonner Hall into a bustling congregation of employers who are overly excited to network with JMU students. While many of these employers made the treck to JMU in hopes of adding Dukes to their staff, others came as volunteers participating in the Mock Interviews that have been taking place in Sonner throughout the semester.

For those of you who haven't heard the buzz, Mock Interviews are part of a program developed by CAP that provide students with the opportunity to practice interviewing with employers. Students can recieve valuable and professional feedback to help them with interviews in the future. You can find more information about the program here.

So far this semester the following orgaizations have visited JMU to participate in Mock Interviews:

• Johnson Lambert
• Grant Thornton
• McGladrey
• Deloitte
• Adecco
• City of Roanoke
• Time Warner Cable
• Aramark
• Northrop Grumman
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car

City Year and American Woodmark Corporation will be our last two Mock Interview companies to visit this semester. There are still openings to interview with American Woodmark, so sign up on Recruit-A-Duke by Tuesday, October 23rd for your last chance!

Important Note: You must have On-Campus Interviewing rights to participate in interviewing on campus/mock interviews. If you do not already have OCR rights you can obtain them by completing this Recruit-A-Duke Online Workshop!

Still not entirely convinced that participating in Mock Interviews is a good idea? Check out these testimonials from fellow JMU students:

"I felt relaxed at the interview and the interviewer did a good job of providing a professional, non-intimidating environment. I enjoyed the experience and it was good to interview in a setting that I wasn't nervous about messing up in. Sonner Hall staff and CAP have been great resources to me, and I am grateful that JMU is so dedicated to providing students with career opportunities."

"I thought the Mock Interview exprience was a great stepping stone to prepare for a real interview."

"The interview experience was very beneficial because it taught me how to improve on areas in the interview process. I will be sure to use these new techniques during my next internship."

"I enjoyed the interview and the ability to ask the interviewer questions very candidly after the interview. I could tell my interviewer was giving me sincere responses which I greatly appreciated."

"This experience was very helpful - I feel more confident with the real interviews I hopefully have, in the upcoming weeks."


Sign up for your Mock Interview today!

By: Kelly Gooch
contact: goochke@jmu.edu

Ever Wondered What Employers Are Looking For?

This infographic gives some ideas, and lists them in order of importance!

Resume Tips and No-Gos

When writing a resume, what should be left off and what should be emphasized?

 Many people currently believe that the more information they provide, the better. In fact, this is not the case at all. Jobs & Hire suggests that we keep it simple and leave out the information that tends to "bloat" a resume. It is important that recruiters and potential employers are able to pick out the key facts and are not overwhelmed with all of the filler information.

Recently, PR Daily wrote an article discussing the 10 words and phrases that should be left off a resume to avoid this issue. Here are just a few examples:

- "References available upon request."

- Experience with Microsoft Office (that is expected nearly everywhere)

- Anything "high school"

Your resume serves as the appetizer of the meal- you don't want to leave the reader so overwhelmingly full that they don't want the actual meal (the interview). Include the most important and relevant parts, and leave the details for explanation later on during the interview.

By: Melissa Peale
Contact: pealeml@dukes.jmu.edu

Are you LinkedIn?

Social media is all the rave now a days, isn't it? It is safe to say that most college students are involved in at least one form of social media, whether it be Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, watching YouTube videos, or writing a blog. While all of these tools may be key for communication with friends and those with similar interests to ours, what are these profiles actually doing for our careers? With a LinkedIn account, the benefits for your future are very clear.

What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is your own, individualized (by you!) online resume. The main focus of a LinkedIn profile is to highlight your work experience and to sell yourself to others (possibly employers!) who are also using it. Through LinkedIn, you can connect with other individuals in your field. For example, say you are a COB (College of Business) student at JMU and you wanted to network with a JMU alumni that currently works at your dream company; through LinkedIn you can connect with one another, and at the same time, share your resume with that alumni (who can then share it with anyone in his network). You can also join groups that suit your interests- there are JMU groups, on and off-campus organization groups and most importantly, professional association groups.

HerCampus.com recently reported about 7 tips for getting the most out of your LinkedIn account. Some no-brainers include keeping information up-to-date and making sure you have a professional profile photo (not one with you at a bar with your friends); a nice head shot shows that you are professional and approachable. Make sure that your profile is tailored to the person and employee that you are; remember, it is a dog-eat-dog world, and to get ahead you have to stand out from the competition. LinkedIn will not only help you stand out by looking professional and prepared, it will also give you a leg up on the competition by networking and creating a 100% complete profile. Imagine, if you put just a quarter of the effort in to LinkedIn that you put in to Facebook and Twitter, you can easily get on the path to a brighter future and leave a more memorable digital trail.

Are you a JMU student and need a head shot for your LinkedIn profile? Make sure you come out to the Fall Career and Internship Fair on Monday, October 1, 2012 from 12-4 PM in the Festival Ballroom to take one at our Photobooth! There will also be more information about LinkedIn at the Photobooth!

By: Melissa Peale
Contact: pealeml@dukes.jmu.edu