Friday, March 25, 2022

Tips on How to Ace your Interview

Tips on How to Ace your Interview 
March 25, 2022

An interview is always an exciting accomplishment, but it is often daunting to most individuals. I am writing to inform you that it does not have to be scary! In fact, by utilizing these quick and attainable tips found below, you will be more than ready to ace your next interview in no time. This information has been adapted from the resources found within Student Resources > Interview Prep on https:/careerzone.brocku.ca.  

The 4 P’s to Success

When it comes to acing your interview, there is a general principle to guide you to success. This principle is known as The 4 P’s and will act as a framework to enhance your interview when the time comes. The 4 P’s are: 

Prepare

To prepare for your interview, it is important to review your submitted application and reflect on your career goals and relevant skills. An interview is about sharing your skills and talents with employers and how you bring value to their business.  In doing this, it is essential to research the company in advance.  This not only shows initiative and genuine interest in the position, but it will help you to answer interview questions and make connections to skills that are directly applicable or transferrable to the job. Don’t forget to explore the company’s values, mission, and vision statement to understand the foundation of what they do.

After researching the company, brainstorm potential questions you would like to ask the employer during the interview. Preparing questions in advance will demonstrate your interest in the job, and help you understand the role in more detail beyond the job posting.  This can help reduce the pressure put on you on the actual interview day and can decrease stress. Remember, the interview is a reciprocal process.  You want to learn about them just as much as they want to learn about you. 

Practice

Once you have begun to prepare for your interview, it is important to practice! Thinking through your responses to common interview questions is a good first step:

  • Tell me about yourself 
  • What is your biggest strength/weakness? 
  • Why do you want to work for the company you are applying to? 
  • What skills do you have that make you an ideal candidate? 
  • Do you have any questions for us? (Always have questions prepared to ask the interviewer as mentioned above)

By practicing these questions and other questions that could be applicable to the job, you are equipping your brain to efficiently approach each question. 

There are numerous platforms or opportunities to practice interviews at Brock or online. Students are welcome to book a mock interview with a Talent Development Specialist as these staff members are experts in providing you with feedback that will take your interview performance to the next level! Booking mock interview is also beneficial as it provides a simulated interview scenario.  Another option is to practice your interview skills using a web-based tool such as Interview Stream. Through this platform, you can select up to 10 questions to practice, record your responses, and then watch your interview to review your body language and reflect on how well you have communicated your strengths and talents.

When you are practicing, a good strategy to use is the SOAR Technique. This technique allows you to formulate your answer in a specific, concise manner. The SOAR Technique is outlined in the table below as follows:

 

Participate

Being a positively engaged person during the interview process is key.  Be mindful of verbal and non-verbal aspects such as, your eye contact and body language, listening attentively, asking questions, clarifying questions, and managing any nervous habits, and keeping your responses concise, are important.  CareerZone offers a large multitude of virtual workshops on interview preparation and helping you manage your professional presence in an interview.  To find an upcoming interview workshop, visit the events calendar on CareerZone or Experience BU.

Positivity

Having a positive attitude can go a long way. To help build this positive attitude, it is always recommended that you get ready in advance, be on time and dress for success! When you meet with the employer, portray this positive attitude through both verbal and non-verbal communication! 

Connect With Us!
We are here to support you, so don’t be afraid to ask for help! We offer many student resources on our portal (careerzone.brocku.ca) and can be contacted via email at career@brocku.ca to answer any inquiries you may have.

Follow Us on Social Media to Stay Up-to-Date With All our Upcoming Events and Workshops!
Twitter: @BrockCareerZone
Instagram: @brockcareerzone

Written by: Jordan Sheridan, Career Assistant 
Edited by Kara Renaud, Supervisor of Career Education, CCEE Department



Friday, March 18, 2022

Professional Branding

 


Professional Branding

So, you want to build your professional brand. Have you considered creating a LinkedIn profile? How about building your professional connections? Have you prepared an elevator pitch? These are all important components that can help you build your professional brand. 




LinkedIn
    LinkedIn is a valuable tool that helps you build your professional network by connecting with like-minded individuals. While using LinkedIn, you can learn new skills, learn about different careers and industries, and search for jobs. LinkedIn represents your online/virtual self, so it is important to treat it professionally, unlike other social media platforms. Start by having a good profile photo. Although getting a professional headshot is not completely necessary, you still want to make sure that you are positioning yourself as a professional in your field. Wearing professional clothing and smiling are two easy tips to follow. It is important to take the time to reflect on what you want your LinkedIn to represent. Your summary should be well thought out and highlight your interests, experiences, skills, knowledge areas and goals. If you need help, look at other summaries of professionals in your field.  How are they talking about their experiences? Read it aloud and read it to a friend to get their reaction. Lastly, your skills, experience, and education should all be relevant to the industry that you are interested in. Include your employment, volunteer experience, internships, and your awards and accomplishments. Use this platform to speak to your professional accomplishments. Remember to proofread, proofread, and proofread. Check your profile for grammar, spelling errors and flow. Ask yourself, if you were an employer, would you be interested in connecting further based on your own profile? 

Elevator Pitch
    Building your network also requires you to be able to introduce yourself. There are important components that you want to have in your elevator pitch. Stating your name, your key and relevant skills, qualifications, and education are commonly discussed. You might want to add how your qualifications are valuable to the employer. Furthermore, you can also talk about what type of career or jobs you are seeking. So, start building those meaningful connections now! 
  
Connect With Us!
We are here to support you, so don’t be afraid to ask for help! We offer many student resources on our portal (careerzone.brocku.ca) and can be contacted via email at career@brocku.ca to answer any inquiries you may have.

Follow Us on Social Media to Stay Up-to-Date With All our Upcoming Events and Workshops!
Twitter: @BrockCareerZone
Instagram: @brockcareerzone


Written by: Kwasi Duah, Career Assistant 

Edited by Kara Renaud, Supervisor of Career Education, CCEE Department

Friday, March 11, 2022

InterviewStream - Mock Interview Madness

Hey Badgers, 


No matter whether you are in the search for a full-time job, part-time job, summer placement or even just a simple internship, there are so many levels and layers that are needed to secure the best one that is perfect for you. As time entails and the process continues, the stage of interviewing begins and factors of using some of your core skills come in handy in this part of the job search process. 


What is InterviewStream?

InterviewStream is a web-based interview practice tool that helps you brush up on your interview skills. This platform helps candidates feel more comfortable talking about their own skills and presenting their talents and experiences to future employers. 

This form of preparation is very simple and used mostly by the university, college, or new grad students who are trying to gain some knowledge and build on their confidence while trying to land their potential dream job. It uses the simple technique of allowing you to personally record your responses to a set of standardized questions that are in the system. It also provides you with the opportunity to watch your interview and receive feedback for improvement.


How to use InterviewStream?

1. Visit: https://brocku.interviewstream.com and Create an Account

2. Explore the User Dashboard

3. Conduct An Interview

4. Watch Your Completed Interview


What is the Mock Interview Madness Contest?

Are you looking to brush and fix up your interview skills? This is your lucky day; CareerZone is once again hosting its ‘Mock Interview Madness Contest’ on InterviewStream. This contest is perfect if you are someone that is actively looking to improve on how to make a great impression during your next job interview and how to stand out to employers. All you have to do is respond to the “Tell me about yourself” question and you will be entered in a draw to win a prize!


How to enter the Mock Interview Madness Contest?

1. Visit: http://brocku.interviewstream.com/  and click "Create Account" or login if you have already registered with InterviewStream.

2. Click "Conduct an Interview", then "Created for Me"

3. Select the "Mock Interview Madness" interview


Contest deadline is March 31st, 2022. If you have any more questions, please feel free to stop by CareerZone or reach out to the Career Assistant team on our social media handles @BrockCareerZone. 

Good Luck Badgers!


Connect With Us!

We are here to support you, so don’t be afraid to ask for help! We offer many student resources on our portal (careerzone.brocku.ca) and can be contacted via email at career@brocku.ca to answer any inquiries you may have.


Follow Us on Social Media to Stay Up-to-Date With All our Upcoming Events and Workshops!

Twitter: @BrockCareerZone

Instagram: @brockcareerzone


Written by: Aditi Gopikrishna, Career Assistant 

Edited by Kara Renaud, Supervisor of Career Education, CCEE Department


Friday, March 4, 2022

CEWIL

CEWIL

It is that time of the year again! That’s right in the month of March we are celebrating National Co-op & Work Integrated Learning. Through partnerships with employers, community partners, post-secondary institutions, WIL month aims to develop and promote educational activities that merge student’s academic learning with its practical application in the workplace. This may include the following:

Research Projects

Apprenticeship 

Co-operative education (Co-op)

Internships

Entrepreneurship

Field Placements/Practicums

Community Service Learning

Work Experience

Volunteer Experience

Co-curriculars

#InspiredWIL

This year’s theme is #InspredWIL and is centered around encouraging students to learn content outside of their typical classroom, and to network and be inspired by others who have navigated their way towards leadership within their career journey. 

Celebrating #InspiredWIL

At Brock University, students and staff are participating in fun initiatives and events in support of WIL month. This includes the launching of the CEWIL month campaign, café sessions and drop-ins hosted by the CareerZone team, Interview Prep Workshop hosted by Goodman Career and networking and recruiting events. CareerZone is also hosting a social media contest, such as a live Kudoboard, where students have a chance to submit responses to the generated question and win amazing prizes.

Interested? Check out these links below to learn more about how experiential learning is being celebrated at Brock! 

  • Brock News
    • https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2022/02/month-of-virtual-events-to-celebrate-experiential-learning-at-brock/ 
  • Co-op, Career and Experiential Education
    • https://brocku.ca/ccee/news/national-cewil-month-2022/ 
Connect With Us!
We are here to support you, so don’t be afraid to ask for help! We offer many student resources on our portal (careerzone.brocku.ca) and can be contacted via email at career@brocku.ca to answer any inquiries you may have.

Follow Us on Social Media to Stay Up-to-Date With All our Upcoming Events and Workshops!
Twitter: @BrockCareerZone
Instagram: @brockcareerzone

Written by: Yaa Asare, Lead Career Assistant 
Edited by Kara Renaud, Supervisor of Career Education, CCEE Department