Graduation Cords for Veterans!

For all veterans who are graduating this August, you can pick up your red, white & blue graduation cords at the Multicultural Student Affairs Office in the LBJ Student Center 5-2.1 or at the Office of Veterans Affairs located in JCK, Room 111. 

 

Interview Tips for Graduates

Here are some tips from the etiquette expert, Ms. Diane Gottsman, as you prepare for your interviews:

1. Be respectful of the interviewer's time.
• Don't send your resume if your skills aren't compatible for the job.
2. Arrive prepared to answer three standard questions:
• "Why did you leave your last job?"
• Avoid saying negative things about your last employer. Explain that this is an opportunity to advance and grow.
• "What is your greatest strength?"
• Prepare for this question by carefully reading and understanding the job post and focusing on skills and traits that will benefit the position.
• "What is your greatest weakness?" 
• Explain how you strive for improvement.
3.  Know the interview basics:
• Bring your resume, a notepad, and pen.
• Your resume needs to be specifically tailored to the position and your cover letter should address someone specific (i.e. Dear Dr. Smith).
• Ask appropriate questions.
• Ex: "How does this position tie into the growth of the company?"
4. Confidently address any gaps in your resume.
•  Explain what you did during this time period to enhance your job skills.
5.  Be prepared to answer the question "Why were you fired". 
• Do not make excuses or blame your previous boss. Be honest and confidently state what you learned from the experience. 
6. Be creative in your job search.
•  Don't put your entire effort in Internet searches
• Volunteer or job shadow to gain experience, not $$$
• Join a networking group (student organization, professional associations, etc.) in the field you are interested in pursuing
• Visit job fairs and communicate with your Career Service's office
• Find a professional mentor
• Use your current network including family, friends, and professional associates in your job search
7. Make up and good grooming is a "must". 
• No facial hair, visible tattoos, multiple earrings, or loud jewelry
8. Send a thank you note.
• Send a thank you note the same day, reiterating your enthusiam and interest. Recheck your spelling and grammar before mailing out the note.
9. Your job may only be a telephone call away.
• If you have not heard back from the interviewer after a few days, don't hesitate to call.

Information Provided by:  The Protocol School of Texas

Effective Writing Tips

Whether you are writing a paper, emailing your professor, applying for a job or currently working, here are some helpful hints to keep in mind when communicating with others.

Communicate Concisely - use as few words as possible.  For example, instead of saying "in the near future", say "soon". 

Avoid There Is, There Are, and It Is - For example, instead of saying "There is a book called Twilight and it is about vampires", you should say "The book twilight is about vampires".

Avoid Passive Voice - the subject should come first.  For example, instead of saying "The ball was hit by the boy", you should say "The boy hit the ball".

Email - the most common channel of business communication.

• When determining whether or not to send an email always remember S-E-N-D
• Simple and Concise?
• No more than 12-14 lines
• Answer at the top, not at the bottom
• Effective?
• Have a clear, specific subject line
• Use a professional writing style
• Sign your email and include a signature block
• Necessary?
• Do you really need to know?
• Does the recipient really need to know?
• Does this strengthen/reinforce your connection?
• Done?
• Does it complete a task, answer a question, or move things forward?
• Proofread carefully - wait as long as possible to proofread your work after you have written it.
• Don't email anything you wouldn't want published on the front page of a newspaper.

All materials came from Nancy Wilson, Ph. D. in the Department of English.