Hello, Cleveland State University community—
March: In like a lion… and that sure has been the case with us! We’ve hosted a Resume Rx, a Career Conversations panel on Diversity and Inclusion (discussing both the kinds of careers this work calls for, and that it’s a skill set and competency one can develop) and our first Mock Interview Day of the semester! More about these below…
Do you know Lynn Leon, M.I.H.? She is a Career Specialist in our office who can literally talk to anyone. Lynn’s disarming nature, sense of humor, and ease with any and every human she meets with make her an invaluable asset to our team. Lynn has a distinct background in career coaching, as she single-handedly ran the Career Services office on the Tri-C Westshore campus. Prior to that, she worked in the corporate sector in human resources. Lynn fills an important role on our team with this kind of experience PLUS her expertise in connecting students’ resumes to an internship or job application PLUS her no-nonsense ability to give students critical interpersonal skill feedback… I know I count on her to “Make It Happen.” As Thomas Jefferson famously says in Hamilton, “If you don’t know, now you know!”
Preparing students for the world of work is what we do. Considering 80% of people get jobs based on who they know, we create real-time networking opportunities and a variety of ways students can practice *critical interpersonal skills*. Friday was our first Mock Interview Day of the semester. Here’s what we heard from students:
“I learned to focus more on behavioral interviewing and emotional intelligence questions.”
“When I interview for a job, I need to know exactly what they are looking for. Come prepared with questions and do some research on the company to find common interests.”
“To be direct with my answers, properly give an example, and realize that the person who is interviewing me is just a person too.”
“Thank you for doing this, you're helping so many people with interview anxiety and it means a lot.”
We have increasingly been asked to help employers “up their game” when it comes to recruiting. Knowing that the CSU student applicant pools are inherently diverse, we have written a guide to help our employers recruit more inclusively. For example: double checking the language in job postings (is the language appealing or unappealing to certain populations? Is the employer focused on particular credentials? Can they be less restrictive in some aspects of the job requirements? Can they give more weight to volunteer and civic experience? etc.). We also suggest starting conversations about bias and racism on their teams, ensuring those on the hiring committee are self-aware and clear about what’s desired from a job versus what’s required, and measuring their hires against the demographic data in the region. See our tips for hiring more inclusively here.
That’s plenty for now! Hope you find these points informative and helpful.
The Job Lady at CSU
*Advance registration required for all Career Services events. Click here to see more details about each upcoming event.*
NEXT Friday, March 12: Resume Rx
Register here; drop in anytime between 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM.
Thursday, March 18: Career Conversations: The Importance of Transferable Skills
Panelists include: Westfield Insurance, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cintas and Oswald Industries.
Register here to attend at 11:30 AM.
Friday, March 26: Mock Interview Day
Sign up for a timeslot here between 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM.
Reading:
The Future of Work Will Demand These 8 New Skills, Fast Company
How To Respond To “So, Tell Me About Yourself” In A Job Interview, Harvard Business Review
Hybrid Work Models Could Hurt Remote Workers, Business Insider
6 Career Coaches Share the Best Advice They Ever Got, Fast Company
Watching:
Want to get great at something? Get a coach, Atul Gawande
Social Capital -- the critical assets for success, Sadhana Pasricha
Answering “Why?” Questions Effectively in Interviews, Steve Dalton
Please reach out to us—we want to hear how you are doing and how we can be of help to you! And continue to check our website for up to date information about how to contact us and to access our general resources.
Schedule an appointment: careers@csuohio.edu