Monthly Archives: January 2015

How to put in put in your two weeks’ notice: Transforming a DUN! DUN! DUN! into a step forward.

Posted on by | Leave a reply

For many people the idea of putting in a two weeks’ notice has a negative connotation attached to it, when in reality it can be seen as a step in the right direction. If a job is not working for you, don’t feel obligated to work in misery. Miserable workers are not exactly the most productive workers. Do keep in mind that I am by no means advocating that people put in a two weeks’ notice at the first sign of discomfort. Instead I am suggesting that people consider moving on if solutions to issues have been given a fair shot. Once you have established that things just are not working out, you can take comfort in knowing that finding a new job that better suits you is beneficial for all involved. Obviously, eliminating the daily debate of whether or not to call in “sick” to work helps you achieve a healthier mental state, but also remember that when the right job for you has been secured, the company or organization you’re working for will also benefit from your enthusiasm to contribute. Additionally, leaving a job provides room for someone else who might be a better fit for the position to come in.

Now that we have established that leaving a job is not the worst thing in the world, the actual process of leaving can now be addressed. Just like any other type of relationship, there is definitely a bad and a best way to put an end to things. Here are a few things to keep in mind when going through the motions of putting your two weeks in…

  1. At the very least notify your employer two weeks before your intended last day keeping in mind that the more time you give them the better.
  2. Type up a short letter clearly stating when your last day of availability will be.
  3. In your letter stating your last day of availability do offer to help your employer out by training new personnel, passing along unfinished tasks etc. in order to create a smooth transition for all.
  4. Before notifying your boss, plan ahead deciding what you would like to say. This will ensure that the conversation is kept professional and eliminates the potential for emotions to arise.
  5. If possible, notify your boss in person. Give them the typed up letter for future reference.
  6. In your conversation with your boss or in your letter stating your last day of availability, don’t feel like you have to explain why you’re leaving.
  7. Finish up any projects or figure out who will finish them once you are gone.
  8. Only notify your colleagues that you’re leaving once you have told your boss.
  9. Finish strong. Don’t peter out on your daily attendance, tasks or termly goals.
  10. Ask your boss if they would mind being a future reference for you. Of course only do this if your overall time at the company/ organization consisted of a positive experience.

With a little bit of careful planning, the seemingly scary task of putting in a two weeks’ notice can be viewed from a completely different angle. I’m sure many of us have heard the saying “when one door closes another door opens”. It’s important to realize that you have the power to close the door. Don’t wait for someone else to close it for you. Instead know that submitting a two weeks’ notice can get you one step closer to your career goals and give you the potential to thrive.

posted by Adriana Aguilar, Career Assistant

Including an “Activities” section on a resume

Posted on by | Leave a reply

In my employment at The Career Development Center, I have come across many people who need to find something else to take up that last inch or two at the bottom of their page. Assuming you’ve used all of your professional experiences already, there’s a few options there, but let’s focus on my favorite— the activity section!

Now some people have reservations about using the activity section, “but it’s unprofessional,” “but it’s irrelevant.” Nah. Not really. When a recruiter looks at your resume they can see a lot more than just a list of jobs, and what school you went to. They start to see your personality, how you chose to format things, the font you chose, and what order you put the sections in. Sure, maybe they don’t look into all of this on the first round going through resumes, but if they make it down to the final ten resumes, you can bet that yours will be examined beyond scrutiny. This is where your activities section comes in.

Each workplace has its own culture. Let’s think about it: when you are at work you will spend 8+ hours a day with a certain group of people. You will likely make friends with these people, and the entire workplace may choose to engage in activities (like Frisbee Fridays). Having your hobbies you do and sports you play on the bottom of your resume will show them a few things:

  • You are a well-rounded person, not just an academic
  • You can operate in a team environment and make connections with people
  • You play, and laugh, and can fit in in the unique culture of the company

So, if you have space for an activities section, it can make the difference between being the new hire and staying on the job search. If you ever have questions about what you should include in your resume, please visit The Career Development Center at Oregon State University.

posted by Richard Thomas, Career Assistant

What Do They Want to Know? 5 Tips for Understanding Interview Questions

Posted on by | Leave a reply

Part of becoming a good interviewer is understanding what your audience is looking for when they ask questions. Having a foundation of understanding can help you feel more comfortable in an interview and answer the question with accuracy. I cannot pretend to know exactly what every single employer may be looking for, but I can tell you what I have gleaned from my time doing mock interviews. I have learned what makes for a great interview answer through hearing many good, mediocre, and bad examples. The main thing that employers are looking to learn about you in an interview is, who you are. I know many of you might be thinking “but I thought they are looking to find out if you can do the job?” This is somewhat true. But if you have made it to the interview process, they probably assume that you can. Now it is a matter of will you fit in here and be able to do the job. The more you are able to let them understand you and how you go about doing work (solving problems, working with others, process for doing things) the more likely you are to get hired with a company in which you will fit the culture. Let’s go through some specific examples of common questions and what an employer is probably looking for:

  1. Tell me about yourself?

    This question seems to be the most hated of all interview questions. The frustration comes from how broad this question is and not knowing where to start. Relax. All the employer wants to know is a little bit about your background and the events that have led up to you interviewing for the job. What sparked your interest in (insert job here)? Was it your major in college? An interest area that you developed from a volunteer event? How did you get here?

  2. Why do you want to work for (insert company/organization here)?
    A common mistake that people make with this question, is assuming that it means what it says. It DOES NOT mean “why do YOU want to work here?” What it really means is, “what do you know (or think you know) about our company, have you done your research, and how do your values align with ours?” When you answer this question you need to be well researched about what the companies mission statement and/or culture is and how you can relate that to yourself. The organization or company wants to feel as if they are the only company you would ever consider applying for, as if they are the best choice in the world! So make them feel special and consider what it is you admire about what they do. Do NOT, under any circumstances, reply “I need a job that pays well.” Even if that is the truth! That does not make them feel special.
  3. What are your greatest strengths?
    This one is slightly more straightforward. You should, in fact, list some of your strengths. When I say strengths, I mean character strengths (organization, leadership, helping others,etc.) , not skills (bilingual, can use a computer). However, simply listing your strengths is not enough. Listing strengths does not tell an employer anything except that you know how to list things that sound like they would be good things to exhibit. Instead, pretend that the employer has added to this question “tell me about a time in which you have used these strengths.” When you tell a story about using the strengths you have listed, you are then explaining what those words mean to you (it could be different depending on the person) and how you actually can demonstrate your use of them.
  4. What is your greatest weakness?
    This is another question that people really dislike. The point of this question is not to make you feel embarrassed or stupid. The point of this question is that everyone has one. Be honest when you answer. What is something that you struggle with (procrastination, timeliness, etc.)? It’s okay because everyone struggles with something; to err is to be human. The trick to this question is to follow it up with a story about a time when this weakness has come up for you and what you did about. Did you learn something? How did you overcome it in the future? Telling this story will demonstrate how you go about dealing with your weakness. They want to know that you can recognize your weaknesses and that you know how to combat them.
  5. Tell me about a time when you have worked on a team?
    This is a pretty straightforward question. However, make sure that the story that you tell about your teamwork includes something juicy! A little bit of conflicting ideas, members who didn’t pull their weight, or something that went wrong. Why? Because then the employer gets to hear about how you work with others. What do you do when there is a conflict? They want to hear about your process for being a good group member in a professional manner. This tells them how you will get along with other staff members and what kind of personality you will contribute to the team.
    There are often hidden meanings in interview questions. The best thing to do is to take the route in which you tell the most about who you are and how you go about doing things. This is always going to be the best way to let the employer learn about you and whether or not you will be a good fit for the position and the office culture. And then, if you do not get the job, you can be confident in knowing it is because it would not have been a good fit for you. If you get it, you can be sure that it will be a work environment where you are going to get along great with your new team.