Tag Archives: Q&A Monday

Q&A Monday

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Question: I am a student-athlete and it takes up a lot of my time while in college. How do I include this experience on my resume?

This is a great question! Being a student-athlete does make it difficult to get involved in other experiences due to training, travel, and keeping up with your schoolwork. You also develop and grow professionally as an athlete and gain skills that many employers are looking for in their employees…time management, discipline, teamwork, communication, hard-work ethic, and the list goes on! You definitely want to include your athletic experience on your resume and display it as you would any other professional experience. Here’s an example:

OSU Women’s Rowing Team Corvallis, Oregon
Full-Time Student Athlete Fall 2009 – Present

  • Attend two practices daily with team while maintaining a full class schedule
  • Travel throughout the northwest during season with the team for regattas representing the university
  • Member of first varsity eight boat which placed 7th at Pac-12 Championships
  • Participate in weekly academic counselor meetings and study tables to maintain degree progress

Here is the full resume of the example above.

So just like any other experience you would include on your resume, be sure to give the details and make yourself stand out. And always tailor your resume for each job!

Any other questions when it comes to resume writing? What other experiences do you find difficult to include on a resume?

Jen Busick, Career Advisor & Outreach Coordinator at Oregon State University advises students about internships and the job search, applying to graduate school, resumes/cover letters, and interviewing. She also organizes and updates resources, manages social media for Career Services and coordinates outreach opportunities. She enjoys working with students in coming up with a plan to finding a job and assisting them with figuring out the next steps. She has a lot of international experience, including the Peace Corps, study abroad, and independent travel.

Q&A Monday

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Today it’s all about interviewing! Here are some common interviewing questions:

What are common interview questions?
These days more and more employers are asking behavioral interview questions. These are the kinds of questions that ask you to tell about a specific experience. For example, “Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult person and how did you handle the situation.” Behavioral questions are popular because past behavior is a strong indicator of future behavior and employers want to make sure they are hiring someone who is  a good fit for the organization.The top interviewing question themes are:

Strengths and weaknesses
Communication
Teamwork
Ethics
Problem solving
Leadership Abilities
Conflict

For a list of common questions, check out “Sample Interview Questions Asked By Employers.”

How long should I talk for when answering a question?
About 3 minutes. Usually in three minutes you can answer the question fully, much more than 3 minutes you have probably gone off on a tangent and are no longer answering the question or maybe you are but the interviewers are ready to move on.

Should I ask questions at the end of the interview?
YES! Ask at least two questions (but not more than 5)…it shows that you are interested in the position, have done your research, have critical thinking skills, and some employers won’t hire you if you don’t have questions. It is true, I know someone who didn’t hire someone because of that reason! Check out some Sample Questions to Ask Employers to get you brainstorming!

What should I wear?
You want to look professional but also fit in with the culture of the company. It is better to dress on the conservative side and if you are ever questioning what to wear you pretty much can’t go wrong with a nice pair of slacks, button up collar shirt, and suit jacket (and a tie for a guy). Make sure to wear close-toed shoes and minimal jewelry and perfume/cologne. If it is the summer, then usually you can go without the jacket and women can bring a light sweater. I always layer and then once I see what everyone else is wearing I can decide whether or not I keep wearing the jacket. Need more advice on what to wear? Then check out “Dressing for the Interview.”

For more information on the job interview, check out the OSU Career Services website section on interviewing.

Any other questions about interviewing? Any suggestions?

Jen Busick, Career Advisor & Outreach Coordinator at Oregon State University advises students about internships and the job search, applying to graduate school, resumes/cover letters, and interviewing. She also organizes and updates resources, manages social media for Career Services and coordinates outreach opportunities. She enjoys working with students in coming up with a plan to finding a job and assisting them with figuring out the next steps. She has a lot of international experience, including the Peace Corps, study abroad, and independent travel.

Q&A Monday

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Question: Can I use involvement activities as experience on my resume?

YES! What you list under “Experience” doesn’t necessarily have to be paid. It can include clubs and organizations you have been involved in, internships, volunteer work, research, in-depth projects from school, etc. Employers like to see that you got involved while attending college. If you can, try to get involved in activities that relate somewhat to your major but we also encourage you to try new things because you never know where that may lead.

For example, if you are interested in sustainability, then you could join the Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI) by either being an intern, volunteer, or member on their board. They are actually currently looking for board members….here are the details:

The SSI (Student Sustainability Initiative) is now accepting applications for two openings on the SSI Fee Board. These are volunteer positions and Fee Board members are collectively responsible for the advancement, effectiveness, health, and longevity of the SSI. Applications should include a current resume and a cover letter addressing why you are interested in the position and what you envision as a culture of sustainability at OSU. Applications are due by Monday, August 6th at 11:59 PM and should be submitted to ssi.feeboard@oregonstate.edu. A full position description of an SSI Fee Board member can be found on the SSI website.

So go get involved but be careful of getting overly involved where you stress yourself out and can’t focus on school. After all, the main reason you are at OSU is to get a degree.

What ways have you gotten involved in college or how do you plan to get involved in the future?

Jen Busick, Career Advisor & Outreach Coordinator at Oregon State University advises students about internships and the job search, applying to graduate school, resumes/cover letters, and interviewing. She also organizes and updates resources, manages social media for Career Services and coordinates outreach opportunities. She enjoys working with students in coming up with a plan to finding a job and assisting them with figuring out the next steps. She has a lot of international experience, including the Peace Corps, study abroad, and independent travel.

Q&A Monday

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Question: How can I practice for an interview if I am not able to do a mock interview at Career Services?

There are many ways to prepare and practice for an interview. Here are some suggestions:

  • Research online! We have an extensive section on our website about preparing for an interview including sample questions.
  • If you can’t do a mock interview in person at Career Services, then do one virtually! We have a program called InterviewStream where you can do a practice interview and then watch yourself afterwards. You can also select to have a career counselor view your online interview and give you feedback.
  • It may seem silly, but practice answering a few questions in front of a mirror!
  • Practice with a family member or friend…particularly one that has been on the hiring committee before.

Please do a few or even all of these suggestions! Anything you want to do well you must prepare and practice…just like anything else in life. What are some ways you have prepared for interviews? Any questions you were asked that were difficult?

Jen Busick, Career Advisor & Outreach Coordinator at Oregon State University advises students about internships and the job search, applying to graduate school, resumes/cover letters, and interviewing. She also organizes and updates resources, manages social media for Career Services and coordinates outreach opportunities. She enjoys working with students in coming up with a plan to finding a job and assisting them with figuring out the next steps. She has a lot of international experience, including the Peace Corps, study abroad, and independent travel.

Q & A Monday

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Question: What can I do over the summer or while I’m searching for a permanent job so that my resume doesn’t have a gap in it?

Excellent question! There are many things you can be doing over the summer to gain experience, build skills, network, and in turn, make your resume stronger. Here are some ideas:

  • Internship – 9 in 10 employers said they look for students to have one or two internships before graduating, and that those internships should be at least three months each to provide enough experience. If you don’t already have an internship for the summer, create your own! Here’s how! Or get planning for next summer.
  • Part-time or temporary job – you can gain many skills through a part-time or temporary job no matter where you work. Communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, initiative, hard-working…these are all qualities employers across industries seek in their employees and you can easily demonstrate this on your resume through a part-time job. Also, sometimes that temporary job could turn into full time!
  • Volunteer – there are so many places that could use your help and volunteering is a great way to assist others and also improve your own skills. Thinking about becoming a vet? Volunteer at the humane society. Want to be a writer? Volunteer to start a blog for a nonprofit and write the entries. Interested in teaching? Volunteer at a kids camp or summer school program. The opportunities are endless!!!
  • Go abroad – summer is a fantastic time to travel! Going abroad either through school or on your own can be a great way to learn more about another culture and yourself. You can also build your network internationally and even better if you learn another language (or at least the basics!).
  • Take a class or two – either for your major or just to learn another skill (Photoshop, html code, typing, pretty much there is a class for everything these days!)…and oftentimes you can find them online.
  • Start your own business – due to technology pretty much anyone can start their own business and with little cost. Find out some strategies to get you started.
  • Start your own blog – blogging is a great way to network and be known in your field…or even in an area that isn’t necessarily related to your career. It shows that you have something to offer and you become somewhat of an “expert” on that topic. It also demonstrates your written communication skills and these days many companies have blogs and therefore need people to manage and write for the blog. There are various blogging platforms such as WordPress, Blogger, Weebly, etc. Here is a great article about the top 10 free online blogging platforms.

These are just a few ideas of ways you can gain experience and skills over the summer or while searching for a permanent job and still have some fun! And hopefully you will find that the things you are doing to gain experience and make yourself more marketable on your resume are FUN…this means you are probably going into an industry that fits your interests, strengths, and values and therefore you are more likely to be happy in your career.

What will you be doing this summer to develop your skills and gain experience? Any new ideas from the list above? Any career related questions you want answered during our Q & A Monday post? Comment below!

Jen Busick, Career Advisor & Outreach Coordinator at Oregon State University advises students about internships and the job search, applying to graduate school, resumes/cover letters, and interviewing. She also organizes and updates resources, manages social media for Career Services and coordinates outreach opportunities. She enjoys working with students in coming up with a plan to finding a job and assisting them with figuring out the next steps. She has a lot of international experience, including the Peace Corps, study abroad, and independent travel.