Choosing to attend graduate school is a big decision. This is a major step that will require significant commitment of time and effort on your part. However, there can be a valuable payoff; your completion of a graduate school program can be a valuable asset in your career, and can pave the way for many…
At some point in your adulthood or during a job search process, you may be asked to provide a professional or personal reference for yourself. These references may be interviewed by phone or email or asked to provide a letter of recommendation as an endorsement of your capacity to succeed. The names you choose to…
During an interview, potential employers want to gather information to gauge whether you, the position, and the organization are a good fit. Here are some generic questions—and examples of specific questions—an employer may ask in an interview. Use these as a guide for your preparation. Taking a few moments to answer these questions out loud…
If you want to know what an occupation is like, ask someone who has direct experience in that field. This is not a job interview. Rather, it allows you to learn if a certain occupation would be a good fit for you. Once you have found someone to interview, use these tips to gather your…
Social networking sites are doing much more these days than connecting people over the Internet. According to the Jobvite 2015 Recruiter Nation Survey, only 4% of recruiters don’t use social media in their recruitment efforts. Having a noticeable presence can put you ahead of the rest in your job searches. Employers may look at your…
Take advantage of these great opportunities to attend an online career fair offered by Penn State Career Services. Log in to learn more about potential employers — and interview from the comforts of your own computer! Hiring Our Veterans Recruitment Day Tuesday, November 10 3:00–6:00 p.m. ET If you are a military veteran, this is…
Penn State Career Services offers you the opportunity to mock interview using InterviewStream, a web-based tool that helps you practice and improve your interview skills by using your computer or tablet device! InterviewStream is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and only requires web access and a webcam. You can review your…
In the first part of this blog, we identified self-assessment as the first step to pursuing a job in your organization. The fundamentals in this post will address understanding your organization and researching what others do, including how to reach out to others. Know Your Company How many of you understand what other people in…
When people talk about career changes, they often equate this idea with changing companies. However, many adults return to college to advance or change their career while planning to stay with their current employer. Here are some considerations when making such a change, starting with self-assessment. I will cover more considerations in a second blog…
Only 10 percent of people follow up with potential employers after an interview – make sure you’re one of them! Follow-up has the potential to set you apart from other candidates. In this post, I’ll talk about reasons to follow up, what to avoid, and different formats and timelines. Reasons to Follow Up Appreciation Follow-up provides…
