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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1999)
Site weaves network of job chances By Eric Rineer Staff writer Students looking for a fast and affordable way to send resumes to prospective employers may want to take advantage of a Web site created by Career Services. The site, which can be found by log ging onto www.unl.edu/careers/, allows University of Nebraska-Lincoln stu dents a chance to post Internet resumes at a small cost. The cost - a $20 fee made out to Career Services in Room 230 of the Nebraska Union - allows students to be showcased to a number of top-flight companies in search of employees. Emily Wilber, a student employ ment specialist at Career Services, said the $20 fee was well worth the price for having access to the service’s database. Wilber said the fee lets thousands of companies view a student’s resume. This is a much easier road to travel than mailing resumes, Wilber said. “Students gain a lot of exposure all through this site,” she said. “I think it really pays off in the long run.” Some of the companies Wilber said have recently accessed the site include W. Boyd Jones Construction in Omaha, Crete Carriers in Crete, the Nebraska Department of Revenue, Union Pacific and Sandhills Publishing. Missy Fletcher, a human resource consultant at Sandhills Publishing, 120 W. Harvest Drive, said her company checked out the Husker Hire Link at least once a semester for marketers, edi tors and writers. “It gives us a chance to go through resumes and dig out what we’re looking for,” Fletcher said. Wilber said the site benefited all students but in particular engineers and business students. Jeremy Evans, a senior accounting major, said he advised students unaware of the site to take advantage of it. Evans was interviewed Wednesday by Koch Industries, of Wichita, Kan. TTiat interview, he said, was a result of his posting on Husker Hire Link. “It’s a good way to find opportuni ties that are out there,” he said. “It’s a lot cheaper, and it’s a lot more convenient.” Fletcher said she, too, thought the « They re getting their name out there as potential employees Missy Fletcher human resource consultant at Sandhills Publishing site was key in finding students jobs. “They’re getting their name out there as potential employees,” she said. Kara Sullivan, a senior accounting major who was interviewed Wednesday by a company at Career Services, said Husker Hire Link was her first option. “It was the only way I knew how to start job-seeking,” she said. “It was the first available resource I had.” After finding out about the site through one of her friends, Sullivan said she has heard from several companies. Sullivan said she felt the site was geared more toward local jobs. Wilber said national companies also searched Husker Hire Link. Said Sullivan: “If you know what you’re looking for, it’s just a matter of seconds.” mKMmmmiiim Mock interviews help perfect style By Christina Fechner Staff writer You have shaking knees and butter flies in the stomach, and a little bit of doubt links in the back of your mind. It’s the dreaded interview. Whether it’s for a job, internship or graduate school, interviewing can feel like being on trial. The University of Nebraska Lincoln’s Career Services realizes the fear and anticipation students face in an interview. To help calm students’ fears, the office offers mock interviews. During a mock interview, Career Services employees ask students ques tions they may encounter when it’s time for the real thing. The interview is videotaped and then feedback is given. Students learn their strengths and weaknesses in the interviewing process. ^ . “Students need to realize they must convey talents they have to offer relative to the position (they are applying for),” said Jake Kirkland, assistant director of Career Services. Students are given tips on how to handle unexpected questions that may come up during an interview. Questions students should and should not ask are also discussed. “The mock interview is the first step in getting used to the environment. It helped me in realizing that you control the interview,” said Audre Athanasopoulos, a senior finance major. With the Career Fair coming up on Tuesday, these tips may be helpful to students planning to speak to potential employers and graduate school repre sentatives. Students seeking internships must also face interviews. Jason Rathe, a senior marketing major, had an internship with ConAgra last summer. He said the interview went well for him. “I talked to the human resource manager and interviewed with her for half an hour,” Rathe said. “They called me back thred days later and let me know I got it. I highly recommend internships because it opens a lot of doors.” Ask Away M anparaC tar basic fMsOaas mst tawlaytrs will ask yta Curias aa : —What do you know about our company? —What ate your career goals? , —Did you work while attending college? Full time or part time? £!• —How much tone do you spend each month keeping up with new developments &i your field? —How do you normally deal with criticism? —How. tong do you expect to stay with our company? —What are two things you would like to improve about yourself? |a|aMbiklnffsiiisk«w«lMBlursn -If I do well^wha^will^be irUive years? " What can I do within the _ years to help ensure my success within the company? ^ —What training will I receive If hired? § ■ of turnovers in this company?' § company encourage its new employees to 3 l ‘‘jtechnology? £ ' me in the position?; \ -J [q f)1 Kirkland said die coming career fair is a good opportunity for students to put their interviewing skills to practice. “(The career fair) is an opportunity for students to showcase their talents,” Kirkland said. On-campus interviews offer students convenience By Margaret Behm Staffwriter Finding die right job can be trying. But on-campus interviews can help in that search, according to Christine Timm, assistant director of Career Services. It’s a way to meet face to face with a company representative without having to travel. “Campus interviews are very con venient,” Timm said. “It is possible to see what many businesses have to offer without driving anywhere. This service connects students to employers when otherwise they might not have been The University of South Dakota School of Law Please visit The University of South Dakota Graduate School table at die Career and Graduate School Fair, Tuesday, October 12, Devaney Sports Center, for more information about the Law School. Application requests may be made at www.usd.edu/law. connected” Students must register with Career Services to have an on-campus inter view. Students can register in Room 230 in the Nebraska Union, or Room 316 in the Nebraska East Union. There they will need to pay a regis tration fee that is good for one year. The cost is $20 for students and $50 for alumni. Timm recommended that students register during their sophomore year. Currently 2,400 students and alumni are registered, Timm said. To complete registration, the stu dents should go online to the Career Services Web site, answer some ques tions and type in their resumes. Once students are registered, they can visit the same Web site to view job openings and internships. When stu dents find an opportunity that they are interested in they can submit their resume. The company will then choose the students to interview on campus. There are 11 interview rooms in the Nebraska Union and four in the East Union. About 4,000 interviews take place each year, Timm said. There are many workshops to help students prepare for their on-campus interviews. These include mock interviews, career counseling and resume cri tiquing. Students do not have to be reg istered to participate in these work-. shops. On-campus interviews are general ly shorter than regular interviews and usually last about half an hour, Timm said. Lark Bear, resume referral coordi nator, said she encourages students to take advantage of the workshops. “Searching for a job can be over whelming. I think it’s helpful for us as a department to break down the choices into avenues for students,” she said. Anna Andersen, a senior account ing major, has had a few on-campus interviews. She had some advice for people who are going in for their first interview. “Just be yourself during an inter view, but remember to be professional,” she said. “Making up someone else during an interview won’t help you because you want to be happy with a job that’s right for you. I learned that from experience.”