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《113-1 SA Event》“Know What You Want: Career Advice on Showcasing Yourself & Acing Interviews” by Nerajda Mana

In today’s competitive job market, finding the right position can feel challenging. To help our current GHRM and IBMBA students navigate this process, our student association hosted an insightful Job Searching Workshop on the 25th of November 2024 aimed at equipping participants with practical tools and strategies for success. The workshop was led by Jamie Huang, a former GHRM alumni and currently working as Sr. People Solutions Specialist at Suntory Global Spirits. She provided valuable tips for every stage of the job search, from identifying desired jobs to interview techniques.

The workshop started with an important statement, “Know what you want”. The participants were guided through the process of finding desired jobs, adjusting resumes to specific positions, and bringing focus on how to highlight relevant skills and accomplishments. Doing research on the company, studying the job description and reaching out for insights, as well as reading professional profiles can all help in getting a better understanding of the field or job position for which one is applying.

Jamie stressed the importance of keeping resumes compact and she described writing resumes as “Showcasing Yourself in 2D”. Resumes are the first glimpse that hiring managers get to know about the applicants, and which is why it is vital for applicants to not only concisely convey both strengths and experience, but also personal traits that fit the job. Using keywords, minding one’s grammar and spelling, keeping a clean aesthetic format, and asking for feedback from friends or families are good methods to polish one’s resume and provide a fitting form for the delivered information.

Following up further on the statement of showcasing oneself in 2D, attendees also received tips on how to write quality cover letters that briefly introduce the job applicant while effectively expressing one’s enthusiasm for the role and aligning one’s experiences with the employer’s needs. A powerful lead introducing who one is and giving strong reasons why one is applying, followed by a solid body to show why one is a good fit and wrapped up by emphasizing a desire to have an interview opportunity, make for the perfect formula to efficiently showcase one’s intentions and interests when applying for a position.

Another critical topic of the workshop was the job interviews and how one should address them before, during and after attending. Jamie stated that interviewees should do further research on the company because the company might ask questions to understand how much the interviewee knows about them. Additionally, she recommended having one’s own interview questions database, as well as an interview stimulation which can train us in responding better during a real one. Jamie nevertheless points out that one should not memorize their answers byheart but rather practice and gain a better understanding of the nature of questions and the essence. She also emphasized that one should prepare questions to ask hiring managers, show up on time and be fully prepared regarding technical and circumstantial aspects.

On the other hand, asking for clarifications in case of uncertainties and answering questions consciously with the job target in mind are also impactful. Jamie recommended the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for better story-telling skills and therefore bring out key take-aways during the interview. It is also crucial to keep positive in expression, be authentic and confident, and ask smart questions before the closure of the interview so that one can learn more about the nature of the position, the manager’s leadership style, the company’s work culture and so on.

Lastly, if one desires for the applied job, a thank-you note within the interview day to recap and add on if necessary, restating one’s strengths and eager to go further in the interview process. In the case when one is declined, one should never be discouraged, but rather ask for feedback, show interest in another chance in the future and stay connected with the interviewers.

Before closure of the workshop, Jamie offered all attendees a 1:1 resume consultation where each of the students could ask specific questions about their own interests in regard to pursuing a career or revising a resume. General questions were also asked during the workshop, with an engaging and relaxing atmosphere, especially since Jamie understood students’ concerns and was able to effectively address them and responded with practical advice.

The workshop provided participants with a comprehensive set of tools to proceed the job search with confidence and we would like to thank Jamie for holding this workshop and making it an enjoyable experience for everyone. We wish her more success and look forward to seeing our present students apply what they’ve learned from the workshop to achieve their own professional milestones.

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