Competing in the Job Market
On the first Friday of every month, Honors students get a leg up the career ladder
with the workshop series 鈥淐areer Fridays.鈥� In sessions with alumni, representatives
from Houston-area businesses, and career counselors or consultants, students hear
about career and internship opportunities with local employers and receive practical
guidance about preparing for the workforce.
鈥溾�娾�楥areer Fridays鈥� are another resource we can offer our students as members of the Honors College,鈥� said Dr. Christine LeVeaux-Haley, assistant dean for academic programs and organizer of the series. 鈥淲e believe that access to experienced professionals of all fields will prove invaluable to our students as they get ready to take on today鈥檚 job market.鈥�
On November 5th, students got some frank advice from Honors alumni Steven Hecht (鈥�88, Accounting) and Zeke Ziliak (鈥�98, Biology) on landing their first post-graduation job. In a session entitled 鈥淢orning Breath, Motor Mouth, and Other Mistakes Job Candidates Make,鈥� Hecht and Ziliak explained how (and how not) to make it past the interview stage.
From the usual tips鈥攆ollowing up with a handwritten note鈥攖o the unusual鈥攃onsulting a Brooks Brothers catalog鈥擧echt and Ziliak addressed everything from resum茅 formatting and interview attire to handling yourself at a company cocktail hour. Because job interviewers may not always have time to prepare for a candidate interview, Ziliak stressed the importance of coming to the interview ready to take charge and sell yourself. 鈥淢ost candidates who get interviews are already qualified鈥攜ou have to bring the extra piece that makes you stand out,鈥� he said.
Students put Ziliak鈥檚 advice to good use with workshops on constructing resum茅s and
enhancing interview skills. On February 11th, students met with Tom Durkin, a campus
recruiting and university relations representative from Shell Oil, who critiqued their
resum茅s and offered suggestions for improvement.
Senior management and management information systems double major Catherine Nguyen was impressed with Durkin鈥檚 individual approach. 鈥淎t Bauer College we get drilled on various aspects of the job search all the time, but one-on-one time with an HR representative at a major employer like Shell was incredibly helpful,鈥� said Nguyen. 鈥淭om was very approachable and gave everyone as much time as they needed at the event.鈥�
Other 鈥淐areer Friday鈥� installments this spring included a session on interview skills on February 25th, taped mock interviews on March 4th, and an etiquette training session on April 1st.