About Me: Tell Your Story Initiative Assists Students With Interview Prep
posted by Bria Battle | May 4, 2018 | In Arts and Culture, NewsAn initiative launched by the Office of Career Services is engaging students through interview practice and career preparation. The initiative, About Me: Tell Your Story, consists of a mobile interview booth with a series of questions aiming to improve the student’s response to employers.
The goal of the initiative is to get students comfortable with the number one question asked during interviews. Usually, the first thing an employer will say is, “Tell me about yourself.” Even though people know themselves better than anyone else does, it can be tough to gather up things to say about your character when put on the spot.
“If you nail that question at the beginning of the interview, it sets the tone for the remainder of the interaction with that employer,” shared Cliff Parker, co-curriculum student engage- ment coordinator.
Parker and his peer career coaches introduced the initiative and put together the booth after inspiration from the North Carolina School of the Arts. When Parker visited the school for a career readiness event, he noticed a video booth that encouraged their art students to share their skills and passion for art. From there, Parker seized the opportunity for Fayetteville State students to experience the preparation of an interview booth from a general professionalism outlook.
The interview booth began January 31st and is in effect until the end of the semester. Once students return to campus in the fall, the booth will be back up and running.
The booth, which is mobile, will switch buildings every week on campus and have various questions that are related to loca- tion’s target group. For example, in the Helen T. Chick building, the questions are programmed for majority freshmen.
“The major takeaway that we want students to get from par- ticipating in the booth is comfort in talking about themselves, and the value that they can add to an employer,” Parker stated.
Students will receive the booth’s new location each week through email notifications from the Office of Career Services.
Interview Tips:
1. Practice as much as possible. Practice in the interview booth. Practice with a peer career coach or a career counselor.
2. Write down a couple of questions or utilize the questions on the career services website and write out answers.
3. Review your resume. Knowing your resume allows you to emphasize more about your experience as the employer inter- views you.
(Tips courtesy of Career Services Interim Director, Kendra Haywood.)
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