MANUAL
photo Illustration | Jerry Wang
Under pressure: Whether your interview is in an office, at a career fair or on the phone, remember to be enthusiastic and engaged. If you're in need of practice to eliminate nervousness, check out the resources at the University Career Center, which offers mock interviews and practice questions.
BRENNA LONG
LANDING A JOB TAKES MORE THAN A CRISP RÉSUMÉ AND FRIENDLY SMILE
Dressed to impress, Rachel Schallenberg shook his hand with confidence. She had done the simple greeting before. Then he stopped her and made her do it again. Her professional shake did not meet his standards.
Thankfully, this was a learning environment Using the career services at KU, Schallenberg, Olathe senior, left her mock interview prepared to pursue a real job.
Learning how to interview can help students feel more confident when they nervously sit down to impress future employers. At the University Career Center (UCC), students can get personal guidance on preparing for interviews.
To prepare, the UCC has practice questions, mock interviews and a virtual interview program online. Talking through questions with family and friends can help students get comfortable talking about themselves, says Ann Hartley, associate director at the UCC. For professional advice on interviewing performance, Hartley says the mock interviews at the UCC can help. The staff records and watches the interview with the student. "As much as students hate it, seeing yourself can help you notice the umms and pauses," Hartley says.
When the interview has arrived, Hartley reminds students to take a résume, pen and paper, but to leave the cell phone behind. "The danger of forgetting [to turn it off] is high,
Next, take a deep breath and brag about yourself. While your mouth is moving, body language expert Patti Wood wants you to remember eye contact, listening and posture; Wood, who wrote Success Signals: Body Language in Business, says students today lack eye contact. Keeping the eye connection tells the interviewer you are paying attention and are interested in the job. After each answer, remember to listen to the interviewer. "Don't click off," Wood says. Along with consistent eye contact, engage the rest of your body. Lean forward slightly with your feet firmly planted on the ground.
and that won't make a good first impression," Hartley says.
But not all interviews happen in a sit-down environment. Ryan Watson, Mascoutah, Ill., sophomore, experienced brief in-person interviews at the business career fair. "My goal was to not look like an idiot," he says. Watson learned the importance of preparing a résumé and researching employers before attending the career fair.
After the nerve-wracking part is over, don't forget to end an in-person interview with a solid handshake, Wood says. Even if you feel like you made mistakes, a firm handshake accompanied by words of interest can leave the interviewer with a good impression.
Hartley at the UCC says the 30-second speech about yourself is the most important skill to have in career fair scenarios. "They want to know who you are and what you are there for," she says.
A phone interview brings a different challenge. The interviewer can't see your reaction. "Be enthused and animated." Hartley says. Find a secluded spot and dress up so the mood of your conversation doesn't turn casual. Hartley also recommends using this type of interview to your advantage by laying out your résumé and cheat sheets.
Heather Luth, Olathe senior, says her stomach filled with butterflies as she answered her cell phone for her first phone interview. "I just tried to focus on sounding excited."
Nailing a job isn't all about the interview, but these tips can help that part of the job hunt. If you need more help, visit the UCC in the Burge Union or online. They can help you organize your résumé and send you out of their office prepared to land your dream job.
THE PERFECT HANDSHAKE IN 10 STEPS
A quick shake counts for three hours of continuous interaction says Patti Wood, body language expert. Start every interview with these 10 steps and you'll be closer to getting a job.
2 If sweaty palms or clammy hands plague you, wine your hands before any handshake.
1 Walk to the person confidently with head level and hands at your side, not in your pockets. If carrying a purse or portfolio, switch it to your left hand.
3 Briefly smile but don't go over the top and look cheesy.
4 Make eye contact,but don't stare.This lets the person know you want to interact.
5 Face the person directly, not at an angle.
6 Make sure you fully extend your right arm, or you may look timid.
7 Position your hand straight up with thumb on top.
8 Open the space between your thumb and index finger so your hand easily slides into theirs, keeping your other fingers straight so your palms touch
9 Wrap your fingers around their hand and lock hands.
10 Shake firmly three times and release. The grip is not a contest of strength. Make sure to match the pressure of the other person.
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Grav-Little said one of the first things she noticed when she came to the University last year was its unusually high requirement for graduation. The requirement was set at 124 in 2003 and had not been altered until now.
Donations increase despite economy
ENDOWMENT
Struttman was one of more than 6,500 students to receive scholarships last year from the association. In the 2010 fiscal year, which ended June 30, it gave $28.9 million in scholarships as part of the $110.2 million it donated to the University.
Struttman, a sophomore from Topeka, was given the financial support by the privately-funded Chancellors Club, which awards renewable scholarships to 16 National Merit finalists each year. The club helps recruit top-performing students to the University.
BY STEPHEN GRAY
When Evy Struttman received the e-mail that she was going to receive a $20,000 scholarship through the Kansas University Endowment Association last year, she knew immediately that the University of Kansas was the place for her.
sgray@kansan.com
Dale Seuferling, the president of the Endowment Association, said
"Thanks to this scholarship, I don't have to have a job and I don't have to worry about a huge debt hanging over my head after graduation." Struttman said.
implement the rule.
students could benefit from scholarships, fellowships and awards through the association.
According to Giving USA, an annual report on philanthropy in the United States, contributions to higher education in 2009 declined by 3.6 percent. The Endowment Association was an exception to this trend and had record contributions for the third year in a row. Seuferling credited the desire of the University's alumni and the hard work of the fundraising staff for this accomplishment.
"With the funding cuts faced by KU due to the reduction in state support, private giving has become even more critical to the University's future," Seferlung said.
Cathy Daicoff, a managing director at Standard and Poor's in New York City, graduated from the University in 1977. She was one of
In addition to student scholarships, the association funds salaries for distinguished professors, teaching awards and academic programs. It also provides facilities and equipment for the University. In fact, the association has helped to fund more than two-thirds of campus buildings and 85 percent of its land.
Fiscal year Contributions Number of donors
2010 $110.2 million 45,192
2009 $106.4 million 45,186
2008 $94 million 45,014
2007 $77.7 million 43,403
This year, more than 6,500 students received scholarships from KU Endowment funds. The total amounted to $28.9 million.
KU ENDOWMENT FUNDRAISING
— Edited by Lisa Curran
the 45,192 donors last year for the University. Daicoff has been donating for more than 25 years and gives to two causes, the Chancellors Club and a scholarship fund in memory of her father, Darwin Daicoff, a former economics professor at the University.
This reduction was one of the many recommendations given by Chancellor Bernardette Gray-
"The University of Kansas provided me with a superior education," Dacoff said. "I believe we all have a responsibility to make that same education possible for other individuals in the next generation."
Nick Benson will be given the Student Sustainability Leadership Award for his program that recycles old printer ink cartridges.
---
- Edited by Lisa Curran
"That will mean less classes that wed have to take and more money saved." Flax said.
Jesse Flax, a freshman from Bison, said he was in favor of the change.
Student wins award for his recycling efforts
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Marcus Morris emerges from camp a vocal leader
INSIDE | The Wave
With the notable absence of Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, Marcus Morris has made many improvements this season, including taking on a leadership role with the Jayhawks. Morris fellow players are looking to him for support.
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