Week of 2/4/2013

Featured Staff of the Week

Office Manager 
Dan Kelley-Petersen

Happy February!  My name is Dan Kelley-Petersen and I am the Office Manager in Career Services.  I have been a staff member at Seattle University for almost two years and I enjoy coming to work each day.  This community is a special one for me in that I am a 2002 alumnus of the Matteo Ricci College and a current graduate student of the Community Counseling program in the College of Education.  Seattle University has given me the opportunity to enter into deep discernment about who I am in the world.  I really struggled after finishing my undergraduate studies because I didn’t take advantage of the services the university provided for me as a student.  I wish I had taken my discernment one step further and taken action on finding work experiences that suited my personality and goals instead of finishing school and not having a wide array of options.  This is one of the ways in which Career Services can help you in your career planning process.  The staff in this office is passionate about your goals, your talents, and your questions.  They can offer you a way to discern more about whom you are and what skills and strengths you will bring into any work environment you choose.  Make sure to take full advantage of this great service.  I wish you all the best in your moments of discernment, growth, and questioning.  Go SU!

Featured Employers of the Week: Internship Fair

This week, we would like to feature ALL the great employers who will be on campus this week for the Internship Fair! Seattle University is committed to connecting students to the region's highest quality internship programs. More than 50 percent of Seattle U graduates do at least one internship before graduation. Where will you do your internship? Companies, non-profits, and government agencies look to Seattle University to hire the interns they need to achieve their goals. Be part of their journey and gain the experience you need to be prepared for a successful career search upon graduation by securing your internship today. This event is expected to draw over 50 employers from a variety of disciplines looking to hire undergraduate and graduate students in business and economics, science and engineering, and arts and sciences majors for summer and academic-year internships. Please join us for this wonderful event!

Employers include:

Alaska Airlines

Amazon.com

Cambia Health Solutions

El Centro de la Raza

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Global Visionaries

Port of Seattle

Seattle Police Department

Seattle Tilth

Serve Seattle

THe Boeing Company

T-Mobiel

U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services

And many more! See the whole list here 

Upcoming Events

To see all upcoming events, please click here

Q&A:

“What are some tips and what should I expect in a job interview?”

James Vivé: Offer a firm handshake with direct eye contact and treat everyone you meet as if they are the one deciding if you get the job.

Sarah Thomson: Prepare 3-4 strong talking points that you want to make in the interview, regardless of the questions. Don’t leave the interview without leaving these on the table. Just figure out how to work them in to your interview. When asked at the beginning of the interview, “tell us a little bit about yourself” make this your opportunity for a strong, confident start. Start with something clear and concise to demonstrate to hiring managers what you bring to the table. Lastly, always practice your answers with a friend beforehand and don’t be afraid to ask for clarity if you don’t understand the question or can’t remember it. At the end of an answer, it is fine to say something like, “did I capture what you were meaning by that question?”

Alissa strong: Reflect on what are 3 strengths and 2 weaknesses. For the strengths, provide an example that demonstrates each one, and consider using those strengths as talking points throughout your interview. For your two weaknesses, think of how you’ve worked to improve it or are currently improving it. Don’t pick cliché weakness like “perfectionist” or “I work too hard” as they don’t come off as a genuine and are used way too often.  Choose strengths and weakness that reflect self awareness and the ability to grow and learn.

Theresa Brostowitz: Come prepared with questions to ask the interviewer, and bring an extra copy of your resume. Make sure to completely turn your phone off, not just on vibrate! Don’t forget to thank them before and after for taking the time to meet with you, and write a personalized thank you card after the interview.

During Nordstrom’s Dress for Success event last week, they not only educated SU students on how to dress for a job interview, but also gave us some tips on the interview day itself! Some key tips were:

• Don’t come more than ten minutes early to an interview – if you come too early, it stresses the interviewer out and wonder if they should hurry up to meet with you.
• Always study the location of the interview before the actual day. Make sure to calculate some extra time in the commute in case you get lost or hit bad traffic. If you find your destination too early, just kill some time around the area so you don’t go into the interview too early, as mentioned above.
•  Remember, your impression on the employer begins with the front desk – that is, treat not only your interviewer with the utmost respect and manner, but also their secretary and whoever else you come in contact with during your time. If you treat someone badly, the word will go back to the interviewer and may affect the outcome!