Career Journal Tips

The first article I read, http://bb.clemson.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_24492_1, was about the rise in pre-employment personality tests as hiring tools. It was surprising to me at first that so many businesses are now requiring tests before to determine who they hire. I thought after the SATs I was done with standardized tests forever but I guess not! After reading the article and thinking about it, I realized that these tests do make sense. It allows the employer to learn more about the applicant than just a resume of experiences and interview could divulge. I thought it was really interesting that one employer hired a person after taking a personality test because he thought they would get along well together. It is a smart move to hire someone your compatible with though. It ensures that there is a positive work environment, and it does make going to work everyday easier and possibly more productive when you like the people you work with.

The article How Candidates Can Make A Good First Impression by Kris Maher gave some helpful tips on things to avoid during a job interview. It mentioned obvious things like asking for a cigarette break during mid-interview, chewing gum, and making a phone call when being escorted into the office building. The piece of advice that really stood out was that the biggest problem with candidates is that they think they can go in and wing the interview. It emphasized to me the importance of preparation; knowing the company and what they do is a big factor in getting hired.

I also looked at: http://bb.clemson.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_24492_1, which was about how thank you letters can make or break your chances of getting hired. The article told of one candidate who was a shoe-in for the job, but her post- interview thank you letters were full of spelling errors (including even spelling the name of the company wrong). “Closing the deal” as the article called it is a way of establishing professionalism and increasing your chances of getting the job even if the interview did not go as well as planned. I'm really glad I read the article because I will make sure when I apply for jobs to always send out thank you letters after being interviewed...I never knew just how important they were.