Yesterday, I spent the day with students from the College of Engineering at CSULB, working with them on honing their interviewing skills. A big shout out to Dr. Saba Yohannes-Reda for helping make the workshop possible!
Our first exercise was to break down into groups and discuss proper attire and attitude when being interviewed. The students learned about the differences in Corporate, Business Casual, and Start Up Casual attire, and how to prepare for the interview.
Then, they broke into groups and practiced mock interviews, using a series of questions usually asked in an interview. They each were able to serve as an interviewer and interviewee, and between each round commented on what they observed in each mock interview round.
Our final exercise of the day was to summarize what was learned and how they would apply this information to an upcoming interview.
As we all know, landing the interview is only the first step in obtaining employment. Hiring committees are looking for engaged and competent candidates who will be a “good fit” for the organization. The CSULB students were capable and quick to apply new knowledge to their candidate “tool kit.” They appreciated the deconstruction of a job description in order to learn how best to match one’s skills to the required or desired skills listed in the job posting.
Thank you to the BESST students and STEM Advantage scholars who attended the workshop! Additional Interviewing Skills 101 workshops will be offered at CSULA and CSUDH during the month of February. 