Vrushali Mahajan
Mastering the Interview session held at Humber College, North. (Vrushali Mahajan)
Interviews help students make their first impression on the interviewers.
A free workshop was conducted by the Career Advancement Service (CAS) at Humber College, North this Thursday. Students learnt how to effectively prepare for a job interview and get answers for those difficult interview questions.
“It is important for students to gain a good understanding of how to create first impression including the dressing sense, body language and a rapport with the interviewer(s),” Juliet Mackeson, Career Coach, CAS said. “Students learn how to answer the most commonly asked interview questions, difficult interview questions and behavioural questions,” she said.
“I have been doing this for more than 10 years now. These workshops have not only been attended by the students but some faculty members as well,” Mackeson said. “Interview is extremely important, it is a part of the job search process. You’ve got the resume, the cover letter sent in and now the interviewer wants to see you. So, it important to have such knowledge to set your foot in the door,” she said.
Janet DeLeon, Career Coach, explains the successful methods of cracking an interview. (Vrushali Mahajan)
Janet DeLeon, one of the Career Coaches with CAS said, “It is very important for students to practise the three R’s. Research, Rehearse and Relax.” “Knowing what the company is in detail really impresses the interviewer. Rehearsing on how your experience relates to the job you’re applying to and Relax. Be focused and confident,” she said.
“If English isn’t your first language, you should create a preamble for yourself and tell the interviewers that you might pronounce a few words in a different way. This makes them comfortable and they do not pay much attention to your accent,” said DeLeon.
“I have been attending every such workshop since I started the semester and I think more than anything, it is all about demeanour. I mean the skills and education is all written on the
Brenden Woo, an Advanced Diploma Student attending the workshop. (Vrushali Mahajan)
resume, what they need to see is if you’re a cultural fit with other people and if you can resolve conflicts with other people,” Brenden Woo, a student at Computer Engineering and technology, said.
He stated that in the classrooms we all learn the hard skills but here we come to learn the soft skills. “So basically, I am here to polish my skills and my abilities and learn to approach the employer in a correct way,” Woo said.