What Employers Want Panel
February 15, 2011
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Mark Anderson PHR '00 Human Resources Manager -
Administrative Services Team Leader Indiana State Fair Commission
BA, Major: Business
Greek affiliation: Phi Delta Theta
Mark encouraged students to branch out from their major and gain knowledge in various fields because it shows that the individual being interviewed has knowledge in several areas, which is important in the current market. You have got to have a flawless resume! He receives many resumes and notices when resumes are not right. Besides gaining skills in campus activities, employers need to know that you can have something in your life beyond work, so get involved at school beyond academic work. The best way to follow-up an interview without being annoying is to email with a brief message like, "Has a decision been made?". And lastly, definitely send a thank you note or email after an interview.
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Jacque (Jaquess) Denny '78 Decatur County Director
Human Services, Inc.
BA, Major: Sociology
Greek affiliation: Alpha Omicron Pi
Ideal qualities of an employee -
Humility - showing a willingness and ability to be taught
Integrity - do the right thing even when pressured to do the wrong thing
Maturity - showing a consciousness in thoughts and actions
Work Ethic - can be demonstrated in class work and job assignments
She encourages students to "own your strengths" in an interview. Tell what was good and bad in your past work experiences and tell what you learned from the bad experiences. She said that her field is competitive, 1 opening/300 applicants, so research an organization before submitting a resume and know the types of people who work there. She also recommended that students become aware of political happenings in the world.
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Linda Luck '77 Regional Employee Relations Manager
Branch Banking and Trust
BA, Major: Theological Studies
M Ed: College Student Personnel (Bowling Green State University)
In order to be the best employee you can, Linda suggests you:
-Act like you believe what you are doing makes a difference to the organization,
-Be more professional and do more than is expected, and
-Have good written and verbal communication skills.
Make sure your email address and voice mail is reasonable - and not a reason for an employer not to hire you. She says to remember that your major is not critical for the job market, your major is just the vehicle that taught you how to think, write, and communicate well.
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Ann Mulcahy '86 Principle
Partners in Human Capital Strategies LLC
BA, Major: Communication, Minor: English
MA, Communication, Ohio State University
Greek affiliation: Phi Mu
To stand out in an online pool, make sure you are using key words identified in the job description. Do networking and ask an employee to mention your name to someone in Human Resources. Follow up! There is so much volume when a job is posted online, you may not hear at all from the company.
Be creative, be open, network. Ann recommends LinkedIn. At an interview, listen, make eye contact. Be prepared with an elevator speech when the interviewer says, "tell me a little about yourself." It is annoying for the interviewer if you don't listen and ask a question the interviewer already answered; this shows that you are unprepared.
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