Hints and Tips

 

Do your research. Take time to explore the WVU website to learn about the University and the Department or College to which you are applying. You want to know the purpose of the department you could be working with and be able to speak about what that department does.

Proofread your resume.  Use bullet points instead of lengthy paragraphs to describe your responsibilities and achievements. Make sure your resume clearly shows your experience, expertise and education as it pertains to the job you’re applying for. Show who you are and why you stand out from the other candidates. Don’t forget to proofread for grammar, spelling and format consistency.

Got the interview? Yay! Time to start preparing.

Get creative. Be ready to clearly demonstrate any unique ideas and skills you can bring to the job. Think of interesting but explicit ways to answer the question, “Why should we hire you?”. Practice talking about your previous experiences in a way that shows their relevance to the position you’ve applied to.

Interview time. Listen closely to every question – you will be asked a variety of things, but the heart of it will center around the following:

1)      Did you have this specific experience?

2)      How did you handle it?

3)      What happened?

4)      What did you learn from it?

Always remember to answer concisely. Recall a situation and feel free to elaborate in your response, but pay attention not to ramble on with unnecessary or irrelevant information.

Remember, you are interviewing the employer, too. Have some questions of your own ready to ask, typically at the end of the interview.  For example: Will there be training available? What would a typical day look like for the person hired for this position? What is the time frame for your decision regarding this position?