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Welcome to Careers News

Dear Student,

Welcome to the September edition of Careers News! This month we feature Lavanya Kannathass in our Bigger, Better, Brighter section - a second-year international student who's already making waves in the field of creative writing!

We've also given you some great tips on how to answer tricky interview questions, as well as how to perfect your handshake to make sure you make the best impression at interviews and networking events!

We're a little bit excited in the office at the moment, because we have two careers cafes coming up: one at GP and one at KG. Make sure you drop by to say hi, grab a free coffee and speak with our career counsellors in a more relaxed environment.

As per usual, remember to like us on facebook or follow us on twitter to keep up to date with the latest employment news and events. And remember - if you have any feedback, questions, or ideas for articles you would like to see, email us at careers@qut.edu.au.

Regards,
QUT Careers and Employment Team

Bigger, Better, Brighter!

This month we've asked second-year QUT Creative Writing student Lavanya, who moved to Australia from Singapore just two years ago, to discuss the steps she's taking while still at University to increase her employability. Read ahead to hear what she's doing and find out whether our Career Counsellor thinks she's on the right track!

Lavanya Kannathass

One of my New Year resolutions this year had to do with one word - higher. I had just finished my first year of writing at QUT last year, discovering and learning all the tools of writing and wanted to bring that up a notch. This saw me taking up a job as a cafe assistant at Mary Ryan's Book Shop and Cafe last semester. Even though I'm not directly involved with books at my job there, I am in an environment which makes up part of the ecosystem of writing and publishing. Right now, I'm trying to further see if I can make negotiations to contribute to the shop in terms of my writing more specifically for work.

I'm also always on a constant look out to find avenues to place my writing. During my holiday in China in June this year, I pitched a few story ideas to a magazine there called Here!Dg about Singaporeans who are living there to work. The editor was keen to run the story and I used my time there interviewing and putting together a feature article. The story is getting published in their September issue next month.

In July last year, I also submitted one of my experimental poetry works to a graphic literary journal of experimental writing and art called Infinity's Kitchen. I have just recently received news that they are going to publish my work in their upcoming issue too. It can be hard sometimes trying to find time between all the different things to do but I make use of every opportunity and keep a list of places/competitions that I can send in my work to.

Concurrently, I have also been attending book launches and events wherever possible just to see what happens and be involved in the community. I have started going to Avid Reader, a bookshop at West End which has salon events for writers every week. I'm also very excited to be involved in the upcoming Brisbane Writing Festival in September as a participant.

It is important to me to put the theory I learn at university to use. This doesn't just involve the writing sector, I also visit exhibitions at museums and art galleries to always remain inspired and curious. As a writer, I think it's essential and important that I always continue to do all that I can to remain inspired and put my work out to increase the chances for finding a home for them.

In terms of looking for a job, I have been sending out resumes to any job I've heard of that is related to publishing and writing and teaching at any part of the world. I'm not just limiting it to Singapore because I think it's important at this stage to be open to options and be really open minded.

QUT Career Counsellor Nikki Penhaligon's response

What a proactive student! I am very impressed with Lavanya's ability to seize different learning opportunities to further her understanding of her course, industry and ultimately increase her employability. Furthermore, I am very impressed and excited about Lavanya's ability to seek out opportunities herself while she has been at studying university.

Lavanya's attitude towards her casual employment is also very impressive. She is spot on when she talks about exposing herself to the world of writing and publishing by working at Mary Ryan's Book Shop. Sometimes we need to get our foot in the door to be exposed to, and given, opportunities within our chosen field. By working at Mary Ryan's, Lavanya is gaining a valuable insight into the publishing and writing world. Furthermore, such experience provides her with an excellent opportunity to make connections with professionals within her industry. I would encourage Lavanya to maintain and continue to grow her contacts in the industry. Another way in which she can do it is by participating in QUT's Mentoring Program.

It is also great to see Lavanya getting involved in the community. Another excellent way to be exposed to career professionals in our industry is to volunteer our time, or in Lavanya's case, be a participant in writing festivals. In the future, she may also want to consider getting involved in online blogging. I also like the way Lavanya has not limited her expose to just the writing world, however draws on related disciplines to further her learning.

In terms of her employment seeking strategies, it's great to see that Lavanya is open to where she works. Sending out resumes is important, however I would also encourage Lavanya to remember to tailor her resumes specifically to where she is applying and to follow up on the resumes she sends out.

Lavanya is clearly fulfilling her New Year's resolution which will leave a lasting impact on her career.

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Careers Cafes: Semester 2

Careers Cafe is YOUR chance to grab a FREE coffee while you have a quick chat with one of our experienced Career Counsellors.

You can...

• ask advice on your course and career;
• discuss jobs in your field;
• find out what resources and services are available to help you;
• pick up graduate and undergraduate job guides;
• find out how WE can help YOU get to where you want to be.

We have two Careers Cafes this semester, both coming up this month:

Gardens Point: 6 September, 12:30 to 1:30pm at the Z Block Coffee Cart (on level 4).

Kelvin Grove: 20 September, 12:00 to 1:00pm at Beadles.

Counsellors from Careers & Employment will also be making an appearance at a couple of the Global Cafes (run by East West) later in the year, so international students should make sure they keep their eyes peeled for updates!

*Those lucky Caboolture kids get the benefit of a Careers Cafe every Thursday from 1:30 to 2:30pm in the Library (during teaching weeks only).

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How to Answer Tricky Interview Qs

Job interviews are never easy. Proving that you are the right person for the job requires composure, confidence and, above all, preparation. As well as presenting your best qualities and achievements, some prospective employers will also be interested to know how you solved problems in your previous jobs... We are all human after all! Here are some tips on how to, and how not to answer some of these sorts of tricky questions...

1. "Tell me about the last time a customer or co-worker got mad at you."

Intent: Evaluate the candidate's interpersonal skills and ability to deal with conflict.

Remember, make sure you find out why the customer or co-worker was mad, what the interviewee did in response, and how the situation turned out both in the short- and long-term.

• Red flag: The interviewee pushes all the blame - and responsibility for rectifying the situation - on the other person.
• Good: The interviewee focuses on how they addressed and fixed the problem, not on who was to blame.
• Great: The interviewee admits they caused the other person to be upset, took responsibility, and worked to make a bad situation better. That's the trifecta of answers: You are willing to admit when you are wrong, you take responsibility for fixing your mistakes, and you learn from experience. (Remember, every mistake is just training in disguise as long as the same mistake isn't repeated over and over again, of course.)

2. "Tell me about the toughest decision you had to make in the last six months."

Intent: Evaluate the candidate's ability to reason, problem solving skills, judgment, and sometimes even willingness to take intelligent risks.

• Red flag: No answer. Everyone makes tough decisions regardless of their position. My daughter works part-time as a server at a local restaurant and makes difficult decisions every night, like the best way to deal with a regular customer whose behaviour constitutes borderline harassment.
• Good: Made a difficult analytical or reasoning-based decision. For example, wading through reams of data to determine the best solution to a problem.
• Great: Made a difficult interpersonal decision, or better yet a difficult data-driven decision that included interpersonal considerations and ramifications. Making decisions based on data is essential, but almost every decision has an impact on people as well. The best candidates naturally weigh all sides of an issue, not just the business or human side exclusively.

3. "Tell me about a time you knew you were right… but you still had to follow directions or guidelines."

Intent: Evaluate the candidate's ability to follow...and possibly to lead.

• Red flag: Found a way to circumvent guidelines "...because I know I was right," or followed the rules but allowed their performance to suffer. (Believe it or not, if you ask enough questions, some people will tell you they were angry or felt stifled and didn't work hard as a result, especially when they think you empathize with their "plight.")
• Good: Did what needed to be done, especially in a time-critical situation, then found an appropriate time and place to raise issues and work to improve the status quo.
• Great: Not only did what needed to be done, but stayed motivated and helped motivate others as well. In a peer setting, an employee who is able to say, "Hey, I'm not sure this makes sense either, but for now let's just do our best and get it done..." is priceless. In a supervisory setting, good leaders are able to debate and argue behind closed doors and then fully support a decision in public even if they privately disagree with that decision.

4. "Tell me about the last time your workday ended before you were able to get everything done."

Intent: Evaluate commitment, ability to prioritize, ability to communicate effectively.

• Red flag: "I just do what I can and get the heck out of there. I keep telling my boss I can only do so much but he won't listen..."
• Good: Stayed a few minutes late to finish a critical task, or prioritized before the end of the workday to ensure critical tasks were completed. You shouldn't expect heroic efforts every day, but some level of dedication is certainly nice.
• Great: Stayed late and/or prioritized, but most importantly communicated early on that deadlines were in jeopardy. Good employees take care of things; great employees take care of things and make sure others are aware of potential problems ahead of time just in case other proactive decisions make sense.
• Note: Keep in mind there are a number of good and great answers to this question. "I stayed until midnight to get it done" can sometimes be a great answer, but doing so night after night indicates there are other organizational or productivity issues the employee should raise. (I may sometimes be glad you stayed late, but I will always be glad when help me spot chronic problems or bottlenecks.) Evaluate a candidate's answers to this question based on your company's culture and organizational needs.

See original article by Jeff Haden

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Postgrad Study Pays Off

Want a job? Get a postgraduate qualification.

New research (out 10 August 2011) shows that people with postgraduate qualifications are doing better in the job market than those with just a bachelor degree.

About 86 per cent of postgraduate degree or diploma holders found full-time work last year, compared with 76 per cent of bachelor's degree holders, a survey by Graduate Careers Australia has found.

Senior researcher Graeme Bryant said the statistics showed the ''added value'' of postgraduate study.

That value was reflected in the salaries of workers as well, who have postgraduate qualifications, with their median salary $70,000 last year.

The survey also found that many students completing postgraduate studies were doing so to gain specialised qualifications to help them at work.

More than 60 per cent said their qualification was required, or important, for work in their chosen field.

The survey questioned domestic graduates four months after they completed their studies, with almost 100,000 responding last year.

Original article here.

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Featured Jobs

For more information on these jobs, or to search for more jobs, go to the QUT CareerHub link on the Careers and Employment website.

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Upcoming Events

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