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Presentation
skills key to success in business career
By
Jennifer Frehn
Daily Forty-Niner
Assistant News Editor
For
many students, the very process of finding
a job is like having a job. This is especially
true for business administration graduates,
who must present themselves to an interviewer
in a way that shows they know how to
market the employer's product to its
clients.
"What
you present to them is the image [they
perceive] you will present to their customers," said
Angi Carrillo-Humphreys, a career counselor
at the Career Development Center (CDC).
However,
the interview is just one hurdle. And
to get to the interview requires an equal,
if not larger, amount of work.
As
any career counselor will say, the most
important step in any job search is to
start early. Students should research
which companies fit their interests and
goals. Also, students should look outside
of what they originally saw themselves
doing and research other job markets.
In
her freshman year, Nellie Mazur, a senior
finance major graduating this month,
thought she would be working with bonds
at a company like Merrill Lynch. After
talking with others in the field, however,
she learned about other job options for
her major. After graduation, Mazur will
be entering a 2-year finance training
program with Raytheon, a defense contractor
to the government.
"I
don't think I knew that this kind of
job existed," Mazur said, who learned
about the job from a friend.
For
business administration graduates, there
is a wide variety of career options available,
most with starting salaries above $32,000.
As of April, the National Association
of Colleges and Employers ranks the starting
salary in hospitality services (hotel
and restaurant management) at $33,263,
international business at $37,000 and
economics and finance at $42,300.
However,
Mazur warned, students should not be
too picky about their starting salary.
She explained many students high expectations
about salary and feel they deserve a
large starting amount because they received
good grades or went to a good school.
"In
a tight market, you cannot be arrogant
about salary," she said.
Mazur
said starting early, perfecting her interviewing
skills and resume were the most important
factors for landing the job.
"This
is stuff we've all heard, but a lot of
people don't do these things," Mazur
said.
Carrillo-Humphreys
recommends students start obtaining experience
during their junior year to make themselves "more
competitive." This experience could
be an internship, volunteer work or a
job. Experience, Carrillo-Humphreys said,
helps students obtain skills while previewing
a company. Also, she said, it gives the
employer a chance to preview the student.
Jeane
Caveness, assistant dean of students,
also urged students to start early and
do their homework, especially before
going to a job fair.
"Recruiters
say they get annoyed when students say, ‘Tell
me what jobs are available,'" Caveness
said. "They prefer [that] students
check Web sites and make an effort to
consider whether their background matches
what is offered."
Mazur
also emphasized the research aspect of
the job search.
"This
is one thing you cannot procrastinate
about, because it is not going to come
to you," Mazur said.
Carrillo-Humphreys
said there are several qualifications
companies look for when hiring for business
administration positions. Among the most
important are experience, leadership,
teamwork, flexibility, customer service
experience and strong communication skills.
"I
think they just want a well-rounded person,
especially now that the job market is
so tight where they really can take the
best of the best," Mazur said. She
also emphasized the ways in which the
classes she took helped her practice
these skills to become well-rounded.
"In
the business department, every class
has a group project with peer-to-peer
interaction," Mazur said. "By
working in groups, you are able to understand
different people, learn how to connect
on different levels. It also helps with
scenarios for situational questions [in
interviews]."
These
situational questions are usually the
hardest part of any interview. Many students
like to prepare by studying answers in
books, however, Carrillo-Humphreys said
she feels students usually worry too
much about giving the "right answer" during
interviews.
"There
is no right answer, there is your answer.
An employer really wants to know you,
the person, and not a statement from
a book," Carrillo-Humphreys said.
What
of the students who waited until the
last minute to search for a job? Carrillo-Humphreys
said there are still steps to take to
improve a job search.
"Take
a look at what your experience has been
and think about what skills you gained," Carrillo-Humphreys
said. Most jobs, she said, require some
element of customer service, marketing,
teamwork and other characteristics students
may have already"learned from school
projects or part-time jobs.
Carrillo-Humphreys
said the two things that limit students
the most in their job search are a lack
of confidence in their experience and
a negative attitude towards relocating.
She explained how some companies will
offer training for a few years outside
of California.
"Try
to expand your options at least for a
few years until you can get more experience,
then you can limit yourself in terms
of distance."
Carrillo-Humphreys
encourages students to be patient, committed
and positive during the job search. The
CDC is available for students up to three
months after graduation. |
