subject: Seminars for success [print this page] Seminars for success Seminars for success
I had been going to a series on interviews in Los Angeles, but not seeming to have much luck. I had an interview for a secretary position, a janitorial position and a job as a transit official. My experience was fairly well ranged and I had experience in each one of these fields. I just couldn't seem to nail down the interview and really convey confidence when meeting with someone.
I needed some training in order to get ahead and have a truly successful interview. There was a large scale job fair in Los Angeles that was going to be at a hotel and conference center in the downtown area and I noticed that there were a number of speakers and workshops throughout the day to guide people through the interview process. I decided to give it a try and see if I could train myself to have a better interviews.
When I arrived there was a seminar going on about resume building. A guest speaker guided us through the proper format for a resume and some things that we could add to a resume to put a positive spin on it for an employer and make it more unique amongst many applications. I found a couple of issues that may have held my resume back from even being viewed. I learned to summarize my work experience a bit better and some adjectives that I could use to really sell my work experience and put a bit better of a spin on my training. I learned that even so much as putting my resume on a thicker more professional style of paper vs regular office paper could give me an advantage for readability and professionalism.
There were free hot dogs and I entered a draw for an Ipod Nano while I was waiting for the interview speaker to arrive. I walked around to a few booths and submitted my resume to a few of the companies that were on hand taking new applicants.
When the time came we all sat down and started to watch the seminar: strategies for a successful interview. The that came to the job fair was great, with high energy and a very down to earth feel. He made the subjects very easy and relate-able and added a bit of humor to the situations interviews sometimes put us in. We all got a sheet of general interview questions we could keep in mind for many employers to ask us in most interviews and there were a number of points during the seminar where we were encouraged to talk to our neighbor and practice answering the questions.
Although I did not get a call back from my applications I submitted at the fair, I got a lot of useful knowledge from the seminars. I improved my resume and got to practice my interview skills which made me feel much more comfortable when the time came for me to do my next one. With my updated resume and a little more confidence knowing what questions might just be asked and having answers for them I nailed my interview and impressed the boss enough to get the great office job I have today.
