Career development services featured an interviewing workshop on Tuesday, March 29 for students seeking advice on applying for jobs.

Students were taught information on how to prepare for an interview, including how to act during an interview and how to respond to questions properly.

Only one student showed up to this event after receiving an email about it, Janette Picaso. She learned the importance of asking questions to employers after interviews.

“I learned to think about what the employer wants first, not to think of myself. Ask about the benefits and salary at not the end, only if you’re hired,” Picaso said.

Picaso plans on using career development services in the future regarding upcoming interviews and career questions.

Lynn Fagerlie, a career counselor at Elgin Community College and advisor to this event, believes the most satisfying part of her job is to help students find their purpose in life. She refers to herself as a “career changer.”

“This workshop is focused only on the interview process, and how they can be prepared. We have another workshop that separately covers resume writing (see attached). Also, whether it’s interviewing, resume writing, writing cover letters, networking and LinkedIn, or even exploring target jobs, Career Development Specialists can always meet one-on-one with students to review their specific questions and needs and help them design a personal job search strategy that works for them,” Fagerlie said.

During the interview workshop, students learned the four key points to effective interviewing. They include creating a good first impression, being employer focused, showing value through stories and expressing interest and following up.

Fagerlie believes that students need to be more employer focused when preparing for an interview and writing a resume.

“The employer doesn’t need to see your best skills, they need to see your best skills that will help them,” said Fagerlie.

Only giving one piece of advice to students, Fagerlie believes that everyone should get career counseling and that it is never too early to start thinking about your career.

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Fagerlie is involved in many career development workshops ECC hosts as well as Kathy Meisinger. Upcoming events include mock interviewing, writing a resume and cover letter and preparing for the job. Events such as these happen once a year around the time of the ECC job fair. The Elgin Community job fair is approaching on April 22