Texas State University - San Marcos Career Director on Self Knowlege and Due Diligence for Interview Success
By Jill Randolph
March 16, 2011
The following is an interview transcript with Curt Schafer, Director of Career Services of Texas State University - San Marcos. Texas State University is a public university in San Marcos, Texas, a growing community of 50,000, located between San Antonio and Austin. It is the largest institution of the Texas State University System and was founded in 1899. Texas State's 32,572 students choose from 97 bachelor 's, 89 master's and nine doctoral degree programs. Famous alumni include Lyndon Johnson and George Straight.
Jill Randolph: How has the job market has changed over the past year? Have you seen any signs of improvement, and if so in which areas?
Curt Schafer: In the fall semester there was a slight increase in employers coming to campus to set up interviews before graduation. However, there was much more 'just-in-time hiring' that took place. In the past, employers would start looking one or two semesters prior to bringing aboard a group of 150-200 graduates from 5-10 target schools.
Today, employers call to set up an interview schedule within a few weeks in order to hire a couple of students to start at the end of the semester. To illustrate that point, we had an employer call in late November to schedule interviews for the day after final exams, December 17th. We were fortunate in that 4 of our students received offers to start with that company on January 3rd.
We also had some employers set up interview dates but call to cancel because they had lost a project or had some other setback. A select few are in a sustainable growth mode and need to start adding employees, but still not in the numbers that we have seen in the past.
The economy is still playing a huge role in people's hiring decisions, but it is also impacting the retirement of baby boomers. If the stock market maintains its current level or improves, there are going to be substantial numbers of baby boomers starting to retire and those vacancies will create opportunities for graduates.
This year will be a mixed bag because of the sluggish job growth. It could be a big surprise if baby boomers start to retire from their current jobs, especially in the fields where they are dominant such as state and federal governments and school districts.
Jill Randolph: I understand a 21% downsizing of teachers is expected over the next year.
Curt Schafer: This is definitely the bleakest job outlook for new teachers in quite some time. However, there will still be openings for teachers in high-demand fields and with unique skills and experience in working with special populations. School districts have traditionally been somewhat protected from budget cuts but with more states, counties and school districts declaring financial exigency, both K-12 and higher education are being forced to reduce their spending.
Since teacher salaries constitute the bulk of school district budgets, many teaching positions have been eliminated. Most states have dealt with this issue in the past year. Our Texas legislature will make those difficult decisions over the course of the next few months as they attempt to deal with a 27 billion dollar budget deficit.
Jill Randolph: What about mandatory furlough days?
Curt Schafer: Mandatory furloughs are one of the states' creative solutions. This type of program may actually prompt some people to retire. If teachers voluntarily resign, the districts can absorb some of the intended layoffs. Ironically, in some cases, if the retirees outnumber the layoffs, those districts may start hiring. The next two years will be a roller coaster ride for students who graduate from teacher preparation programs.
I discussed this topic with all of our 550 student teachers last week and moderated a presentation by a panel of school district HR professionals who painted a very realistic picture of the situation. I gave them a hand-out on alternative jobs that may keep them close to the field of education so they will be prepared to re-enter when the situation inevitable turns around.
Jill Randolph: Have you seen an increase in the number of internships due to the economy?
Curt Schafer: Companies are typically hiring both interns and full-time, but not in the numbers that they were in the past. Companies can bring on an intern for a lot less or even free, but they still have to have something for them to do and someone to train them. Through our affiliations with local Austin and San Antonio HR associations we are now seeing some ramping up in the HR field to handle increased hiring and on-boarding of interns and FT employees.
Employers are more conservative. Where they used to hire 10 people, they now hire 1 or 2 and possibly even fill an opening with an intern. If the employer can hire an intern who will work on a part-time basis, they can add that person full-time as they grow. The senior vice-president of HR for Boeing recently stated that they convert 80% of their interns, which is a bold statement on how someone breaks into that corporation.
Jill Randolph: How has searching for a job has changed from the past and how has it stayed the same?
Curt Schafer: It is still a relationship-based process and that probably will not change. What has changed is how relationships are established. It is obvious the internet has impacted this, but not to the degree that everyone thinks.
The internet has made it easier for students to research companies because the information is out there. Even small mom and pop places sometimes have their own website, but the internet has not been as effective as everyone anticipated for establishing relationships. It is useful to make an initial connection through emailing, tweeting, LinkedIn, or Facebook, but in a job search, it is the one-on-one relationships that matter.
The human connection cannot be made through the internet. It helps to facilitate and begin the networking process, but it is not a likely way to get a job. Job seekers need to make contacts that lead to one-on-one connections with the people who are hiring.
Then it inevitably comes down to the interview process, which is all about how students sell themselves. Those face-to face encounters and exchanges may increasingly take place via online video and students need to be prepared for that change.
Jill Randolph: If a student wants to relocate and they have contacts through their network on LinkedIn or an alumni association, what do you recommend they do to establish a more personal connection with their long-distance contact?
Curt Schafer: We tell our students that if they want to work in a specific city, they should visit that city and go to local networking events that are affiliated with their professional associations. That is the most logical place to start, especially if they are not intimately familiar with their targeted city.
But networking is not always logical. A student could literally be jogging along Lady Bird lake in Austin and strike up a conversation with someone who has connections with Dell, Samsung, or another employer. Networking can happen anywhere.
If students are isolated, they may need to be more creative by picking up the phone and making cold calls or conducting informational interviews. Informational interviews are often easier because asking to talk to someone about possibilities is not as hard as asking for a job. They are less intimidating, but it still takes guts and skill. It is difficult for a lot of people. Again, improvements in online video quality may expedite this and other aspects of the networking process.
Jill Randolph: Do you offer any programs to help with that process?
Curt Schafer: Students work with a career counselor individually, because it takes more than an instructor telling them they need to do an informational interview. Even if students are given a list of questions as a guide, that will not be good enough for nine out of ten people.
They need encouragement and assurance that it is not as daunting as they may think. It requires motivational coaching to get someone to the point where they feel comfortable reaching out.
Jill Randolph: What are the most common mistakes students make in their job search?
Curt Schafer: Job searchers, regardless of their age, do not spend enough time in self-reflection thinking about what they really want to do.
Secondly, despite all of the online information available, most students do not conduct the research. Employers who interview on our campus fill out a form on each student to provide feedback on their resume, professional appearance, and so forth. The two areas where they score the lowest are researching the company and knowing themselves and what they want.
The third area they could improve is putting those two components together. A smart, savvy student is going to read as much as they can about the company and figure out what they are looking for in an employee.
Sure, they read the job description, but go beyond that to thoroughly research the company, discover the core values and mission of the company, and come to the interview prepared to declare how they can contribute immediately. A savvy student will always state why they are better than any other candidates and ask for the opportunity to prove that statement.
In addition, I always add that people (not just students) are not good with following up and sending thank you notes these days. That seems to be a lost art and basic, common courtesy does make a difference when all else may be equal.
Jill Randolph: Given the level of competition in the market, what should graduates highlight about themselves in order to outshine the competition?
Curt Schafer: It goes back to tailoring the skills or experience they have to what a company is looking for. If there is an opportunity for a cover letter, it should be customized to the company and the specific job by explaining what they offer that is valuable for that position.
The people who disregard the importance of personalization to the position are the people who get left behind. The internet has lured many into a false sense of job search expertise. They think getting a template from a resume writing website and reading a blurb about how to interview effectively makes them an expert. These people miss a lot of the nuances that can really make a difference.
One of the best services our office offers is mock interviews, but students do not take advantage of it as much as they should. If they have interviewed on campus, we allow them to come back for general feedback.
We do not show the form from the employer who interviewed them, but we will draw a consensus and discuss the issues that arose. Out of all students participating in campus interviews, only about 10 percent of students come back for feedback.
Jill Randolph: Do you have any career-related books or websites that you recommend to your students?
Curt Schafer: We have a career library and numerous internet resources. Everyone is unique, and career planning and decision-making are multifaceted. When I am looking at resources, I am focused on the last student who came into the office. I am more interested in tailoring resources to an individual as opposed to having one book or website that I recommend to everyone.
My individual focus on each of the students' needs helps reinforce the fact that they need to have an individualized focus on the information they submit about themselves to prospective employers.
