Job Seeking and Interviewing Tips for P&S Applicants
The scope of your work search depends on the type(s) of position(s) and locations you are willing to consider.
Deciding on and finding the right job for you depends on a number of factors:
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Your education, skills, and experiences
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The type of work you are willing to commit to performing
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Your ability and willingness to work as an individual or as a member of a team
You can research the availability of the type of work you are seeking at the University by Jobs@uiowa, print and online ads, or speaking with friends and people in the hiring departments.
Jobs@uiowa features a convenient online application process for all Professional and Scientific job postings. Some positions require the full application, while others require a resume and minimal related information, both submitted through the online application process. Jobs@uiowa includes a Search Agent tool that allows you to create automated job searches to regularly review only the job listings that match your criteria. If you provide an email address, these search results will be sent to you at regular intervals based on your settings.
The initial contact with the hiring department, whether it is by a phone call, email, a face-to-face meeting, or your application, can set the tone of the application process.
Application should be made in response to specific postings on Jobs@uiowa or ads that you see three to four months prior to your available start date. Some postings request a cover letter , which should:
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Be included with the application submitted to an employing department
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Include an address and a phone number at which you can be reached.
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Identify which position(s) or type(s) of work you are seeking
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Highlight one to three significant items that will draw the interviewer’s attention to the application itself
A well-written application is just one part of the job seeking process. If you have extensive experience and/or training, you may want to review what you have included to be sure that it is all necessary information that will catch the employer’s eye/interest.
Your application should be updated whenever there is a significant change in the following information: additional related education, skills, or experience, name, address, phone number, or references.
A typical face-to-faceinterview includes introductions, discussion of the job duties, questions to determine your related training and experience, and a summation of the selection process. The interview may be conducted by an individual or by a committee.
Interviewers look for a number of things when interviewing a candidate for a position:
- Promptness in getting to the interview
- Appropriate attire
- Friendly speaking manner and body posture
- The applicant’s ability to give specific examples when asked to explain work-related training and/or experience
- Thoughtful work-related questions
TIP : One of the most important skills that an employer looks for today is:
The ability to learn a skill and to apply or transfer that skill to a number of situations; in other words, having "learned how to learn." This includes the ability to actively listen and to respond appropriately.
Typical questions that may be asked during the interview:
- Have you have been responsible for performing ________ type duties?
- Describe what your responsibilities were.
- Describe in detail a particularly difficult situation that you have had to handle.
- What have you found to be the most frustrating part of this type of responsibility, and why?
- What have you found to be the most rewarding part of this type of responsibility, and why?
- When you are given an assignment, how do you organize your time and materials?
- Give a specific example that demonstrates your organizational skills.
- Describe a specific situation when you have been part of a team. What was your specific role? What did you find the most satisfying about this experience and what was the most frustrating thing about it?
- Describe a time when you were solely responsible for the outcome of an assignment. Give specifics regarding how you set up and accomplished the assignment.
- This position requires that you perform ___________ duties. Give specific examples of when you have done each of these functions.
- Is there anything that we have not covered related to your ability to perform the duties of this position that I need to know?
- Do you have any questions for me?
After the interview , you should send a thank-you note and include:
- Your continued interest in the position and the department.
- A specific asset that you have and how you think it will benefit the department and its customers.
- How you can be reached if any additional information is needed.