Tips for Interviews

By: Sarah Henderson

If you’re like me, interviews make you very nervous, and might just be the most dreadful part of the hiring process. First, remember that it’s perfectly normal to feel nervous—most people do. Plus, it means that you care about the position you’re interviewing for. But to make the whole process a little easier, here are some tips for before, during, and after an interview!

Before the interview:

Before your interview begins, it is important to give yourself enough time to prepare. Researching the company, such as what products or services they provide, the history of their founding, and their values, is helpful for preparing possible questions to ask and showing the interviewer that you have knowledge about the company. I also find it helpful to review common interview questions and tailor them to fit the position I am applying for (i.e. “Why do you want to work here?” or “What makes you a good fit for this position?”). If you think you need more help, you can make an appointment with a Career Coach at the Chase Career Center to perfect your responses, or go through some sample questions with a friend. I also like to refamiliarize myself with the details of the position to make sure I don’t ask any questions that have already been answered in the job description and to know what to expect overall. Doing this makes me feel much more secure and prepared, but if I am still nervous about the interview, I do my best to stay calm and clear my mind. Sometimes I find that it’s best to do something relaxing, like listening to music and taking a walk. In the few minutes right before the interview begins, I usually review my notes but definitely avoid frantically doing more research. Also, don’t forget to choose an outfit in advance that will make you feel confident and professional, and make sure you have the correct time and location for the interview.

During the interview:

During the interview, I always try to make sure to stay present. Sometimes, my nerves will distract me or I will overthink my answers, which prevents me from listening to the interviewer and focusing on answering the current question. Be confident in your answers as well—sometimes if an interviewer asks you a difficult question, the most important thing they are looking for is how you answer it, not what your actual answer is. One of the best methods for answering interview questions, mainly behavioral questions, is the STAR method. Also, remember that interviews can be conversational; they don’t have to be intimidating or something to be afraid of. Towards the end of the interview when you are asked if you have any questions, be sure to ask a few! It shows that you are interested in learning more about the position. To ensure that your questions are unique and interesting, prepare a few beforehand that you may already be wondering about, and ask any questions that come up during the interview. Not only will this impress the interviewer, but it will help you decide if you want the position!

After the interview:

First and foremost, give yourself a reward! When I know that after an interview I’m going to be able to do something I enjoy, it can be very motivating and it gives me something to look forward to. You deserve to relax after a possibly-stressful interview. Another thing I like to do is take note of what I did well during the interview and what I think I should improve on, since I’m still trying to improve my own interview skills. Don’t dwell on it if it doesn't go as well as you had hoped or be discouraged from trying again; if nothing else, it was an opportunity to practice and know how to improve in the future. Doing this, along with noting certain questions that you want to prepare a better answer for next time, will also help if you get another interview at the same company. Many people also send thank you notes after interviews as another way to stand out!

Most importantly, remember to be yourself, and don’t be afraid to brag a little and show off your skills! Good luck to everyone with your interviews in the future, you’ll be amazing!

Shein: Now Worth More than Zara and H&M Combined

We all know and probably love the fashion brand Shein for its cheap prices and the vast array of fashion selections. If you’re anything like me, you always go through a moral dilemma when clicking checkout on Shein’s website. The little red devil on my shoulder whispers, “It’s just one purchase, look how cheap it is!”. Meanwhile, the angel on my other shoulder whispers, “Don’t do it, think about what you’re contributing to, the sweatshops, cheap child labor, and much more”. 

Now more than ever, there’s all the more reason to scale back your Shein and other fast fashion purchases. Shein recently hosted a massive fundraising event, as if they need any more money with annual revenues coming in at $10 billion… At this event, widely known private equity investment firm, General Atlantic, along with other massive investment firms, gave Shein between $1 and $2 billion dollars. To me, this signals that investment firms think three things:

1. They think Shein will be the leader of the cheap fashion arena for a LONG time.

2. They like Shein’s low price, wholesale business model. 

3. They didn’t stop for a second to consider Shein’s direct impact on the world’s climate issues. A company like Shein, which is now worth $100 billion dollars, simply does not need major donations.

As a business major, I can’t help but think about Shein’s current business model. Shein has established relationships with over 3000 factories in China, which enables the company to release 1000 new products on their website per day. Shein also has advanced data tools that measure the styles that perform the best on their site and churn out more of those successful products the following day. In theory, this business model is incredibly attractive from an investor standpoint. But when you consider all other aspects, like the state of these 3000 factories, the people working in these factories, the conditions and wages, and the waste that is created, Shein becomes way less attractive as a business. But if these investment firms are still donating billions of dollars to Shein, despite the company’s terrible environmental impact, it just goes to show that corporations do not care about issues like climate change and global warming. 

In recent years, I thought, as a global economy, we have made some headway in corporations acting more eco-conscious. But after Shein’s donation event, I am not so sure. To put it into perspective, Shein is now worth more than Zara and H&M combined. Shein is almost as valuable as Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Oh, and not to mention, Shein’s app was downloaded more times than Amazon’s shopping app. Shein is a powerhouse, for better or for worse, and with all these donations they recently acquired, I only foresee Shein continuing to dominate the fash fashion space

What does this mean for people like you and me? In simple terms, think twice before ordering from Shein. The prices are great, but the social and environmental cost is far greater than that $4 crop top sitting in your shopping cart. Please think before purchasing from Shein, they are an incredibly harmful company, and are doing nothing to change their ways. Supporting smaller businesses, and eco-friendly clothing companies is always the way to go, plus these companies tend to have better quality products that last much longer.

Source

Social and Study: You Can Have Both!

By: Olivia Vadnais

One thing I was constantly worried about when it came to college was being able to balance my studies with my social life and making friends. I wanted to perform well in school but I also wanted to be able to reach out and make friends in a fun and exciting new environment. Comparing my first semester to now (with only four weeks left in my freshman year), I can see how my habits have changed and shifted for the better.

A part of my study habits that have helped me tremendously this semester versus last is the ability to develop a routine for my days in order to complete work. Last semester I felt uncomfortable being alone and trying to find a perfect place to study/work between classes so I would always waste time by going back to my room. However, I have found that I am comfortable alone and work better in a different place than my room, which can tempt me to lie in bed or succumb to some other distraction. Now each day I have a routine between classes that I enjoy. Whether it be with friends or alone, I am able to be productive throughout the day.

Socially, I think this semester has allowed me to take a step back and focus on myself rather than other people. Arriving at UMass in the fall, I didn’t have a set group of friends, nor did I know many people prior to attending like I always had at home. I was so focused on putting myself out there and making friends that I would avoid studying or completing work because I said yes to any opportunity to make a friend. While that wasn’t inherently a bad thing and I did end up making some good friends, it definitely took away my productivity and added a lot of stress to my life. While I still enjoy spending time with my friends, I don’t mind taking a night off from going out or staying in and completing an assignment when everyone else wants to hang out. 

Putting both these aspects together, it may seem difficult to find a balance between the two. However, I have learned that it is not as hard as it sounds. I don’t feel the need to go out every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. If I have an assignment to complete or just need to catch up on sleep, I’m okay with staying in and I can do so without FOMO or feeling like I’m being left out of a group. I have found that the ‘Sunday Scaries’ aren’t that bad when you’ve completed almost everything by a Friday night. Of course, this isn’t always the case. Occasionally I’ll put off the essay until the last few days because I’d rather have a Harry Potter marathon and order pizza with my friends. But I think that’s the point: it’s all about balance. The memories I get to make and enjoy with those I love and appreciate sometimes outweigh getting a head start on an assignment. I think that as my college career goes on, I’ll hopefully be able to balance this even better and become an even more responsible and productive student and person.

The Best Ways to Set Goals (And Keep Them)

By: Anna Martin

As the semester is drawing to an end, I'm sure many of us have set goals for ourselves. Whether that be doing really well in your classes, wanting to get into a new habit, or simply just wanting to have a really enjoyable summer. Whatever the reason, it’s so important to not get distracted and lose sight of what you're aiming towards. Here are some tips for staying on track with your goals:

Make a Specific Plan
Although it seems like the most obvious, it’s also the most important. Studies have shown you’re 2x to 3x more likely to stick to your goals if you draw out a plan for them. Instead of saying “I want to start cooking at home more,” try saying “I will try to make myself a homemade meal 3x a week for a month.” Not only does this help motivate you, but this gives you a more realistic approach. It's also really helpful to make goals that you can incorporate into your daily life, like drinking a glass of water after eating breakfast.

Get a Better Focus
I’m sure many of us have goals that we want to accomplish simultaneously. However, trying to juggle more than one at the same time can hurt you more than helping you, and you might end up losing the motivation to complete your goals. This is known as “goal competition” where your goals are essentially trying to compete with one another for your time and attention. One way to handle this is to eliminate the smaller goals so that you can really focus on your bigger goals without having more distractions. Another way is to reorganize your goals, prioritizing the ones more important to you, then focusing on them one at a time. Just remember to give yourself some space so that your other goals can fully blossom.

Set an Upper Bound
Whenever we make plans for ourselves, we are so used to saying, “I will do at least…..” But why limit ourselves to doing the minimum when we can do more? By implementing an upper bound, you might be surprised to see how much more you can do. Instead, try saying “I want to do at least…… but not more than……” You want to be able to see progress and continue to show up for yourself. And if you keep showing up for yourself, you’ll get closer and closer to reaching your goals.

Overall, setting goals for yourself can be really helpful if you need some extra motivation. Whether you’re a big dreamer or someone who likes to set smaller, more approachable goals, I hope you’ll find these tips useful. Just keep doing you because you got this girl!

Sources:

https://jamesclear.com/goal-setting

Benefits of Taking Summer Classes

By: Riley Bailey

With the spring semester coming to a close, I bet you are SO excited for a break. I mean, I know I am. However, have you ever thought about the benefits of taking classes over the summer sessions? It’s something I’ve been doing ever since I was a freshman and I seriously do not regret it!

If you’re interested but need a break, I have a solution for you. There are two sessions. On Spire they’re called “UWW Summer Session 1” and “UWW Summer Session 2.” Summer Session 1 this year starts on May 19, 2022 and goes until July 1, 2022. Therefore, if you’re interested but don’t want the summer classes to fill up your entire break, you can just do the first session and have the second half of summer all to yourself. Another option is to take the 2nd session which is from July 11, 2022 and goes until August 19, 2022. You would have the entire first half of the summer off if you were to decide to take that route. Or if you’re interested in doing both sessions, you can do that too!

Some benefits to taking summer classes are that you can get ahead on credits, catch up on credits, or even get some gen eds done so you can focus primarily on your major for the rest of your college career. You realistically can take any class you want over the summer sessions so whatever class you need, and if they’re offering it, you can get it done! I am graduating an entire year early thanks to taking advantage of the summer and winter courses offered during our breaks. Another advantage is that you basically take the class at your own pace. Yes, your professors will assign due dates but everything else is primarily up to you to get done on your own time. There are no zoom meetings or face-to-face interactions so you will most definitely be learning the course material on your own. However, professors are extremely helpful and are always available to chat if you don’t understand a concept.

Have I convinced you yet? If so, summer classes are extremely easy to sign up for. You can go right onto Spire and in the left-hand corner, press on “Main Menu.” From there you will scroll down to “Enrollment” and you will see an option that says “Summer/Wtr/Non-deg Enroll Appt.” If you just click on that, Spire will prompt you to sign up for an enrollment appointment. Right from there, you will automatically be able to enroll in the classes just as you would from the enrollment shopping cart in a normal semester. 

Overall, I highly recommend taking advantage of the summer courses offered through University Without Walls here at UMass. It has helped me a ton throughout my college career and I’m extremely grateful to have been taking them. It keeps you thinking throughout the summer and has helped with the transition from summer break into the fall semester. I hope you will consider taking some classes over the summer and if you end up doing it, then good luck!