Interview Mistakes

Overall, I agree with the 10 interview mistakes the website selected to be the biggest. I think the best thing you can do going into an interview (or in many other situations) is be confident. If you know that you are a qualified job candidate and you are fully prepared for the interview, there is no reason that you won't do well. The first mistake the website lists--not to ask stupid questions--seems to be a particularly difficult one to perfect. Formulating a question that is not addressed on a company's website or on any other interactions you have with the company before the interview is difficult. There are times when I have found myself unable to come up with an intelligent, legitimate question for an interviewer. I think the biggest tip that the website offers is a pretty basic one that is nonetheless often overlooked. Practice. It is important to anticipate some difficult questions the interviewer may present and give yourself time to create an intelligent, concise answer. This will prevent you from struggling and stumbling through that question in the actual interview.

I have gone through three interviews recently for different positions on campus. Two interviews were done for a large audience and one was just me and three interviewers. I felt like two of the interviews went very well while the third was alright but not great. I had failed to practice answering some tough questions that I encountered during the difficult interview and this, of course, led to less than stellar responses. I felt very confident going into my two better interviews. I think this is a big reason why I felt good about the results. I wasn't nervous or stumbling over my words. This gave the impression of being competent and well prepared.

Overall I feel good about my abilities in a job interview. It is getting the interview with very little work experience that is the trouble.

The Big One

Given the choice to blog about any one topic of interest to me on the first Sunday in February, I'll choose the Superbowl every time. Superbowl 43, while it fails to contain either the Cowboys or the Panthers, provides an intriguing match-up. The Cardinals didn't exacly soar into the playoffs. Losing 4 of their last 6 games had sports analysts discussing whether it is fair that teams from extremely weak divisions (NFC West) get an automatic bid when other teams from more competitive divisions get left out. However, once they got to the playoffs the Cardinals have looked more like the St. Louis Rams from 2001, the last team that their current quarterback Kurt Warner led to the superbowl. The team that earned the nickname "the greatest show on turf."

The Steelers on the other hand have been a picture of consistency. Their strength definitely lies in their remarkable defense, which is ranked #1 in the NFL in virtually all major catagories. Add a decent offense that somehow manages to function despite Ben Roethlisberger's propensity to hold on the the ball way too long, and you have a very dangerous team. Certainly the team to beat according to sports betters all over the country.

I find myself compelled to cheer for the underdog Cardinals in this one. To adopt the Steelers as my team for this game would be equivalent to cheering for Apollo Creed to knock out Rocky Balboa. Not to mention it would go against my every instinct as a Cowboys fan (meeting the Steelers in 3 superbowls breeds contempt.) However, despite my disdain for the Steelers I do think they are the better team and will prove so tonight. However, I'm taking the Cardinals with the spread (+7).


Steelers 23- Cardinals 17.

In one decade

It is exciting to think about where your life will take you in the next 10 years. Should my ambitions to develop a formula for winning the lottery fail, I would like to be working for a professional sports team. Specifically, I'll be employed in the Dallas Cowboys organization working with ticket sales and community relations. Selling tickets is made easier by the fact that by now the cowboys are back on top of the NFL, winning 3 Superbowls in the last 5 years. I would love to live in Dallas, an atmosphere with big city excitement, southern hospitality, and moderate winter temperatures. This job would be perfect for me as it combines my love for sports and the Cowboys with my desire to work with other people. This job would also have strong potential for advancement, with my goal to eventually become the Chief Operating Officer.

As far as my personal life goes, ideally I will have found a special someone and be married by the time I'm 30. We will be living a comfortable lifestyle in a small house we were recently able to acquire. It is very strange (and frightening) for me to think that in just 10 years I could have kids of my own. If I didn't have children by 30 I would like to have plans for children in the near future. In 10 years I will have gotten my MBA which increases my qualifications for good, high paying jobs.

This is where I would like to find myself in 10 years. Having reached my potential in terms of education, enjoying my job in the field of sports which I am passionate about, and having a family to love and spend time with.

Responding to Web 2.0

Let me begin by telling you that the pinnacle of my technological competency was reached a week ago when I created this blog. With that in mind, you can understand how much of this video was very confusing to me. However, the basic point is powerful and impossible to miss, even for the least technically savvy among us. Our world is changing. The way we work, the way we spend our free time, the way we communicate is now dominated by computers and the Internet. Recent breakthroughs have made this powerful technology possible for average, casual computer users like me instead of being reserved for astute computer coders.

This is especially affecting the work environment. Advanced computer skills such as the ability to design a web page are a huge advantage for job-seekers. The web has also improved the job hunting process. Sites like monster.com and careerbuilders.com make it easier to post information about yourself and find potential job opportunities. That works both ways; however, as it brings more potential job candidates to the attention of employers. In this way it creates more competition for job openings. Also, employers are increasingly checking the web and sites like facebook for personal information on job candidates.

A number of current employees have adjusted to and adopted technological advances that are being called web 2.0. However, I think there is still a large number that are as confused as I am when it comes to new technology. They may also be intimidated by higher technological requirements in their work place. An employee that is able to adapt to new technologies as they are developed have a higher chance of success in their office.

The title of the video is very thought-provoking. It indicates that we are the machine, meaning that we created the Internet and it is the million of users adding to it everyday that feed it. It also writes that the machine is using us, saying that we are becoming increasingly dependent on the web for everyday functions such as communicating with friends and looking up information.

These changes are challenging the way we traditionally think of certain concepts. A couple of related concepts that I found particularly intriguing was the idea that we will need to rethink copyrights and authorship. There is such a tremendous quantity of free-flowing information on the Internet that it is harder to enforce copyrights and plagiarism laws than it is in traditional media forms. We will need to come up with world-wide methods to enforce copyright laws and insure credit is given to those who deserve it.

This video is very effective in provoking thought and asking challenging questions that we will need to answer as our world moves becomes a more advanced and globalized society.

Introduction

Hey Everyone,

My name is Kevin and I'm a sophomore Economics major here at Clemson. Who knows what I'll do with that after I graduate; getting a job somewhere in the business world is as far as my career goals have been mapped out. Ideally I would be doing something in the sports industry. I love all kinds of sports, especially Clemson football and basketball. I enjoy traveling to Clemson football games even though I've seen one win in the seven games I've been to away from Death Valley. I'm also a fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Dallas Cowboys, two teams that wrapped up the 2008 football season with humiliating defeats. So I am as ready as anybody to move into the new year.

I was born and grew up in Huntsville, AL. If you've ever heard of it, I'm willing to bet you went to space camp when you were younger. Beyond one of NASA's primary research and development facilities, there is not a whole lot there. I came to Clemson after looking at probably ten schools throughout the southeast because I really felt at home on campus here and it was a strong school academically. Plus I heard that a good percentage of the student body shared my interst in watching and playing sports. I love to play football, basketball, and ultimate frisbee so if you're ever looking to get a game together I want in. So far I've loved everything about Clemson and I am looking forward to another fun semester and meeting everyone in class. Go Tigers!

Kevin Crandall