“After attending the mentoring sessions, I’m confident that my revised resume and cover letter will help me secure a job that I’m passionate about in the future.” Ayana Underwood

The Fall 2018 Semester offered two 3-week mentoring sessions for students graduating this upcoming winter or spring to receive job and interview advice from Professor Bette Rockmore. The sessions took place in September and October and met on a weekly basis for three weeks at the Midtown Campus, where students were able to work with their peers and Professor Rockmore to help refine their job searching skills to prepare them for the completion of the program.

On the first day, the students were encouraged to bring their resumes and cover letters to be reviewed by their peers and Professor Rockmore. Advice was given on an individual basis and students were able to ask questions about formatting and what to include/what not to include on their documents.

The second day, Professor Rockmore brought in Matt Ammentorp, Manager, Finance, at Sirius XM Radio, to talk with the students and give a different perspective on the interview process, both as someone who has interviewed and hired employees and someone who has been interviewed and hired many times himself. Students were taught about what to expect in an interview environment, including how to dress, show enthusiasm, and follow-up afterward.

On the final day of the sessions, each student was asked possible interview questions and with the help of Professor Rockmore, they refined their answers until they were all interview ready. The students left the final day of the sessions feeling confident about their new interview and job searching skills and ready to get a start on their publishing careers.

Bryan Potts, one of the students who attended the first session, had this to say about how it helped him: “Professor Rockmore also showed us how to make a great impression in interviews, what language to watch out for, and how to rephrase our weaknesses into strengths, all useful skills to have while applying for jobs.”

Brenna Haney, who attended the second session had similar praise to give: “Working with Professor Rockmore while also hearing from my peers about their job searching experiences helped give me a well-rounded understanding of what to expect once I complete my degree in the spring.”