First impressions matter, so it’s important to enter the new year feeling prepared and confident. If you’re getting ready for an upcoming job or internship interview, consider using this opportunity to showcase the leadership skills you’ve gained by participating in FFA.
When interviewing potential hires, Cassandra Garrity, human resources manager for FFA corporate partner Lincoln Electric, says her recruiting team looks for several character and personality traits.
Cassandra Garrity says her recruiting team looks for several traits when interviewing potential Lincoln Electric employees.
“It varies by position, but some comprehensive traits we seek are punctuality, being mechanically inclined for production-based roles, a willingness to learn and an eagerness to gain new skills,” Garrity says. “We also look for candidates who possess great attention to detail, the ability to communicate respectfully across all levels of the organization and an awareness for maintaining a culture of safety in the work environment.”
There are things you can do now to become more professional and career ready, even if you are young. Garrity recommends attending mock interviews and learning how to relate interview questions to proper life experiences, including both volunteer and work experiences.
“While interviewing, managers want to know how candidates will react in real-life work situations and often ask behavior-based interview questions,” she says. “Learning the STAR method – Situation, Task, Action and Result – when answering these types of questions shows you can articulate a problem, identify a solution and discuss the outcome, which can then be applied to work situations.”
The STAR method is an interview technique that can help you remember to include key details when telling a story. Situation means setting the scene, and Task refers to describing what your responsibility was in that situation. Action explains the steps you took to address it, followed by Result, which means sharing the positive outcomes your actions achieved.
Here are Garrity’s top five tips for acing your next job or internship interview.
1. Arrive early and dress professionally. Have copies of your most up-to-date resume on hand.
2. Show confidence in your replies. Making eye contact is an easy way to accomplish this, even if you’re nervous. Remember it’s OK to ask an interviewer to repeat or clarify a question.
3. Do your research on the employer and position. Have questions prepared to ask the interviewer about the position, company or even the interviewer’s own career growth.
4. Use the STAR method when you’re replying to behavior-based interview questions.
5. Practice and learn from prior interviews. Practicing skills makes conversations seem more natural, which means you’ll feel more relaxed when answering questions in the future.
Looking to test your abilities in the employment process and explore careers in agriculture? Consider competing in the National FFA Employment Skills Leadership Development Event. Learn more at ffa.org/participate/ldes/employment-skills/.
