2000 NACE/Chevron Award Winners
Interviewing Skills
Multimedia Web Site
Collaboration was key to the success of the Interviewing Skills Multimedia Web Site. Pictured are Maureen Beck, director of career development services, (third row at left); Anthony Karrer, associate professor of computer science, (third row, second from left); and students in Karrer’s multimedia design and production class.
To increase student participation in career planning, many career services practitioners extend their services or hours of operation. At Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, the Career Development Services (CDS) staff found a happy medium.
In May 1999, the staff launched the “Interviewing Skills Multimedia Web Site,” (http://careers.lmu.edu), a 24/7 on-line resource designed to help students and alumni succeed in the job-search process.
The site originated from a discussion between Anthony Karrer, a computer science professor and business owner, and Maureen Beck, CDS director.
Karrer told Beck that he often found job candidates ill at ease and poorly prepared for their interviews with his company.
Beck shared a corresponding challenge—generating greater student interest in mock interviews and other CDS services.
To address their mutual concerns, Beck and Karrer initiated plans for a project that would partner two university divisions: Student Affairs (Beck and the CDS staff) and Academic Affairs (Karrer and students in his multimedia design and production class).
The collaborative effort merited Beck and her team the 2000 NACE/Chevron Award. The award is presented by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and the Chevron Corporation for innovative programming in the career services field.
Informative and engaging, the Interviewing Skills Multimedia Web Site offers visitors several options to choose from: the interview journey, exploration, and reference.
The interview journey leads students and alumni through four phases of the job search: creating a resume, researching a company, dressing for an interview, and responding to interview questions. After completing the journey, visitors are scored on their responses to questions in each section.
Elsewhere on the site, the exploration section poses frequently asked interview questions and critiques the answers students and alumni provide. Additional information about interviewing and other job-search skills appears in the reference section.
The NACE/Chevron award was initiated in 1983. In recognition of its efforts, the CDS staff received a check for $1,000 and a plaque.
