HAZLETON, Pa. – Volunteers are being sought for a new career services program at Penn State Hazleton designed to help students develop professional interviewing and communication skills.
The Interview Coach program, scheduled to begin in the spring semester, will allow students to gain rewarding career experience by participating in mock interviews with volunteers from a variety of professional backgrounds.
Offered in one-on-one or group, interviews will be conducted virtually or by phone with plans to add face-to-face interviews.
Students can request interviews be general in nature or specific to a program or major at Penn State. Students are encouraged to give their resume to the coach and dress professionally. Students in need of professional clothing may request use of the Career Closet.
After the interview, coaches will provide students with immediate feedback and follow up with any additional notes or suggestions.
Helpful resources, including a guide of best practices, sample interview questions and feedback forms, will be provided to all coaches prior to their interviews.
“Because interviewing can be a source of anxiety, interviewers should be welcoming and understanding, especially when providing constructive feedback,” said Career Services Coordinator Kaity Krasucki. “Mock interviews should be a safe place for students to make mistakes and increase their confidence.”
Volunteers may include professionals and employers, as well as current or retired Penn State Hazleton staff, faculty, administrators and alumni.
Interview coaches are being sought with backgrounds in business (management, marketing, accounting), corporate communication, criminal justice, engineering, finance, health policy administration, information sciences and technology, project and supply chain management, psychology, rehabilitation and human services, medical laboratory technology, physical therapy and nursing.
Experience in foreign languages, physical and social sciences, mathematics, media studies and education are also welcome.
Krasucki said she expects to extend the program to alumni after it is piloted to students.
To volunteer as an interview coach, visit https://bit.ly/InterviewCoachVolunteers. Volunteers will be accepted throughout remainder of the 2020-21 academic year.
Interested volunteers seeking more information can contact Interview Coach program coordinators Kaity Krasucki at kak6071@psu.edu or 570-450-3566 or Ellen Raineri, assistant teaching professor of business, at emr13@psu.edu or 570-450-3136.
For more information on career services at Penn State Hazleton, visit https://hazleton.psu.edu/career-services.