Job Interviews

So, today I went to my first job interview this morning at 10 a.m. Honestly, I thought it was going to suck, but in reality, it was not half bad. Anybody knows that job interviews are never any fun, but they do give you a chance to figure out if you are still interested in working for the company. After the job interview I was in, I did not feel confident that I should be working here. I did not think it was the best fit for me as a person and as a student. The interview gives the interviewer an opportunity to see if you are truly the right candidate for the job.

This job interview was somewhat nice because I was not being interviewed by an adult. I was being interviewed by fellow University of Minnesota students. The job interview was for the Minnesota Daily, the largest student-run newspaper in the country. I sat in a conference room and answered about ten to fifteen minutes worth of questions. Then, I had to take a forty-five minute writing test, which was not all that difficult. When I finished the interview, I thought I did an okay job being it was my very first job interview in my life. I learned a lot about what to expect during interviews, and even if I do not get the job, I see the interview as a positive experience that will lead me to more opportunities, paths, and jobs down the road.

In the tough economy, it is important to learn good, quality interview skills that you can take with you to any job opening because the interview is usually the only face-to-face time you have with an employer. Interviews are informational. There are two main goals to accomplish in an interview. The first goal is to sell your skills,strengths, and abilities in an enthusiastic, positive way to show the interviewer you are the top candidate for the job. The second goal is to ask questions about the organization and the work environment to see if you are still interested in working for the company after the interview is over.

Interviews can be scary and nerve-racking. A good idea is to turn your nerves into energy and excitement. There are so many basics to interviewing like a firm hand shake, maintaining eye contact, dressing appropriately, listening carefully, speaking clearly, and being honest. The best way to prepare for an interview is to rehearse and practice. Visit your career center at your school, and they will probably be more than welcome to sit down with you, and maybe even sit with you through a mock interview. Go over possible questions that the interviewer might ask and come up with potential answers to those questions. Research the company/organization before the interview to make sure you are still interested in the job and to see what the specific qualifications for the job are.

What do you bring to an interview? Typically, you bring a pen, a notebook, a folder, copies of resumes, contact information for references, a smile, and a positive attitude. If you are truly excited about the position, show it to the employer. Overall, the best way to prepare is to rehearse, but do not over rehearse because the purpose of the interview is for the interviewer to get to know the real you. So, do not lie, but do not undersell your skills. You have a lot to offer. If an employer asks about your weaknesses, briefly describe them and then tell the employer what you are doing to improve your weaknesses. Interviewers want to know if you are capable of handling the responsibilities of the position.

In conclusion, an interview is an exchange of information. As an interviewee, it is your chance to get to know and understand the basic functions of the company. The interview may be your final way of making an impression before the interviewer makes a decision. You have to stand out from the pack, but you have to be yourself.

Friday the 13th

For many people, Friday the 13th is a superstitious day. Supposedly, it is the unluckiest day on the entire calendar. When the number thirteen falls on a Friday, people become extra careful that bad happenings do not occur to them. I am not quite familiar with the history behind Friday the 13th, but I am aware of the irrelevance of the date and other superstitions like walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, and having a black cat cross your path. Why blame an innocent black cat for a misfortune? How can breaking a mirror directly cause seven years of bad luck? Most important, does Friday the 13th really bring misfortune and terrible luck? In my opinion, cats are the greatest creatures on earth, and they have no way of determining what is going to happen to you later on. Breaking a mirror will not influence your next seven years because a mirror is not the center of your fate. Also, one day and one number put together is not the reason for errors, mistakes, and bad luck.

I have been thinking about superstitions and luck a lot more recently, and I have realized the idea of superstition and luck is opposite that of destiny and fate. There are many ways to look at these two concepts. The idea of destiny is believing in an outside force that controls the events in your life and that everything happens for a reason. The idea of superstition and luck is that events happen by chance. In other words, there is a probability something will happen. If something occurs, it is by accident, or it is a coincidence.

For me, I strongly believe in destiny, and there is a reason behind everything in this universe. God is the center of the universe, and he has everything planned out till the very last moments of life. I do not think things can occur by accident no matter how unlikely the events may be on paper. If you are having a bad day, that day is not going to determine how well your day is tomorrow. If you are having a string of bad luck, your next choice or event is determined by God alone, not by what happened in the past. Life is a series of independent events and choices because God is the supreme authority over everything we do and decide. Life is a series of independent events in the fact that yesterday is gone, today is new, and tomorrow is still yet to come, so do not worry. However, you can also think of life as a series of dependent events. For example, texting while driving leads to injury in a car or driving drunk leads to jail time. So, Why do we have Friday the 13th besides for the fact that it is a date on the calendar?

I think "luck" exists, but not in the same way that you are probably thinking of the term luck. "Bad luck" or misfortune happens because you have the wrong mind-set in certain situations, you have a negative attitude in achieving a goal, you have a lack of confidence in the good that you can do, and you do not see life events as positive opportunities or eye-opening experiences.

"Good luck" happens when you see the glass half full instead of half empty. It happens when you have a positive attitude and a positive mind-set. It occurs when you have full confidence in your abilities, gifts, and skills to do good on this earth. It is when you have the confidence and perseverance that you can accomplish anything through Jesus Christ who gives you strength to face each and every day.

Do you want "good luck"? Then, rely on God because there is always good waiting for those who follow him intimately to the end of days. God controls what happens to you on any day of the week, good or bad, including on Friday the 13th. Just like any other day, it should be a day of rejoice and praise because it is a day that the Lord has made. When the next Friday the 13th roles around, do not worry, embrace the day, and use bad happenings in your life to see the true purpose of God's magnificent vision.

Book Review: "Coming Back Stronger" by Drew Brees

Every one remembers the dramatic, exciting Super Bowl win this year for the 2010 Champion New Orleans Saints as they beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in a superb fashion. It was a great achievement for the fans and residents of New Orleans after the horrific catastrophe of Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. After the hurricane, homes were submerged underwater, buildings were demolished, and it was one of the deadliest hurricanes in United States history. Some New Orleans' residents packed up their belonging and moved to other parts of the country before the storm hit to be with family members in safe places. Others were less fortunate, and either took refuge inside the Superdome (Home of the Saints), they had to be rescued days later, or died.

I give my total respect to the Colts and their fabulous 16 win season. I think Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. However, the Super Bowl win for the city of New Orleans was destiny. I am not totally positive, but I believe the win was a part of God's plan to show that he was not done with the state of Louisiana, specifically the city of New Orleans. There was still work to be done in New Orleans. The championship gave the people of New Orleans hope for a better future in their rebuilding city.

The journey of how the Saints organization went from paper bags to the top of the football mountain is an amazing story. Saints football was the one thing that brought the people closer together to produce hope for better days, to rebuild, to restructure, and to win a championship. The Saints' success story is God's happening, but it would not be at all possible without the leadership, determination, and Christ-like attitude of Drew Brees.

Drew Brees originally played the quarterback position at Purdue University in Indiana. Then, Drew was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played for San Diego from 2001-2005. Then, Brees became a free agent, and he decided to take his talents and services to New Orleans where he signed in March of 2006. Remember, Katrina took place in 2005 right before Brees' signing, so Drew made a real difficult decision, but a choice led by God in hopes of resurrecting and reviving the Saints franchise, the devastated city, and its people. Drew Brees is truly a man of God. He has been a saint on and off the football field. The Saints' story is an inspiring one. It shows that anything is possible through God if you have faith and trust in him. God can do miraculous things if you obey and follow his words and ways. Like Drew Brees said in his book, "See adversity as an opportunity." The hard parts of life can be opportunities if you have the positive mind-set, the right attitude, and the vision of Jesus Christ.

Read Drew's book, "Coming Back Stronger." If you think you are not the type of person who can be motivated by a book or a speaker, think again because this book will have you jumping out of your bed each morning equipped for a good day, ready with a positive attitude, and seeing God's wonderful purpose for you. Besides the Bible, this book is my new favorite. It has something for everybody. The book has a positive message, it is easy to understand, everyone can relate to at least one of Drew's experiences, and there are multiple things to learn from each chapter. I highly recommend reading this phenomenal piece of work.

Not to give anything away, let me share some interesting quotes from the book. "It is not where you start in life, but rather how you finish." "Any situation, no matter how bad, can ultimately make you stronger." "If God leads you to it, he will lead you through it." There are many more inspirational messages and sayings inside of the book. I have now seen the perspectives of two Christian NFL quarterbacks, Kurt Warner and Drew Brees. I absolutely love reading about Christian professional athletes and the work that they do because these athletes share their stories, and it has inspired me to follow God more intimately and closely in order to fulfill his purpose for me.

I hope when you read a book like the one by Drew Brees, you might feel the same way as I do. It is amazing how God can use people's life stories through books and writing to touch the lives of others. This book is not a football book. You do not have to know anything about football in order to read it. "Coming back Stronger" is a memoir that can be easily understandable for anyone who feels inspired or led to read this autobiography. I suggest you read this book, but I also suggest you read the one by Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda, "First Things First." Enjoy the reading!