The keys to selling yourself

Which is more important to an employer - a prestigious degree or work experience?

A degree from a recognised university is not as important as relevant work experience, says Satinee. "It's not about whether you graduated from Chulalongkorn University or Thammasat. It's about what kind of job you're applying for and whether you're capable of doing it. Most organisations feel it works best for them if they don't have to provide extra training."

Students should start thinking about what they're good at and what they want to do in the future - or at least what field they want to work in - before choosing their study programme at university, she suggests.

"It's virtually impossible for a student with an accounting degree to apply for a secretary's position and get the job. Those who study accountancy will have an accountant's personality. If you don't want to work in the field you're studying, why study it in the first place?"

When recruiting staff in the hotel and travel business, for example, organisations look for people who know something about booking. "You'll succeed over the other candidates because you at least have some years of experience while studying."

Satinee suggests students try to get an internship or a part-time job to learn about the difficulties of working with people and how to prepare for them.

"In the real working world you have to get up early regularly, you can't have snacks whenever you want and you can't just skip work to do personal errands like you do when studying. At school, you have an easy life and can do whatever you want because your parents pay for your study and they won't give up on you. But working life is not that convenient. You can get fired!"

English-language skills are always important, she says. "At a minimum, you must be able to correspond via e-mail in English."

A resume and application letter reflect an applicant's personality. Being concise is the key, says Satinee. "I can tell if the applicants are practical or nonsensical. Some applicants give their name, age and marital status and talk about what their family does and after three sentences I still don't know who they are. No recruiter wants to know about the applicant's family unless it's beneficial to the post they're applying for, such as in public relations.

"Something like 'I believe in doing good, etc, etc' is irrelevant. Instead, applicants should write about their achievements, their qualifications and what experiences they have that will help them succeed in the new post - and why they quit their previous job."

Avoid e-mail addresses that show immaturity such as cutie@yahoo.com and janjan@hotmail.com. "I want to hire people with substance. The working world is serious business," Satinee emphasises.

"When they devote time to extracurricular school activities, it shows they aren't selfish. Playing sports shows they value sportsmanship, while being the head of an association means they possess leadership skills."

A good resume and application letter are the best routes to an interview appointment, she says. "I look for people with a good personality and positive attitude," she says.

Satinee pays attention to details such as being on time, dress, manners and tone of voice. "Make sure you turn off your mobile phone during an interview," she says.

Attitudes can be read through the applicant's answers to interview questions. Satinee says she doesn't ask common questions such as 'What are your strengths and weaknesses?' because she knows the applicants are prepared for these. Instead, be ready to answer simple questions like "What do you do when you have free time?", "Do you help your parents with household chores?" and "Do you prefer to go to the movies or listen to the radio?"

"To have a well-rounded personality you need to go know what's going on in the outside world. It's not right just to stay at home and search the Internet all day."

An example of a more serious question would be: "If you could correct one thing from your past, what would it be?"

Satinee also stresses the survival instinct. "Thai students are not prepared to live in the real world. They need to prove [during an interview] how they're going to survive in the organisation and how well they can handle challenges. When they encounter difficulty, will they simply give up? If not, how will they cope with it?"

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By Rojana Manowalailao

The Nation