Author Archives: Jenice Armstead

About Jenice Armstead

Dr. Jenice Armstead is a military veteran, author, motivational speaker, Professor and Academic Business Department Chair with over 17 years professional experience in the public and private sector. Jenice’s expertise covers human resources, business management, the federal hiring process and government hiring policy. She understands the significance of human capital value for organizational development. She has an exceptional aptitude for teaching difficult topics with practical approaches. Jenice has a MBA with a Concentration in Human Resources from Saint Leo University and a Doctorate of Business Administration from Jones International University.

Answering Job Interview Questions on Education

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Education comes in all arrays of quality. We all know that education is vital in today’s job market and education is important for many different reasons. The fact is you don’t have to have a degree to be considered educated, but you do have to have proof that you completed the educational program that which you are claiming you acquired the knowledge from.

During interviews selecting officials will want to know: What courses you liked most while attending school? and What courses did you least like? This question is steered toward the selecting official finding out more about you and what types of interests you have. This could be a mode of examining your personality traits or it could mean more. It all depends on what type of job you are interviewing for.

The next question of: Why did you choose your course of study? This question is pretty self explanatory, in the fact that the selecting official wants to know why you choose the course of study that you did. This question is asked with the intentions of understanding the applicant’s passion. Be honest and be short. Don’t give a long answer; the selecting official doesn’t want to know your whole life story. Keep it short and sweet unless they ask additional questions, if more questions are asked in this regard – make is short and sweet.

The selecting official wants to know if you prepared for the interview and what you did to prepare. So they will ask you to discuss your background in terms of how it has prepared you for the job you are applying. This is a question of character and needs to be explained in general detail. For example, if you were applying for a information technician position you would discuss your certifications and repeat your answer of your educational background this would be of great help. Talk about what you desired to be as a young adult and elaborate job history details – even if you have already discussed your job history – repeat yourself. Selecting officials love it when you repeat facts, because it reassures them you are telling the truth.

REMEMBER: BE HONEST. You will be selected over another candidate who wasn’t as truthful. The truth will allow you to shine and become employed faster than not being honest at all.

For more information on answering job interview questions check out my Pep Talk Books

Saint Leo University Technology Showcase

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Saint Leo University hosted a “Technology Showcase” on August 19, 2013, at the Main Campus in the Donald R. Tapia, School of Business building. It was an honor to stroll upon the campus grounds, which I earned my Associates in Arts, Bachelors in Business and Masters in Business. All professors and staff were invited to attend and learn about all of the new aged technology for higher learning.

The Technology Showcase featured tons of information for all Saint Leo staff and students to learn about. Some of the technologies included: Smart Boards, video teaching, Prezi and eCollege workshops. The Technology Showcase provided the chance for inaction with “how” all of the technology worked and functioned. The presentation provided professors with options to create richer learning environments for our students. This

Technology Showcase provided useful information and practical interactive features, BRAVO!  Thank you to Saint Leo University for a wonderful event!

For more information about Saint Leo University go to www.saintleo.edu

Photography by:  Jenice Armstead

Saint Leo School of Business

Saint Leo School of Business

Saint Leo - Military Heritage

Saint Leo – Military Heritage

Saint Leo University 2013 Technology Showcase

Saint Leo University 2013 Technology Showcase

Applying for Government Jobs

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Job security is important. People need job stability and benefits. There is job security in government positions, along with providing benefits and more. Many government agencies are receiving special hiring funding for creating new jobs in all career fields of the federal sector.

Government agencies are having problems finding eligible and qualified people to fill the positions. That’s right! Government agencies are having problems finding candidates, because the public isn’t applying for the government jobs. The positions that are needed to be filled range from: grounds keepers, administration assistants, secretaries, engineers, forest rangers, information technicians, legal assistants and the list goes on and on. Many people who are taking advantage of opportunities, being found qualified, and ultimately hired into the governmental industry, and you can too.

There are some keys factors when it comes to applying to government positions. First of all, you need to create or update a profile on the main “free” government website USAJOBs. Most federal government jobs are posted on this website for the public to apply for. Although, some federal agencies fill jobs using private sector staffing agencies, most use USAJOBs as their main job announcement forum. USAJOBs allows applicants to look for specific positions, and the application process is extremely easy to follow.

Search for your desire job, directly apply to any job announcement that is posted to the public and upload your documents. Applicants can conduct an advance search which allows for exact location and salary preferences to be determined by the applicant. For more information on how to apply for government jobs, check out my book “10 Tips for Applying to Government Jobs.”

How to Write a Federal Resume

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Many applicants do not know how to write a resume for federal positions or where to apply for positions.  USAJOBS is the Federal Government’s official one-stop source for federal jobs and employment information. The majority of all available federal positions can be found via that site.

After creating an account the next step will be to create the resume.  USAJOBS provides two methods for creating the resume, Build or Upload.  This article is design to discuss some key things to have in the resume regardless of which method is used for creating the resume.

There are a few methods for writing and creating a federal resume, the first key is to review the major duties of the job announcement. You MUST “mirror” your resume on the major duties and the KSA’s (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) to ensure you have all the information required to meet the minimum qualifications for the position you are applying for.

You need to create a word document and type your “basic” resume up in your desired format. Once you have your basic resume, make a folder for other more specific resumes you may need to create for positions you may apply for. Once you have your basic resume completed you will be able to edited the basic resume and tailor it toward other positions.

Second, in order to tailor your resume, I suggest you copy and paste the “major duties” section of the job announcement you are going to apply to into your basic resume and explain in detail how you meet the “major duties” of that particular job announcement. You can do this in bullet format, or in a standard resume format. Either way, you need to custom tailor your resume in order to receive full qualification consideration from the agency advertising the job announcement.

If your basic resume doesn’t state those exact “major duties” you may not be found qualified for the job announcement. Don’t be afraid to contact the point of contact on the job announcement. If there is a number or an email address, you may contact that point of contact to ask about the major duties, KSAs or if your application was received or not.

The bottom line is to custom your resume toward the job announcement in order to ensure your application receives the attention it deserves. Keep in mind, if you over state your qualifications your application can be discarded. Be honest, detailed and exact. All the best to you on your achieving your federal career.

Introduction

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Success comes in many different forums for everyone.  We are all great at something.  The wonderful part about success is it happens when you least expect it, and from the last place you expect it to come from.  My success came from plenty of failures, which I often reflect on as opportunities.  Failure has nothing to do with not being good enough; it has to do with embracing what you are good at.

My unexpected success is poured into teaching and writing.  Creative writing and teaching has always been apart of my life.  Even as a small child, I can remember writing short stories, and reading the stories aloud to my dolls.  I would often record my voice to ensure I was properly understood, and to take notes on how to improve my delivery methods.

My career started with the military, where I was selected to work in the human resources field.  My supervisors noticed my abilities to teach other military personnel how to understand policy and procedures that were otherwise difficult to understand.

Researching, understanding and writing policies and procedures have been in my “blood” since I realized that I had a niche for helping others.  I had a full understand of how to show others how to embrace their strengthens, and learn from their weaknesses.  Pushing others through their weaknesses and showing them how to grow to their highest potential is a gift.

I have written on a number of topics including, but not limited to human resources, business, self-improvement and the federal government.  I have used all of the practices I lecture and speak on with using positive affirmations and confidence builders to grow and develop others in their field of choice.

A personal note of thanks to you: Thank you, for taking time to embrace my life, you are appreciated.   I hope you enjoy each & every word I write, because I do it for you to become a better you.