By Dr. Suzanne Minarcine
Faculty Director, School of Business at American Public University
My older son is in graduate school and has always thought he wanted a career in academia. His Ph.D. will be in history, and he called to express his concerns about job opportunities. We ended up having a great discussion on hiring, both inside and outside of the academic setting, but he made me think about a few things. For any job there are far more applicants than jobs, there are certain things he can do to increase his chances of an interview.
I am a huge fan of Herb Kelleher’s philosophy of hire for personality and train to fit. There are minimum requirements for any job, but the personal qualities the individual brings is what will make them a good fit for the organization. Whether I am hiring wait staff, pilots, or professors, it is their character and personality that will guide them in their interactions with the internal and external customers.