First Impressions &

Impact Interviewing

St. X Career Connexions

THE DILEMMAEach year thousands of college students are

searching for Co-op or Internship Opportunities.

This period of time defines…to a great degree…how you will fare when searching for a choice job opportunity as a Senior.

In too many instances, things do not work out as planned.

THE DILEMMAOn the other hand, there exists another group

of students whose biggest concern is deciding which Co-op / Internship opportunity to accept.

What differentiates these two groups? Why the significant contrast in outcomes?

IT’S ALL ABOUT ‘PERCEPTION’

Perception Becomes Reality In The Eyes Of Those Forming &

Holding That IMAGE.

First Impression ForumsMeet the Firms NightCareer Fairs

Beta Alpha Psi EventsBusiness Fraternity EventsSocial MixersOffice ReceptionsLunches and DinnersClassroom Presentations by Employers

Why are These Forums Important?The Organization / Firm ‘Scouts’ are there.Sometimes the ‘Leaders’...They are searching for

‘Special Talents.’Friendly & Social, but also:‘Testing the talent’ - see what you might bring

to them.It is critical for you to be aware of

this…and to be at ‘Your Best.’

WHAT ‘THEY’ LOOK FOR

GREETING / WELCOME‘Initial Perception’ First 60 secondsPresenceCarriage ‘Military Bearing’IntroductionSmileHandshakeName

Exchange

PRESENCEBusiness Professional…Look like a Leader Dark Suit Commands RESPECTWell-tailoredDress Shirt Statement TieDress shoes, good brand, polished‘Overcoat’ … NO parkas Light fragranceBreath Mint (Altoid); Gum? (subtle)Nice watchSlim-line Leather Portfolio…nice penBusiness Cards??…okay either wayNo Cell Phones, iPods, or EarbudsNO BACKPACKS!

Making a Leadership Statement Through Your Professional Image

Be seen as The One ‘In Charge.’

What Does Your AttireSay About You?

Who are the Critical Audiences?

Who are the Role Models?

Business Casual Attire MEN

Business Professional Attire MENShoes

Business Professional Attire MEN Ties

Business Professional Attire MENOvercoat

Black Navy Grey Charcoal Camel Dark Brown Olive British Tan Solid Herringbone Wool Camel Hair Cashmere Trench Coat

Business Professional Attire MEN

AccessoriesBelt Match your shoesWatch Trim Rings / Jewelry (very limited)Pen Pocket Square (at Times)Brief Case/Laptop CasePortfolioScarves and gloves with Overcoat

CARRIAGE Military BearingUpright PostureHead RaisedStrongSlow your Stride

a bitWith ConfidenceSmilingAcknowledging OthersPolite

INTRODUCTION STYLESmileFirm Handshake (Elbow Bump)State name clearlyBOLD name tagName Tag on the ‘Right’ side …Why?Remember their name – repeat it initiallyDo not ‘Patronize’ them by repeating their name

unnecessarilyFormal address: Mr. / Ms. / Dr. / Sir / Ma’amGo with informal address only if they ask that

you do…Stay with Sir and Ma’amMove away from SLANG: ‘Yup’ and ‘Cool’Breath mint

DISCUSSIONBegin the shift from ‘Initial Perception’ to

‘Sustained Perception’Keep this brief, direct, professional, and friendly30-second ‘Bio’Answer pertinent questions…do not rambleDo not ‘hog’ the stage; others are waitingDo not ‘hang around’…if it is crowded, leave and

come back laterDon’t let them think they are the ONLY firm you are

interested in…Listen carefully … Stay engaged… Do not

‘Search the Room’Thank them for their being at the Event

In addition to Presence, you will be Judged on:Quality of your Resume Bring Copies

Send an Electronic Copy after the event…

ActivitiesAchievementsProfessionalismPositive AttitudeCivilityIntegrityWork EthicSelf Discipline

Manner & Style Professional; conversational; do not talk incessantly

Values People; family; work; education; spiritual.Goals What are they? What is your plan?Awareness Current events.Enthusiasm Controlled.Maturity How you handle yourself at the Event.Judgment Decision making.Common SenseSense of HumorCommunication Skills ListeningArticulation of ThoughtsVocabulary

Leadership PotentialChampion of OthersMentor

Follow UpSend an e-mail to all of those you met

and thank them for their timeSend an electronic copy of your resume

with ‘References’ ON the resumeNot necessary to send a formal ‘Thank

You Note’

The Recruiter’s PerspectiveFocusing on ‘Personal Credibility’‘Strategic Partner’ Potential is the

Reference Point or Benchmark

In the End…they will be judging you on all the criteria we will cover in these sessions Next Slide

PERSONAL CREDIBILITY FOCUS

A Healthy Self ImageBoardroom PresenceInterpersonal SkillsAwareness Personal Substance /

ProfessionalismRelationship & Team Building SkillsPresentation Manner & StyleBearing Under Pressure

A Healthy Self Image

Feel good about who they are? Deal well with failures / perceived

failures…RESILIENT? Able to work through personal obstacles /

crises? Project a certain degree of charisma? Someone others turn to for guidance /

counsel / help?

Boardroom PresenceProject a professional image (others sense

they are in charge because of the way they dress and carry themselves?

Dress conforms to business professional standards?

Projects self and ideas with confidence…or a bit reticent in how they interact with others, especially superiors?

Leaves a lasting positive impression?Do others wish YOU were part of their

team or organization?

Interpersonal SkillsComfortable around others they do not

know? Others comfortable interacting with them? Look forward to attending receptions and

networking events…or dread them? Proactive in introducing themselves to

others?Rate their introduction style

smile…handshake…eye contact: Good conversationalist and interesting? Exercises professional business etiquette

when in a social setting?

AwarenessLevel of realization of what is

going on in the world? Knowledgeable in a variety of key current

events business world affairs politics sports movies books?

Are they ‘well-read’ or ‘highly-informed’? A ‘perceptive’ person able to make

accurate assessments of people and situations?

Others normally ask their opinion on a variety of topics?

Personal Substance / Professionalism

A POSITIVE person? Others enjoy being around them?Do others trust them?Hold private issues in confidence…or is it

tempting to tell someone else about them? Has ‘unconditional positive regard’ for others,

similar to feelings for family members? Embraces a strong work ethic? Is this a ‘disciplined’ individual?Motivated to do the ‘right’ things? Respect diversity?

Relationship & Team Building SkillsProactive in approaching others

receptions…cold calls…networking? Understand different personalities and have the

ability to interact effectively with those different from them?

How large is their social / business network?Do they take the time to interact with others in

the workplace / classroom / on campus on items other than work / school?

Do they ‘champion’ peers to others?Are they careful not to diminish others (refusing

to gossip and by not honoring rumors)? Seen as a positive role model?

Presentation Manner & Style

How would others rate their listeningskills?

Strong vocabulary? Sincere?Persuasive?

Accepts criticism?Able to deal with adversity?Works through difficult situations?Not afraid of challenges?Able to roll with rejection?Makes the ‘hard calls’?Deals effectively with conflict?

Preparedness is KEYDo NOT try to ‘Wing it’The BEST interviews are the result of

Preparation. RAREAll the Investment in your Education:

Time, Money, Family sacrifice, Blood, Sweat, Tears – and you FAIL to Prepare for the Interview??

View the Interview Process as being Just as Important as your 12+ years of Education

Tips for Preparing

Personal Inventory / Self-Assessment

Set aside ample time to write down / type responses to Interview Questions

Practice – Mock Interview w/ Family, Friends, Career Advisor

Tips for Preparing“Take the next 20 minutes and Tell me

about Yourself”

16+ years of your Life:• Role Models (Family, Teachers, Coaches,

Bosses, etc.) – Why Them?

• What and Who molded you into WHO YOU ARE today and Who you want to Become

Tips for PreparingExamples from:

• Class Projects, Extracurriculars, Athletics, Jobs, Life Events

• Overcoming Adversity – Challenges you have faced

What Most Employers are Seeking:• Attitude, Work Ethic, Team Player,

Willingness to Learn, Challenges, Grit

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS / PROBES

Interview Questions / ProbesWhy (career niche / academic major)?What was your most challenging college course?– Why?

What are some goals you have established?– How are you achieving toward these goals?

Explain your most significant career / academic achievement.Who has had the most positive influence on you? In what way?Tell me about a bad experience you may have had with a boss / professor / coach.Define ‘Integrity.’ Why is integrity critical to our society?Tell me about your attitude toward life.How do others perceive you?Tell me about discipline in your life.

Do you have a strong work ethic? Provide ExampleAny idea how many people are in your ‘network’?Why are ‘networks’ important?Tell me how you feel when you attend a social or business reception.How would others describe you in a social setting?What is your greatest strength relative to people?How do you feel about making formal oral presentations?Define ‘Team Play.’Would others describe you as a ‘Team Player’? Why?Tell me of a time when you have ‘championed’ someone else for a role or recognition.Have you been a leader of a team before? How effective were you? Elaborate.

Do you consider yourself creative? Provide ExampleTell me of a time when you brought a ‘Best Practice’ to a team.Who are some of the most creative people you know?Define ‘Resilience.’ Do you consider yourself ‘resilient’?Tell me of a time when you have overcome adversity in your life.Who is one leader you admire…and why?Name some historical leaders who helped shape the world as we know it.Tell me of a time when you exercised your leadership skills.What is your most defining strength of character?What are some of your leadership qualities or skills?What is one valuable lesson you have learned in life?

Why should I hire you over someone else?In what areas might you improve yourself?Describe a ‘conflict’ situation you have experienced.Are there any supervisors / co-workers you had difficulty with? Why?Describe how others might define you.How do you manage time?How much of your college expense did you cover yourself? How did you do this? Scholarships? Work?What advice would you provide to a college student preparing for the work world?Are there other career fields you considered prior to locking on ________?What are your feelings specific to the economy?

How do you deal with pressure situations? ExampleDo you feel you are an energetic person? ExampleAre you organized? Describe.Are you more detail-oriented…or do you tend to be more ‘big-picture’ oriented? Explain.What kinds of people do you relate best with?What types of situations make you angry?What is your most significant weakness? What are you doing to address this weakness?What do you worry about most?What life experiences have angered you the most?How do you deal with anxiety?Have you ever openly criticized another?How do you hope others perceive you?How do you deal with difficult people?

What led you to choose this career field?If you could repeat your life, how might you change it?What kind of people do you like to work with?What have you learned from your extracurricular activities while in school?What frustrates you most in a work situation?Do you feel you are overly competitive?Do you feel you are overly critical of others?Do you place a lot of pressure on yourself? On others?Who in your life has influenced you the most?What personal qualities will help you in this profession?What outside topics do you enjoy the most?

Candidate InterviewEvaluation Form

Bagley Consulting

Candidate InterviewEvaluation Form

Candidate: _______________(Campus: _________________)Interviewer: _______________Date: _______

Evaluation CriteriaExperience Level / Academic Achievement EE ME MSE NME– Relevance / GPA; Entrance Test Scores; Business Acumen– Comments: _______________________________________________

Executive Presence EE ME MSE NME– Appearance; Manner & Style; Confidence– Comments: _______________________________________________

Professionalism EE ME MSE NME– Attitude; Integrity; Civility; Work Ethic; Self Discipline– Comments: _______________________________________________

Communication Skills EE ME MSE NME– Effective Listener; Poised; Articulate– Comments: _______________________________________________

Relationship / Team Building EE ME MSE NME– Solid Network; People-Oriented; Social– Comments: _______________________________________________

Time Management EE ME MSE NME– Effectively Balances Priorities; Finds Time for Personal Development

and Social Interaction– Comments: _______________________________________________

Creativity EE ME MSE NME– Seems to be a Person Who Thinks Ahead of the Curve; Well-Read and

Aware of Current Events / Business Trends– Comments: _______________________________________________

Leadership Potential EE ME MSE NME– Has Leadership Experience; Demonstrates Leadership Qualities;

Mature Perspective– Comments: _______________________________________________

Overall Assessment: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Designing a ResumeSelling Yourself on PaperConcise Summarization of Your

Experiences and Achievements To-DateShort, Sweet, and to the Point

No Spelling Errors or TyposUsing Action WordsNo AbbreviationsAcronyms ONLY if they are MainstreamWhite SpaceOutside Proof & Critique

NAME Preferably in print bolder than the text of the resume.

ADDRESS E-mail address. Permanent address (and temporary address, if

applicable)…remember to include the zip code(s).

PHONE NUMBER Permanent and temporary phone numbers if applicable. Remember to include the area code(s). Be certain voice capability is connected during a job

search process. And stay away from gimmicky or cute greetings. During your search for a job, you do not want to take the chance that an employer who might call you will be turned off by a unique telephone greeting.

JOB OBJECTIVE Concise summarization of what role you are searching

for. Do not be overly descriptive or dramatic. It has always been my dream to work for an organization where I

can contribute significantly to the organizational mission and vision by acting as a catalyst in energizing the environment.

NO!

LIST INFORMATION BY SUBJECT AND CHRONOLOGICALLY WITHIN THE SUBJECT AREA Most recent information listed first. Education information comes before Work Experience

information if you have not had relevant or extensive work experience.

Work Experience information comes before Educationinformation if you have had relevant or extensive work-related experiences.

OUTSIDE ACHIEVEMENTS Campus and/or community awards, military

achievements, etc.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS Campus, community, church, fund-raising.

PERSONAL INFORMATION Optional. Can include a number of things but should be limited to

hobbies and interests.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE If the GPA does not appear on the resume, many

recruiters will assume that it is low. Some employers have an interview grade cutoff. In

other words, if a candidate's GPA is below a certain level they are not eligible to interview for a position. This of course depends on the profession / organization.

In some cases, especially if the GPA is extremely low, it is best not to include it on the resume. This has to be a personal decision, but my suggestion in the instances of low GPA's is to just leave it off the resume. There is a chance that, based on other strengths outlined on the resume, that you will be selected to interview — and the rest is up to you. This is not a case of deceiving someone, it is just allowing yourself an opportunity to play on your strengths in the interview. Listing a low GPA almost certainly will disqualify you.

LIMIT THE LENGTH TO THREE PAGES As a general rule a resume should be two to three pages

long including your ‘References’ listing. Many experts tell us that resumes should be limited to

one page. The rationale behind this is that recruiters do not want to spend the time reviewing a lengthy data sheet. NOT TRUE. Recruiters are looking for top flight people — and top flight people can't put all of their skills, strengths, experiences, achievements, and references on one page.

WHITE SPACE Your resume should not look like a script for a play.

Allow for a good amount of white space along the borders and between subject areas so that the text stands away from the background. It makes the resume look more professional and it is much easier to read.

CONCISE Remember, a resume is a concise summarization of

your experiences and achievements to-date; short, sweet, and to the point.

HONESTY Some candidates try to enhance their resumes by

adding achievements or experiences that are not really part of their lives. Or, they will embellish those experiences which they can claim as their own. From an integrity standpoint, this is not the way to present yourself. From a harsh reality perspective, these things will, in most instances, be uncovered in an interview session or through a background check. Don't lower yourself to this level — nor open yourself to such embarrassment. Recruiters witness everything from inflated GPA's to proclaimed graduate degrees that in reality, did not exist. In the end NOT WORTH IT.

NO ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviations in a resume give it a sloppy, incomplete

look. Stay away from them.

WATCH THE ACRONYMS Unless they are universally understood acronyms, or

acronyms related directly to the industry or profession for which you are applying, eliminate them from your resume. For instance, USMC is a universally understood acronym for the United States Marine Corps. BAP is an acronym related to the accounting profession and stands for the honor fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi. If you are unsure whether your audience will recognize an acronym associated with your achievements, spell it out.

ACTION WORDSTo provide impact to the text of your resume, select actionwords to initiate sentences pertaining to your experiences (Led; Developed; Designed; Facilitated; Initiated; Coached)

ALLOW RECRUITERS EASY ACCESS TO YOUR CREDENTIALS Have packets of information ready to provide to a

recruiter upon their request. The information contained in these packets might be a current transcript, evaluations from past jobs, letters of reference, letters of commendation, awards, military discharge papers, certificates, samples of written proposals, goal sheets, artwork, etc. Of course, what is contained in the packet depends on what type of position you are pursuing.

OUTSIDE PROOF AND CRITIQUE As with any written document it is important that after

you complete the first draft of your resume that you allow it to sit and cool off, so to speak. After a day, pick it up and review it. Allow someone else to proof and critique it. Make the necessary modifications and proof it one more time before finalizing it for use.

WILLIAM K. LAWSONwklawson@gmail.com4705 Richwood PlaceCincinnati, Ohio 45202

(513) 993-4404

OBJECTIVE: Searching for a role in HR & Recruiting that would draw on my interpersonal, relationship-building, and leadership skills and experiences.

EDUCATION:

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Bachelor’s Degree, 20??UC Lindner Honors-PLUS ProgramMarketing & Operations ManagementGPA: 3.8Relevant Courses: Budgeting and Financial Planning Succession Planning Employment Law Employer of Choice Understanding ‘Strategic Partner Leadership’

Personal CredibilityOral Presentation Manner & StyleMarketplace Eminence: NetworkingManaging Around TimeProfessionalism

AWARDS ANDACHIEVEMENTS:

Selected for UC Lindner Honors-PLUS Program John C. Kellogg Leadership Award, 20??

In recognition of extracurricular activities and student leadership UC Track Team, 20??-20?? University recruitment video spokesperson Awarded four-year Athletic Scholarship

WORK EXPERIENCE:

June 20?? - SIMON & OLAFSON Cincinnati, OhioHR & Recruiting Assistant Assisted in various human resource functions:

Organized employee files, generated computer reports for the Director, and compiled critical EEO information.

Responsible for Campus Relations and Recruiting Activities on several major college campuses. Hired a number of outstanding professionals for the firm.

REFERENCES (3 to 6)

David T. WilsonExecutive Vice PresidentJohnson & Toland, Inc.135 State StreetCincinnati, OhioWork: 513-429-1100dtwilson@jt.com

Cover Letter

Date

Mr. Joseph SlaughterDirector of PersonnelHarrison Marketers, Inc.249 WedgewoodOcala, Florida 49992

Dear Mr. Slaughter:

I am currently an undergraduate student in the Lindner Honors-PLUS Program at the University of Cincinnati. I will be graduating in May of this year and am responding to your recent advertisement that appeared in the Journal-Herald. In addition to my graduate studies, I have two years of experience which I feel lends to my credibility in light of your search for a Human Resources professional.

Enclosed for your review is a copy of my personal resume which outlines areas of strength, relevant experience, and achievement. As well, references have been included for your follow-up.

I welcome an opportunity to discuss my qualifications for the position.

Thank you for any consideration extended to me.

Sincerely,

William K. Lawson

Enclosure (If mailed in regular mail)