Assembling An Interview Packet

1. Assembling An Interview Packet Making An Amazing Impression Contact Management

2. About JobGroup.org • Mission statement – JobGroup.org empowers professionals to effectively manage their careers by promoting networking, volunteerism, and job search skills. • Eight module curriculum presented weekly • Online resources • Networking events • Recruiter engagement • Volunteers Contact Management

3. About The Presentations • JobGroup.org is an organization that exists to facilitate your job hunt and career • We have compiled the best information that we have from our own experience and other sources • These presentations can benefit hugely from your input; don’t be shy about asking questions or contributing! Contact Management

4. About The Curriculum Contact Management

5. Previous Presentation – Resume Workshop • Purpose, use, and value of resumes • How your resume is used • Resume components • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • ‘Suicide By Resume’ • Frequently Asked Questions Contact Management

6. Next Presentation – Interview Tactics • Doing your research • Planning the interview • Telephone vs. in-person • Interviewer ‘skill’: HR reps & hiring managers • Common questions • Steering the interview • Followup Contact Management

7. Introduction • What is an interview packet? • Purpose and value • Interview packet components • Software tools • Managing printing costs • Recycling document components Contact Management

8. What Is An Interview Packet? • A collection of ‘Value Added’ information not addressed in a resume • Expanded overview of the things you want an employer to know about you • Professionally finished • A leave-behind that may make you more memorable Contact Management

9. Purpose and Value • Distinguishes you from other applicants • Can help shape the content of an interview • Can show the amount of effort and quality of work you are capable of Contact Management

10. Interview Packet Components • Layout • Title page • Table of contents • Resume • Critical skill set • Endorsements • Professional references • Work Samples • Other elements Contact Management

11. Layout • Headers and footers • Fonts and colors • Embedded images/text • Logos and branding Contact Management

12. Title Page • Layout • Job title • Interview date and location • Company’s logo • Name of primary interviewer • Your logo & branding • Contact information Contact Management

13. Table of Contents • Color, font, and spacing • Logical progression • Ease of locating information • Overview of information inside Contact Management

14. Resume • Use optimized resume • Shameless plug • Remember header/footer • Uniform style for color, fonts, and layout • Simple plug in or maintaining separate files Contact Management

15. Critical Skill Set • Color, font, layout • Every skill you have that relates to the job • Arranged hierarchically and sensically • Limited to three layers Contact Management

16. Endorsements • Scan of signed letters for signature • Make sure pasted graphics are legibleand/or retype • Name and contact info for writers • Have a structure in mind for ordering (applicability, chronologically, etc.) • For LinkedIn, cut and paste images from web Contact Management

17. Professional References • Have a structure in mind • Name • Company • Title • Contact information (reference preference) • Description of relationship Contact Management

18. Work Samples • Font, color, and layout • Title • Background information • Pasted graphics • Demonstrated skills • What you did, why and how you did it, and skills you used • Avoid any proprietary information • Bonus: value to the employer • Use of sample vs. real data • Possible inclusions: task lists, project plans, status reports, budgets, workflows, case studies, specialty tools Contact Management

19. Other Elements • Job specific elements • Code snippets • Performance graphs & charts • Industry specific elements • Advertising copy • Blog posts • Portfolios • Graphic arts • Music • Developed applications • Writing samples Contact Management

20. Software Tools • Document editing • MS Word, MS Publisher • OpenOffice • Mindmapper software • FreeMind • Cut and paste from web • Windows &MS Paint • OSX screenshot keyboard commands • Work sample software Contact Management

21. Managing Printing Costs • Short run: cheaper to outsource • Is your career management path likely to be a short term one? • Selecting the right paper • High gloss laser • Kelly: ~$20/ream (500) • Kinko’s: ~$1.25/page • Cover materials and binding machine • ~$100 machine, $25 combs (100), $25 back cover (25), $14 front cover (25) • More pages= higher cost • Kinko’s = ~$4/bind • Printing and Printers • Office quality laser • $300-$500 buy in Contact Management

22. Recycling Document Components • Resume – LinkedIn, Recruiter packet • Critical Skill Set – Marketing Plan, Recruiter packet, Compensation packet • Endorsements – LinkedIn, Recruiter packet, Compensation packet • Work samples – Recruiter packet, Compensation packet Contact Management

23. The End Result • More memorable • Interview assistance • More/better justification to hire you • Tools required to produce professional-grade marketing copy • Recycled components Contact Management

24. This Presentation is Available Online • http://www.jobgroup.org/curriculum Contact Management