Employer Recruiting Practices Survey Results

1. Employer Recruiting Practices Survey Results Funding Provided by: MWACE Steele Grant Award Survey Conducted by: Saint Louis University Career Services

2. Purpose To survey local and midwest employers about their recruiting preferences, in order to provide a summary report on best interview and job seeking practices to students who are internship or job-seeking, and to respondents of this survey upon request. Presenters: Kathy Day & Carol Lunning August 4, 2004

3. Preferred Method to Receive Resumes & Cover Letters (Select only one) • E-mailed with cover letter as body & resume as attachment • E-mailed with both documents as attachments • Online application • No preference • Mailed in 9x12 envelope Number of Employers who selected this answer

4. Most Important Things to Lookfor in a Resume (Select up to three) • Work or internship experience (222) • Specific major or degree (140) • Summary of qualifications (120) • Accomplishments (107) • Clear Objective (58) • Extra-curricular involvement (54) • GPA (53)

5. Complaints Regarding Resumes (Select up to three) Poor style or format More than one page Errors (spelling, grammar, etc.) Lack of or unclear objective Missing or unclear dates Unprofessional looking Lack of or unrelated experience

6. No clear connection between job requirements and candidate’s qualifications (92) Poorly written (60) Errors (spelling, grammar, etc.) (48) Lack of cover letter (29) Cover letter more than one page (17) #1 Complaint Regarding Cover Letters

7. What Influences Your Decision to Invite a Candidate for an Interview? (Select up to three) Follow-up contact from candidate 51 Academic Accomplishments 60 Relevant work or internship experience 236 Cover letter directed to specific job 83 Referral from someone within the company 94 Education that matches the job 154

8. What makes a candidate stand out most in an interview? (Select up to three) • Personality that seems to fit position and team • Answers that include thoughtful examples • Sincere, passionate interest in the position • Poised and professional attitude • Providing evidence / an example of intelligence or ability to learn Number of Employers who selected this answer

9. What makes a candidate stand out most in an interview?cont… • Knowledge of company / organization • Thoughtful questions to the interviewer • Professional dress • Direct and appropriate eye contact

10. Is Telephone Screening Part of your Interviewing Process? Always 106 Sometimes 145 Never 24

11. How Important do you Consider a Thank You Note in your Decision to Hire? Very Important 34 Important 88 Neutral 122 Unimportant 28 Very Unimportant 3

12. In What Format do you Prefer a Post-Interview Thank You Note? (Select only one) Hand-written 84 Follow-up phone call 1 No Preference 133 E-mailed 38 Prefer not to receive one 4 Typed 15

13. Preferred Method of Recruiting Entry-level Candidates (Select up to three) • Referrals • Career Fairs • Internships / Co-ops • On-campus recruiting (interviews) • Internal / company websites • External websites (Monster, HotJobs, etc…) Number of Employers who selected this answer

14. Minimum Number of Interviews you Typically Conduct, Before Making an Offer to a Candidate One 20 Two 113 Three 91 Four 24

15. Do You Ever Conduct Long-Distance Interviews Via Videoconferencing? Yes 28 No 165 Not currently, but may in the future 82

16. What is Your Favorite Interview Question? Major Categories: • Behavioral • Analytical • Strengths / Accomplishments • Knowledge of Organization / Position • Challenges / Areas for Development • Who are you?

17. Behavioral-Based Questions… • Give me an example of a time when you failed. What did you learn from it, and how did you apply that knowledge in a future situation? • Give me a situation where in order to solve a problem you had to find a unique solution. • Describe a difficult co-worker. Include why you consider them difficult and tell me how you work with that person.

18. Analytical Questions… • Why are manhole covers round? • What part of a car would you like to be and why? • What are the key elements to being successful in a career? • If you were the employer and could only make one job offer, which one of your classmates would you hire and why?

19. Strengths / Accomplishments… • How do you feel your experience has prepared you for a leadership role with our company? • What has been your greatest accomplishment in life? • What strengths do you bring to this position? • What teambuilding and people development skills do you feel you possess? • What qualities will you bring to our company that will help us improve?

20. Knowledge of Organization / Position… • Have you visited our website? • What do you know about our company / organization? • How does your work, educational, and volunteer / internship experience relate to this position? • Why are you interested in this particular position within our company?

21. Challenges / Areas for Development… • Tell me about a stressful situation and how you handled it. • Tell me about a time when you made a mistake on the job, how you handled it, and what you learned from it. • Tell me about a job / task that you did not find challenging or stimulating. How did you keep yourself motivated? • Give me an example of an area in which you would like to improve.

22. Who Are You?… • How would you describe yourself in 5 words or phrases? • Nobody is perfect, but if there is something you could change about yourself, what would it be and why? • If I were to contact a prior supervisor, how would he / she describe you as an employee? • Why should I hire you instead of one of the other applicants for this position? • What are your long-term career goals?

23. Advice to candidates applying for a position with your company • BE… • Confident and enthusiastic • On time • Prepared and professional • Yourself • Honest • Assertive

24. DO… • Research about the company / organization • Show respect to the interviewer • Focus on your field of interest • Give examples of leadership roles • Follow up • Relax • Ask questions • Dress professionally

25. HAVE… • Passion for the position • Previous experience • Extra copies of your resume and cover letter • A list of references • Evidence of work or class assignments that relate to the position

26. KNOW… • Your target position • Details about the position • What qualifications are required • Your strengths • How to think outside the box • What you are getting into before you commit • Where you want to work and why you are a good “fit”

27. SHOW… • Accurate dates of employment • A real interest in the position • A clear and concise objective • A positive attitude and • maintain eye contact • How you can be an asset to the company

28. Additional Advice… • Practice interviewing • Provide thorough but concise answers to questions • Provide all information necessary to be considered as a candidate

29. Conducting SurveysLessons Learned: • Start Early! • Prepare a timeline & budget • Get IRB Certified • (check with your institution for requirements • Determine purpose of survey and use it as a guide in developing questions

30. Lessons Learned Cont… • Plan distribution of survey and collection of data • (letters, e-mails, etc.) • Update incorrect mail and e-mail addresses • Analyze and compile data • Publish and distribute findings • (booklets, website, etc.)

31. Acknowledgements Kim Reitter & James Buck Assistance in developing survey questions Ellen Steichen, Intern Developing powerpoint presentation Career Services Student Staff Additional survey assistance

32. Contact Information Carol Lunning, Assistant Director, Career Services Lunningcd@slu.edu Kathy Day Director, MBA & Graduate Business Programs Dayka@slu.edu SLU Career Services Office Phone: (314) 977-2828 Website: Careers.slu.edu

33. Thank you for your participation. Please remember to complete the session evaluation.