Resumes, Interviews, & Networking: Using Your Brand in the Job Search

1. Resumes, Interviews, & Networking: Using Your Brand in the Job Search Keith Munson Career Specialist Fall 2010 Strommen Career & Internship Center • munsonk@augsburg.edu • (612) 330-1167 • http://cswl.pbworks.com/

2. Agenda Personal brand in the resume Articulating your brand in the interview Asking others to market your brand Questions and Answers

3. What comes to mind?

4. Purpose of a resume Marketing tool Communicate the highlights Focus on relevant/important information The “trailer”, NOT the whole story To generate interest and get you an interview

5. Resume Basics Use formatting to make important information stand out Be consistent in formatting, grammar, etc Make absolutely sure there are no mistakes Formatting is the easy part.......

6. Resume Sections

7. Articulating a “brand” in your resume The section headings you choose The information you highlight The experiences you include How you write your skill phrases in your experience section(s)

8. Write Effective Skill Phrases • Skill phrases are action statements that describe your experiences. • Components of a skill phrase • Bullet point • Action verbs in the past-tense • Specific skill that was learned or honed • Results of your work, or how or why you did the work. • Avoid personal pronouns when writing skill phrases

9. Skill Phrase Example Fair • Sold sporting equipment to customers Better • Developed sales strategies for selling sporting equipment to customers Best • Developed effective and creative sales strategies that resulted in the top sales of sporting equipment for four consistent months

10. Interviewing: Selling Your Brand

11. What to Expect in Interviews • Questions about your background • Tell me about yourself • Walk me through your resume • Questions about your education and goals • Why Augsburg? • Why your major? • What do you hope to do? • Behavioral based questions • Situations that demonstrate a trait of skill.

12. Behavioral Interviewing PAST BEHAVIOR OR EVENTS FUTURE BEHAVIOR

13. What does it look like? • Examples: • Describe the last time you had to lead a team to solve a complex problem. • Tell me of a time when you needed to influence a group or individual. • Describe a project you managed from start to finish. • Skilled Interviewers will follow-up with several probing questions as you answer. • Interviewers want stories…..

14. Characteristics of a good story: • Just enough details to give the listener a picture of what you were doing or how you work • Concise enough to demonstrate your point • includes important details • excludes unimportant details • Not too short; not too long • There’s a character that the listener needs to “see” in action • Leave enough for the interviewer to ask follow up questions…don’t start with the whole story

15. How is it done? • S.T.A.R. technique is ONE tool: S ituation-What was happening? Task (goal)-What were you trying to accomplish? A ction-What did you specifically do? R esult-What was the outcome? How did your work affect the organization or situation?

16. How is it done….well? Interviewing….. presentation of you.

17. Select stories that express your “brand” What do you want the employer to remember about you? Focus on your strengths Don’t be afraid to address your “gaps” Make your story relevant to that company, industry, function, role Note about Liberal Arts Two approaches

18. Marketing the liberal arts: • Employers want: • Communication Skills (written & verbal) • Honesty/Integrity • Teamwork Skills • Strong Work Ethic • Analytical Skills • Adaptability • Interpersonal Skills • Motivation/Initiative • Computer Skills • Detail-orientation • Organizational Skills • Leadership Skills • Self-Confidence • Liberal Arts teaches: • SEE PREVIOUS LIST

19. Prepare • Focus on your brand in choosing stories • Use the stories that demonstrate your strengths • Create 7 good stories that highlight what you bring to the table • Certain themes are almost guaranteed: • Leadership, teamwork, influence • Resolving conflict, interpersonal communication • Weakness, failure AND what you learned from it • Managing a project • Creativity; innovative • Interest in field, passion • The unexpected

20. Practice, then practice again Start with writing if it helps Move to bullet points of most important points Rehearse-over, over, over Ad lib story to different speakers Adjust story to answer several questions, but make sure you answer the question! Practice out loud, not just in your head!

21. Hone your presentation. Evaluate your presentation (from your point-of-view) Learn from your experience

22. Presenting YOU Arrive early Introduce yourself Be professional Watch your eye contact and body language May bring and use your portfolio Leave your cell phone at home! Answer questions Ask questions Do not bring up salary or benefits Get business cards Close the interview

23. Interview Attire • Men • Well fitting suit • Pressed shirt (white, off-white, gray) • Conservative colors (gray, black, navy) • Professional hairstyle • Little cologne, jewelry • Traditional tie • BLACK dress socks • Portfolio, NO BACK PACK • Women • Well fitting suit • Conservative colors (gray, black, navy) • Professional hairstyle • Little perfume, jewelry, or make up • Knee length, If wearing skirt • Avoid high heel shoes • Sheer hosiery • Portfolio, NO BACKPACK

24. Networking......

25. Do I really have to network? • Continuously learn about a field, company, or career field • Many jobs are not posted • Employers hire people they know or hear about through trusted sources • NOT networking will cause you to miss out on a large portion of the best jobs

26. Networking Defined: yes Building relationships Connecting with people in your field of interest Most effective way to find opportunities Helpful tool for learning more about your field Necessary at some point Lasts a lifetime no “Using” people “Smoozing” Not necessary; only necessary when looking for a job/internship Being replaced by the internet Purpose is to ask for a job

27. Networking at a glance

28. Build Your List Tell everyone you know about your goals/plans Industry lists Big Book of Lists (SC&IC) Resources in SC&IC library Reference librarian in library Journals/papers related to field

29. Dig for contacts Alumni Family and friends Professional organizations Faculty/staff Classmates and colleagues Coaches

30. Make your connections • Elevator Speech and your Brand • 30 second “pitch” about you, your experience, and goals • Focus on them • Ask good questions and listen • Begin thinking about how you can help them RIGHT AWAY • Informational Interviews • Develop a list of questions you want to ask • Do your homework on the industry-know something about it! • STAY CONNECTED! • Follow up and continued relationships

31. Social Networking • Linkedin • www.linkedin.com • complete a descriptive profile • search for connections for informational interview • get company information and connections • Facebook • become a fan of company profiles • check the profile for news and information

32. Questions