Interviewing Strategies
Charting Your Career Path
Fall 2011
MCC-EU.1740.002
Cynthia Wiseman
Purpose of Course
To equip participants with the
interviewing and job search tools
necessary to ensure that they are selfaware and market-ready when they join
the work force.
Interviewing Strategies
MCC-EU.1740.002
• Two credits
• Must have all assignments completed by due date!
Expectations
• Show up on time for appointments/class
• Be prepared for appointments/class
Read syllabus carefully and fully
Note contact information
– Appointments – email/in-class
– General inquiries – csw2@nyu.edu or engspeak@aol.com
Office Hours
Tuesday 11-12 p.m.
By appointment
A Word about Wasserman Center for Career
Development
133 E. 13th Street, NYC
What NYUCareerNet & NYUInterviewNet offer:
• Calendar of all center-related events
• Links to databases – great research tools
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On-Campus Recruiting
• Job and Internship postings
• Campus Fairs –
http://www.nyu.edu/students/undergraduates/career
-development.html
Career Fairs
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Fall Job and Internship Fair
Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 11am-3pm, Kimmel Center
NYU students from all majors are invited to attend our largest fair of the
year to explore part-time and full-time opportunities as well as internships.
Meet with employers and learn more about both domestic and
international positions.
Engineering & Technology Career Fair at NYU Poly
Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 10:30am-3:30pm, NYU Poly,
Jacob's Gymnasium
NYU students and NYU Poly students are invited to attend this fair to meet
with a large number of employers from diverse industries. Explore fulltime, part-time and internship opportunities in fields including Engineering,
Computer Hardware/Software, Technology, Science, Management, and
Digital Media among others.
This fair will take place at NYU Poly.
Career Fairs
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Graduate Level Economics and Finance Career Fair
Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 10am-12pm, Wasserman Center
Learn about opportunities for graduate students in economics and finance.
Co-sponsored by the NYU Department of Economics and NYU Department of Mathematics in
Finance.
RSVP on NYU CareerNet under Events > Seminars
Computer Science and Technology Career Fair
Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 10am-12pm, Wasserman Center
Meet with employers to discuss opportunities in computer science and technology.
Co-sponsored by the Masters Association for Computer Science at NYU.
RSVP on NYU CareerNet under Events > Seminars
NGO, Non-Profit & Government Career Forum
Friday, December 2, 2011, 11:30am-3pm, The George Washington University
Gain valuable professional insight and advice about working in the NGO, Non-Profit and
Government sectors. Network with organizational representatives and learn about internship
and full-time opportunities. For additional information, check NYU CareerNet.
•This fair will take place at The George Washington University. Held in collaboration with the
Women's Foreign Policy Group, The George Washington University, and the Univ of PA.
Topics Covered
• Interviewing strategies
– Self Assessment
– Researching the organization
– Interviewing
– Nonverbal Communication
• Resume Development & Letter Writing
• Job Search Skills & Networking
Assignments
Check-in/Conferences
• Post journal on Blackboard when assigned
• Schedule one-on-one w/ teacher for review of resume & cover if necessary
• In-class sign-up or email preferences for meeting times to csw2@nyu.edu
Resume
• First draft due September 27– peer review
• Second draft October 4 -- submit to prof & schedule conference if
necessary
Ideal Job: Define characteristics, find actual job description and explain how
the job meets your criteria for an ideal job: BB journal entry
Career Goals
• Define your short- and long-term career goals. BB journal entry
• Research the Organization – preparation for interview
• Research a position/job description appropriate to your current skill set
(internship, entry-level position). BB journal entry
Assignments
Mock Interviews – in-class & videotaped -- Written critique of interview and your
performance as both interviewer and interviewee
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Prepare for “real” interviews
Identify stumbling blocks
Demonstrate your strengths
Group Research Project: Interview the interviewers
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Conduct informational interviewers with interviewers
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Compile results in research paper
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Presentation of results to class
Introductions
• Divide into groups of 4-5
• Write down the names of the people in the
group
• Without asking your group members, write
down your impression of each person:
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Studier (1)– Partier (5)
GPA
Major
Politically conservative (1) – liberal (5)
Music preferred
Prepare for Interview!
The Five Big Questions…
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Tell me about yourself.
Why did you choose New York University?
Why are you interested in this position?
Why are you interested in this company?
What questions do you have?
Interview Questions – Blackboard site
Quick Quiz
What are your career plans?
What is a Career?
• Progress through life – growth and
development in vocational and
avocational areas of life
• Progress within an occupation or series
of occupations
• Cradle-to-grave process
Career Planning Model
Who are you?
Assess Yourself.
What are your options?
Assess Options.
Set objectives.
Test possibilities.
Decision Making.
Who Are You?
• Assess Yourself.
– Do you prefer working with facts or ideas?
– Do you prefer to work alone or in groups?
– Do you prefer a structured or unstructured
work setting?
– Are you more comfortable working with
“things” or people?
What are your career options?
• Assess options.
– What do you want to do?
– How well do you “fit” with options?
– What do you need to do to get there?
– What obstacles are in your way?
Set Objectives - Test Possibilities.
• Decision Making.
– Have you set realistic, attainable
expectations?
– Are you willing to invest what it takes to
reach goal?
– Is there a time frame associated with goal?
Is it attainable?
Preparation
What’s involved?
Internal and External
What’s Your Hiring IQ?
Evaluating Your Hiring I.Q.
Total Score:
>135
Least likely to make job search
mistakes
< 110
Room for improvement in
job search techniques
Block of responses:
01-14
Relates to knowledge
15-23
Relates to patterns of behavior
Homework
• Self-Assessments
• Readings on Interviewing Techniques
and the Job Interview
• Post of Db