The How-tos of Finding,
Preparing for,
and Getting a Job
The How-tos of Finding, Preparing for,
and Getting a Job
Larry Haus
Sigma Green Belt
3M – Supply Chain Analyst
University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire
Operations & Materials Management
Lyndsy Haviland
CPIM
Schneider Electric – Project IT Analyst
Iowa State University
Supply Chain Management
The How-tos of Finding, Preparing for,
and Getting a Job
Today you will learn:
•Social media tips
•Importance of research for job fairs, internships, and interviews
•How to focus your resume
•How to improve your interviewing skills
•Preparation tips
•Elevator speech
•Dos and don’ts of interviewing
Hand Shakes
Practice Activity:
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Firm grip but not a knuckle breaker
Do not use a limp fish grip
Introduce yourself
Web to web contact
Eye contact
Confident
Smile
Social Media
• Facebook
• Clean-up your account
• Consider starting a new account
• Delete unnecessary friends
• If your employer insists on being friends
• Ask yourself…are they worth it?
• Limit their access
• Twitter
• Clean-up posts and be careful what you post
• Make private if it is explicitly connected to you
• Take a long look at privacy policies of social media websites
Social Media Continued
• LinkedIn
• Networking
• Create a professional looking page
• Use a professional profile picture (a friend can take it for you)
Company Research
Know the company
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What does the company make or provide?
Topical, relevant, and conversational in tone
Not too in-depth or gratuitous
Do not mention upcoming mergers or negative news
Use their website to discover a few basic points of interest
• Current projects they are working on, etc
• Shows you are taking an active interest in their company
Job Research
Know the position you are applying for
• What are the minimum qualifications?
• How do your skills match the
qualifications?
• Relevance to current position
• Educational requirements
• Years of experience
• Weaknesses and improvements
Resume Writing
Simplify:
• Keep to one page
• Clean and concise
• Easily readable
• Blank space is good
• Able to find information
• Scan friendly and readable font
• Ariel or Times New Roman
• 12 point font, 10 point minimum
• Chronological format is preferred
Resume Writing
Include:
• Name and contact information
• Professionalize your personal email address
• @yourcollege.edu
• @gmail.com
• @outlook.com
• Current and previous titles, companies, and dates
• Education
• GPA - use overall or major (whichever is better)
• Additional classes, education, or skills
• Specialized training and/or certifications
• Specific computer and/or technical skills
• SAP, Oracle, etc
Resume Writing Dos
• Include qualifications profile versus objective
• Relevant experience and accomplishments
• Job descriptions
• Start with action verbs
• Present tense for current jobs
• Past tense for non current jobs
• Include special projects
• Make sure technical skills are up-to-date
• Be able to elaborate about accomplishments
• Know what information is on your resume
Resume Writing Don’ts
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Career objective statement
Career timelines older than 10 years
Colored resume paper
Puff, fluff, or exaggerate skills
Personal statements
List common skills
Fill white space with information
High school accolades
Volunteer information
“Reference Available upon Request”
Does Your Resume Pass the Six Second Test?
Resume Exchange
Practice Activity:
Exchange resumes with your neighbor
Within six seconds must be able to locate the following:
1. Name
2. Current position/title
3. Current start and end dates
4. Previous position/title
5. Previous start and end dates
6. Education
Cover Letters
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Header matches resume
Open with hiring manager’s name
List where and how you discovered opening
Casually name drop
• Use personal contact if you have a connection
• Obtain permission first
• Use only if you want to be connected
• State how skills meet qualifications
• Include results, numbers, and percentages
• End with how you will follow-up
• Email or phone call
• Do not be over zealous or too pushy
Job Fairs
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If unsure about dress code always overdress
Don’t wear perfume/cologne
Make eye contact during handshake
If the company representative doesn’t give you a card make
sure to write their name down
• You will forget it later!
• After talking with a company take a few minutes to make
notes about what you talked about
• Don’t be offended if a recruiter doesn’t take your resume
• Elevator speech
Elevator Speech
Practice Activity:
1. Create a 30 to 90 second speech to sell yourself
• Highlight specific career expertise
• Match skills to prospective employer
• Why should you be hired?
2. Practice your speech with your neighbor
• Feedback
• Evolve as skills change
Job Interviews – Dos
• Dress appropriately
• Cleaned, pressed, and shined
• Nothing too trendy
• Clean vehicle inside and out
• Arrive ten minutes early
• Research company
• Bring extra copies of resume and
• Keep one for yourself
• Maintain positive self attitude during
interview
• Be personable, open, and HONEST
• Very obvious when you are not
being honest
Job Interviews – Dos Continued
• Have specific examples of times you’ve failed and what you
did better next time
• Talk about other classes you have taken
• Management Information Systems, etc
• Always send a Thank You Card
Job Interviews – Closing the Interview
Always Ask Questions:
• What is the immediate need on your team that you are hoping to fill
with this position?
• What projects can I contribute to right away?
• Is this team empowered to find better and more efficient ways to do
things?
• Can you tell me how your organization defines success?
• How would you describe a typical day on this team?
The Interview Question That’s Always Asked (and How to Nail It)
Jefferson McDowell
Job Interviews – Don’ts
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Ask what does the company does
Give a list “here’s why you should hire me”
Ask how flexible the company is
Use the phrase “to be honest”
Ask how much you will make
Ask about vacation time
Telecommuting options
Personal questions
Too many questions
Don’t slouch
Job Interviews – STAR Method
• Situation or Task
• Describe a situation or task you accomplished
• Be specific and not generalized
• Action
• Describe your action(s) and keep focus on you
• Results
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What happened?
What did you accomplish?
What did you learn?
What would you do differently?
Job Interviews – STAR Method
Practice Activity:
Tell me about time when you were the leader of a group project
and you had someone who was not pulling their weight?
Internships
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions
• Don’t be afraid to ask for more work
• Most companies don’t know how to utilize interns well
• After a few weeks propose a project that will:
• Help employer
• Build career skills
• Helps leverage existing skills
Review of Today’s Topics:
• Correct use of social media
• Importance of company and job research
• Focused resume and cover letter writing
• Pass the 6 second test
• Uncluttered and concise
• Use of qualifications profile
• Improved interview skills
• Firm handshakes are good
• Elevator speech
• Dos and don’ts
• STAR Method
• Close with questions
Questions?