2018-2019 BROAD JOB SEARCH GUIDE This handbook is designed to help Broad College of Business undergraduate students begin developing documents and strategies for an internship or full-time job search. NEED TO KNOW
1 Welcome to the Lear Center! Currently located on the first floor of Owen Hall:
CONTACT US! 735 E Shaw Lane Owen Hall, Rm W-114 East Lansing, MI 48825 M-F: 8am-5pm
Connect with us! Visit our online resources for career information, tips, and resources.
(517) 432-0830
lear.broad.msu.edu
@RecruitMSU
@RecruitMSU
@RecruitMSU
This guide was printed in August 2018. For up-to-date information, check your Handshake account and the Lear Career Management Resources Community in D2L.
2 STUDENT SUCCESS WHAT IS:
Handshake is MSU’s online career management platform that connects MSU students with employers and alumni. Apply directly to job/internship opportunities, sign-up for on-campus interviews and find company and Lear Center events and resources. HOW TO:
1. Log in to Handshake. Use your MSU Net ID and password and log in on the MSU Handshake page at: msu.joinhandshake.com
2. Fill out your profile. Some of your information will already be in your Handshake profile. Check to be sure all information is correct and fill out the remaining profile fields. The more complete your profile is, the better Handshake can target opportunities for you.
3. Upload a resume. You will want to have a public resume available in Handshake for employers to see. There is a privacy option if you wish to not have your resume public, this however will not make you searchable by recruiters.
4. Follow the tags located in this Guide. Events will be up to date in Handshake and will include accurate dates, times, and locations. Use the tag and keywords in this Guide to easily search for your event.
4 GETTING HELP
USE VMOCK 1 VMOCK is a: • Resume platform that will give you instant and personalized resume feeback, benchmarked against your business peers using analytics with smart bullet samples. VMOCK will help you: • Create a strong first impression through your resume based on the recommended template. VMOCK will: • Save you significant time in developing your competitive resume. You should have received an email invitation with instructions on how to access the link: www.vmock.com/MSUBroad.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH 2 AN ADVISOR OR STOP IN TO SEE A PEER COACH Available during the daytime and evenings on weekdays in the Business College Complex hallway, McDonel Hall lobby, the Business Library entrance, and the Owen Hall career center office.
ONLINE ADVISING RESOURCE 3 Once you have used VMock for your resume, utilize this electonic platform to submit resumes or other job search documents for critiques or for other questions related to job search strategies (including Handshake).
Email [email protected] and allow 48-72 hours for a response. Please note that higher level questions may need an appointment.
5 SAMPLE RESUME
If you are an International 1 student and would like your 1 English name included format 2 Amanda K. Getajob using paranthesis: 430 Park Ln. • Milford, IL 60501 • (810) 555-5555 • [email protected] Amanda (English name) Getajob
4 EDUCATION Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 3 May 2018 Eli Broad College of Business 2 Permanent address and MSU Bachelor of Arts, Supply Chain Management Minor in International Business email. Add professional LinkedIn Major GPA: 3.75/4.00; Cumulative GPA: 3.35/4.00 profile URL after all sections Dean’s List: 3 Semesters have been completed. International Business Study Abroad, Western Europe 5 May 2016 3 Anticipated graduation date 6 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE should be right aligned with General Motors, Detroit, MI June – Aug. 2016 May – Aug. 2016 Supply Chain Intern margins set at a min. of 0.5” ● Developed a commodity strategy that increased efficiency of the purchasing plan from suppliers by 10% max. of 1” for entire document. by proactively solving potential problems ● Executed a regional $100,000 materials budget for North America to track materials that must be View: purchase within specific time periods to fulfill material requirements 4 ● Strategically managed relationships with three key suppliers to ensure a collaborative relationship and Education section, pg. 7 maximize the interactions 5 Study abroad experience can EY, Detroit, MI 7 May – Aug. 2015 include a brief description Core Tax Intern ● Collaborated with a team of other interns and professional staff to complete compliance work on one of the Detroit office’s largest clients 4 weeks ahead of the budgeted schedule 8 ● Provided tax compliance services on an international, federal, state, and local to multiple clients ranging 6 View: from trusts to multinational corporations Experience section, pg. 8-10 ● Developed Excel workbooks to expedite the preparation process resulting in time saving in excess of 150 You may organize your hours experiences to reflect RELATED EXPERIENCE professional, leadership, and/or Michigan State Culinary Services, East Lansing, MI Jan. 2015 – Present related experiences. Student Cook ● Provided courteous and prompt customer service to guests in a dining hall for a population of approximately 7,500 7 If abbreviating dates, use ● Attained full responsibility for completion of daily projects of front-kitchen team and supervision of 4 the first 3 letters. other co-workers in the front kitchen ● Mentored a novice prep chef in basics of food preparation until she attained sufficient competence to be independent contributor to team 8 Bullet points should be one ● Ensured all service and preparation areas were kept clean and met sanitation standards full sentence and should not exceed a line and a half. Lindow’s Lawns, Rochester, MI June 2014 – Dec. 2015 Exterior Designer Each bullet point should ● Increased revenue by over 9% by implementing “Sunday Special” lawn care promotion highlight a new skill. 9 ● Designed and implemented training program to onboard 4 new staff members ● Managed and held responsibility for balancing daily cash flow of $300 9 View: Action Verbs, pg. 11-12 10 ACTIVITIES, HONORS & SKILLS MSU Supply Chain Management Association, Vice President Aug. 2016 – Present 10 Section may be renamed to Phi Chi Theta, Professional Business Fraternity, Member Aug. 2014 – Present include activities, honors, Deloitte Financial Accounting Case Competition, Participant Aug. 2015 – June 2016 Sparty Foundation Scholarship, Scholarship Recipient Aug. 2014 and/or skills. Skills should be Chinese and English Language, Fluent limited to those that are unique and considered intermediate/advanced levels.
ACCOUNTING
STUDENTS: The purpose of a resume While having an objective “ is optional, accounting “ is to obtain an interview students should include an objective which indicates (not a job). location (city) and focus area (tax/audit).
6 EDUCATION SECTION The education section of your resume should be updated each time your status within the Broad College changes. As a college student, your education section is a highlight on your resume and will be the first section.
BUSINESS PREFERENCE BUSINESS ADMITTED Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Bachelor of Arts, Business Preference Eli Broad College of Business Intended Major: Finance Bachelor of Arts, Business Admitted Cumulative GPA: 3.50/4.00 Intended Major: Finance Cumulative GPA: 3.50/4.00 East Lansing High School, East Lansing, MI High School Diploma Cumulative GPA: 3.70/4.00 Update: Major to Business Admitted Add: Cumulative GPA once established Remove: All high school education by the end of freshman year What else can be added to your Education Section?
Minor: Include in line below major Deans List: Include below GPA Graduate Students: Include GMAT, GRE, honors (ex. summa ACCEPTED cum laude), and a GPA of 3.5 or above Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Study Abroad: Eli Broad College of Business Indicate study abroad (see resume Bachelor of Arts, Supply Chain example) Management Transfer Student Example: Major GPA: 3.75/4.00 Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Cumulative GPA: 3.50/4.00 Eli Broad College of Business Bachelor of Arts, Finance Add: Minor in International Business Major GPA if higher than Major GPA: 3.75/4.00 cumulative GPA Cumulative GPA: 3.5/4.00 Deans List: 2 Semesters
Update: Oakland University, Rochester, MI Major to accepted major Completed 28 General Education Credits GPA: 3.50/4.00
7 EXPERIENCE SECTION The experience section of your resume consists of 3-5 experiences that are applicable to the position for which you are applying. You want to convey to employers that you have developed relevant skills.
EXPERIENCE BY MAJOR
Accounting EY, Detroit, MI Core Tax Intern • Collaborated with a team of six interns and professional staffto complete compliance work finishing four weeks ahead of the budgeted schedule • Provided international, federal, state, and local tax compliance services to multiple clients, including trusts and multinational corporations • Developed an Excel workbook to expedite the preparation process resulting in time saving in excess of 150 hours
Finance Merrill Lynch, New York, NY Investment Banking Intern • Reviewed current trends in the financial industry and created PowerPoint presentations for prospective/current clients • Member of a deals team on an acquisition of a public company worth $1.8 billion
Management Forest Akers, East Lansing, MI General Manager • Managed a team of 6 employees to create an efficient workplace in the clubhouse • Determined areas of improvement for cost control decreasing company’s cost by 5% • Interviewed, hired, and trained new staff
8 EXPERIENCE BY MAJOR CONTINUED BULLET POINT DEVELOPMENT
Human Resource Management Meijer, Grand Rapids, MI Human Resource Intern • Assisted in creating and delivering all new hire orientation materials • Collected, sorted and evaluated job applications for candidates and called deserving candidates to schedule an interview • Maintained and updated employee files and company documentation
Marketing Marketing Associates, Detroit, MI Marketing Intern • Created and maintained marketing reports detailing commercial market trends • Created leads for product introduction launch yielding a very positive outcome • Participated in developing an integrated multi-channel marketing program targeting college students in the areas they most use via traditional and non-traditional strategies
Supply Chain General Motors, Warren, MI Global Purchasing Supply Chain Intern • Created automated and standardized change management form increasing efficiency by 90% • Reviewed freight on board destination invoices and retrieved $100,000 held in suspense accounts due to incorrect shipping terms • Analyzed and assessed procurement agent purchase packages to verify compliance with government and company procedures
9 BULLET POINT DEVELOPMENT
Bullet points should concisely convey to employers the various accomplishments and tasks you have performed in your previous and current roles. Utilizing the WHO Method* when constructing bullet points prepares evidence-based bullet points.
What did you do? Think of what tasks you did or projects you worked on – provide W context!
How did you do the work? Think skills, strategies, methods, H tools, techniques and/or attitudes.
What was the outcome of the work? Think of the results, impact, O contribution, intention and/or scope.
Tips: 1. Have a variety of action verbs, do not repeat! 2. Employ major or industry specific language to display your business acumen. 3. Quantify at any opportunity (percentages, dollar figures and hard numbers) as this will differentiate you from other applicants.
Important Note: The WHO Method serves as a model for the ideal bullet point. At times it proves to be impossible to include all 3 aspects of this method which is ok. A rule of thumb to abide by is to ensure you have more than just a WHAT statement as the aim of this method is to provide evidence to the reader.
*Source: The WHO Resume Development Method created by Jane Evarian. 10 EXPERIENCE SECTION: Action Verbs
Use action verbs to get ideas for how you might describe your own skills and experience in your resume, cover letter, portfolio, interview, and other interactions. Refer to the sample resume for examples on how to use an action verb on a resume.
ANALYSIS CREATIVITY Analyzed Deciphered Integrated Recommended Brainstormed Ascertained Deliberated Investigated Researched Constructed Assessed Determined Justified Scrutinized Designed Compared Devised Measured Studied Engineered Computed Diagnosed Negotiated Substantiated Envisioned Conceptualized Estimated Prescribed Synthesized Fabricated Concluded Evaluated Prioritized Validated Illustration Confirmed Examined Projected Verified Produced Critiqued Foreccasted Questioned Shaped Formulated Rated Visualized
COMMUNICATION FLEXIBILITY Addressed Drafted Publicized Accommodated Apprised Edited Queried Adapted Arbitrated Explained Reported Adjusted Attested Informed Spoke Altered Authored Interpreted Summarized Balanced Clarified Lectured Translated Converted Communicated Marketed Wrote Grew Composed Persuaded Improvised Convinced Presented Tailored Corresponded Promoted
INITIATIVE Accelerated Coordinated Implemented Minimized Revised Accomplished Created Improved Mobilized Spearheaded Achieved Dedicated Increased Modernized Stimulated Acquired Demonstrated Initiated Modified Suggested Advanced Enriched Innovated Multiplied Updated Bolstered Established Inspired Overhauled Upgraded Boosted Expanded Introduced Pioneered Built Expedited Launched Revamped
11 LEADERSHIP Administered Delegated Enhanced Led Advised Designated Facilitated Moderated Allocated Directed Fostered Monitored Allowed Educated Founded Motivated Appointed Elicited Guided Officiated Approved Employed Hired Recruited Assigned Empowered Influenced Sanctioned Authorized Enabled Instructed Supervised Chaired Encouraged Interviewed Trained Coached Endorsed Judged
TEAMWORK ORGANIZATION Assisted Arranged Collected Oriented Collaborated Assembled Compiled Planned Contributed Budgeted Consolidated Processed Cooperated Calculated Correlated Purchased Mediated Catalogued Indezed Recorded Participated Centralized Linked Regulated Partnered Charted Orchestrated Scheduled Classified Organized Systematized Tabulated
PROBLEM SOLVING Aided Extracted Rectified Restored Alleviated Finalized Reduced Retrieved Ameliorated Fufilled Refined Revitalized Augmented Generated Reformed Revoved Counseled Identified Rehabilitated Settled Customized Interceded Reinforced Solicited Debugged Invented Rejuvenated Solved Eased Ligjtemed Relieved Streamined Elevated Polished Remedied Strengthened Enlarged Procured Remodeled Supplemented Extended Reconciled Repaired Transformed
AND MORE Acted Attained Exercised Issued Realized Served Sustained Activated Audited Familiarized Licensed Related Set Traced Added Certified Figured Maintained REserved Smoothed Transacted Admitted Commissioned Guaranteed Operated Reviewed Sought Transmitted Apportioned Committed Indicated Performed Satisfied Specified Valued Appraised Excelled Instituted Prepared Screened Submitted Approximated Executed Involved Programmed Secured Surveyed
12 RESUME REVIEW CHECKLIST
_____ Name at top; font size a little larger, but not too large _____ Consistency with proper vs. preferred name (i.e., Nicholas “Nick” Smith) _____ Middle name or initial optional
Contact Information: _____ One email address _____ One phone number _____ Address, optional _____ LinkedIn URL, recommended if complete
Education Section: _____ Reverse chronological order (MSU degree on top, only include high school until after first year at MSU) _____ Institution Name (MSU) _____ Institution location (City, state: East Lansing, MI) _____ Graduation month and year only; Not--dates attended, date started, “expected” or “anticipated” _____ Academic honors, awards, scholarships _____ Relevant course projects
Ideal Education Section Format Example: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Broad College of Business Bachelor of Arts, Finance May 2021 Minor in International Business Major GPA: X.XX/4.0; Cumulative GPA: X.XX/4.0 Dean’s List: # semesters
Study Abroad: (course topic and city, country location)
Experience Section: _____Reverse chronological order _____Bullet points, using only the "l” symbol _____Each sentence begins with action verb (past tense for prior jobs) _____Shows relevant, transferrable skills _____Shows skills, knowledge and quantifiable results where able
13 RESUME REVIEW CHECKLIST
Other information to include if relevant: _____ Language skills (native, fluent, conversant/basic—written, spoken or both) _____ Military experience _____ Technical skills _____ Publications _____ Community services _____ Certifications _____ Interests/hobbies, if differentiated
Formatting: _____ 1-page only _____ Black ink only _____ Recommended font styles: Garamond, Palatino, Times New Roman, Arial, Cambria _____ Easily readable font sizes (not smaller than 10.5, not larger than 14) _____ Consistency with bolding, underlining, spacing, dashes _____ Final version save as pdf with “Lastname_Firstname_Resume_Date”
Resume does NOT have: _____ Objective statement _____ Photo _____ Signature _____ Company or organizational logos/graphics _____ Salary history _____ Information on: race, gender, marital status, religion, social security #, health status, children, marital status, age or date of birth, nationality or country of origin _____ Reason for leaving jobs _____ No personal pronouns (I, my, we) _____ ”References Available Upon Request”
14 SAMPLE COVER LETTER
Amanda K. Getajob 1 430 Park Ln. • Milford, IL 60501 • (810) 555-5555 • [email protected] 1 Match resume and cover letter headers
August 21, 2017 2 2 Date cover letter was written Taylor Jones, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Management 3 Whirlpool Corporation 3 Company’s address and 2000 N. M-63 include contact’s name Benton Harbor, MI 49022 if available
Dear Mr. Jones, 4 4 If contact’s name is I am writing you to express my interest in pursuing the Global Supply Chain Leadership Development Program not available, use opportunity within Whirlpool Corporation. I was initially attracted to your job posting on Handshake because of 5 ‘Position Name’ Hiring the duties within this role and opportunity for growth. I think that my experience thus far has provided me with Committee, or ‘To whom a unique and transferrable skill set necessary to be successful in the role. it may concern’
Through my internships with Ernst & Young and General Motors, I have developed strong analytical and First Paragraph: State leadership skills. At EY, I saved over 150 hours of work by developing workbooks to expedite the preparation 5 process. I also executed a $100,000 budget for North America to fulfill material requirements at GM. During the reason why you are these tasks, I led cross-functional teams of interns and professional staff while also developing commodity writing, position you are strategies. These accomplishments helped me to advance my skills that I believe will help me succeed at applying for, and how you Whirlpool. learned about employer 6 or position opening During the schoolyear, I am very involved on campus. Serving at the Vice President of MSU Supply Chain Management Association and working as a Student Cook have taught me many skills. Serving over 7,500 6 Body Paragraph(s): students, mentoring new chefs, and managing a team of chefs has taught me how to prioritize my Be specific about why responsibilities. Overseeing over 300 students and networking with Fortune 500 companies recruiting MSU you are interested in Supply Chain Management students has improved my communication skills immensely. the position and show I want to thank you for taking the time to read about my previous experiences, and how the skills I’ve gained your enthusiasm; briefly have prepared me for an employment opportunity with Whirlpool Corporation. I am very excited about the summarize some of your possibility of working for this great company. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. 7 strongest qualifications for the position; link Sincerely, transferable skills to
specific requirements in the position; show what 8 you have to offer the Amanda Getajob employer
Amanda K. Getajob 7 Closing Paragraph: Restate your interest in the position/company, thank the reader, and declare interest in hearing back from the company/ recruiter
8 Signature (hand signed) *This is an example only. Personalize your cover letter to fit your story.
The purpose of a cover letter “ is to convince the reader“ to look at the resume.
15 COVER LETTER CHECKLIST
Opening Paragraph: _____ Student Status _____ Job Title & Company Name _____ How posting identified _____ Succinct statement on why company & position interests _____ Attention-grabbing statement _____ Referral or recent interaction of person, if applicable
Middle Paragraph: _____ Story or Example _____ 5-6 sentences _____ Focus on results/accomplishments
Closing Paragraph: _____ Reference Resume _____ The “ask”: what you want (interview) _____ Call to action: further follow up
Miscellaneous: _____ 1 page only _____ 3-4 paragraphs _____ Left justified _____ Centered text on page _____ Employer name and/or address, if known _____ Overall genuine, enthusiasm _____ Free of gimmicky statements that don’t differentiate
Signature (hand signed)
16 CAREER FAIRS
It only takes about 30 seconds to make a positive (or negative) impression with a recruiter, so introducing yourself quickly with qualifications and interests is important. Practicing a short three-second to one-minute introduction that sounds natural and includes the following is important: ____ Full, clear name ____ MSU Program/Degree and major ____ Graduation, month/year ____ What Seeking: internship, summer, after graduation, full-time, etc. ____ Why interested in opportunity and company ____ Story related to above interests and skills
AT THE FAIR... • Get organized. Pick up a map showing where organization booths are. You might also want to take a quick walk through the space to get a feel for the layout of the fair. Then what?...
• They’re watching you! Keep in mind that the moment you enter the fair, recruiters are watching you. They take note of how you dress, how you behave, and how you interact with your friends and with other recruiters.
• Dress in business interview attire. Wear a suit or a nice pair of pants or skirt with a match- ing jacket, button down shirt, and a tie. Neutral colors such as grey, brown, or black are ideal.
• Approach an organization. It can be intimidating to approach and introduce yourself to a recruiter. Students often say introductions at career fairs are “weird,” “unnatural,” or “forced.” It helps if you remember the recruiter is here to meet you, so don’t be shy! Offer a firm handshake, and then share your mini introduction presentation. Remember, be direct. If you’re interested in a certain position, let them know.
• Tip: Depending on time and crowds, you might want to consider approaching an employer towards the bottom of your list to start off. This gives you an opportunity to actually use your prepared introduction with a real recruiter and work out any nervousness before you visit the employers you’re most interested in, where you want to be relaxed and confident.
• Talk to the recruiter. Don’t talk over their shoulder or at the free stuff that they’re giving away! Make eye contact and don’t be afraid to let your enthusiasm show. Being truly pas- sionate about the employer and the opportunities they have to offer can make all the differ- ence.
• Gather information and be respectful of the recruiter’s time. Many people at career fairs use them as an opportunity to gather information. This is fine and a great reason to go if you’re not looking for a full-time job or internship. Remember, career fairs are about building your contacts, and recruiters like to see students at fairs asking questions. It shows that the student is thinking about the future.
• If you’re at the fair to try to land a job, recruiters need to know you’ve done your research and are ready to go. While speaking with recruiters, be courteous to them and your fellow students by keeping your conversations short and purposeful.
• Finally, make sure that you get the names of the recruiters you talk to and, if possible, get their business cards.
Source: “Career Handbook” from MSU’s Career Services Network: http://careernetwork.msu.edu 17 THANK YOU LETTERS
Sending a thank you letter is critical, as it can potentially help you stand out. Always send one regardless of how well you think you performed in the interview/s.
Purpose: 1.) Gratitude for time spent 2.) Reiterating your qualifications & interests 3.) Requesting consideration of offer or second-round interview
Personalized: Reflective of conversations during interview. Different for each person you -in terviewed—there is a chance they will share to check for differences.
Method: • Brief, succinct • Emailed, never mailed and never handwritten • Within 24-48 hours, always
Who? Priority: Everyone you interviewed with, assuming you can obtain individual email addresses. Could include front desk or other administrative assistants who were helpful. Secondary: The Hiring Manager or Human Resources person, who you can ask to forward to everyone.
Sample Thank You Email: Subject: Thank You
Dear (use first name, if used during interview; otherwise err on the more formal side and use Mr./Ms.), Thank you for taking the time to meet with me earlier today to discuss my qualifi- cations for the purchasing internship at Home Depot. I enjoyed hearing about your background as a construction manager and how that led to your career so far with Home Depot. I also was interested to hear about the visibility interns have into dif- ferent units of the organization. Our meeting only reinforced my interest in the position, and I am confident that my retail experience and my personal interest in home improvement will allow me to make a strong contribution in an internship this summer. Thank you again for your time and consideration and I look forward to the prospect of being part of the Home Depot team this summer.
Sincerely, Rebecca (use your email signature)
18 Behavioral Based Interview Preparation STARL METHOD
Where did this situation take place? Give brief background information Situation that puts the story in context. What was required of you? Be rather short in length but detailed enough to have a good understanding of what was Task required of you.
How did you resolve the task or problem? Reflect on your Action experiences - what did you do?
What was the end result? Be descriptive. Quantify as much as Result possible. What lesson did you learn from this experience? Positive in nature. A valuable takeway that shows Lesson growth.
19 Each STARL answer is 2-4 minutes long:
1 Make sure you’re telling a story that covers all the STARL bases, remember to introduce topics and points according to STARL.
Results and Lesson Section are 2 most important: Interviewers are most interested in what transferable skills you can bring to them in the future.
Follow-up questions will likely come:
3 If you make a good or interesting point when answering one of the questions, the interviewer could ask you to provide more detail. Be prepared to give more in-depth responses.
It’s okay to ask “Does that answer your question?”:
4 Be an active listener and remember to always respond to the original question. It’s okay to pause and gather your thoughts, so you can sound authentic: 5 Take your time when responding; you’ll feel some pressure, but maintain your composure. Try not to sound too rehearsed even if you have an answer prepared. Take a moment to think about the question you were asked.
20 STORY BANK EXERCISE
• Experiences, learnings and growth opportunities generated from work, school and/or life • Try to include the context of the situation (Where were you? What was your role?), the action you took and what the ultimate result was in short bullet point format for your reference • Stories can be used during networking and interviewing
Experience First Example Second Example Multi-tasking/ Handling Pressure
Leadership
Initiative
Teamwork
21 Experience First Example Second Example Strengths/ Achievements
Weakness/ Failure
Learning/ Intellect
Ethics/ Character
Strategy/ Decision Making/ Innovation
22 Common Interview Questions: Differentiating Questions
STARL format is not required for these questions. Be strategic with the way you answer these questions by leveraging your unique experiences and goals. Reflect on how you made decisions and why you chose this career path.
Example Questions: • Tell me about yourself. This question translates to ‘walk me through your resume’. Start with your education, why you chose your major, school, and highlight your most impactful experiences from each position. • What are your strengths and weaknesses? Address your weakness strategically by communicating an action plan on how you are developing yourself. • What is your greatest achievement? • What motivates you? • Why are you the right person for the job? • Why do you want to work for our company?
23 Common Interview Questions: Behavioral-Based Questions Answer these questions in STARL format. These questions are asked to predict your future behavior based on past experiences. Listed are example questions for each competency. These questions typically begin with “Tell me about a time when...” or “Give me an example of...”.
Leadership: Ability to guide, influence, coach, mentor, and lead other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. Display your drive to step up on your own, take action, and follow through with a plan.
Example Questions: • Tell me about a time when you showed initiative and stepped up into a leadership position. • Tell me about a time you delegated responsibilities to others. • Tell me about a time you took the lead on a difficult project.
Collaboration: Ability to work with diverse groups of people, utilize their skills and capabilities, and overcome your differences to reach a greater goal. Display your interpersonal skills and how you are a team player.
Example Questions: • Tell me about a time when you worked under close supervision or extremely loose supervision. How did you handle that? • Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a co-worker and how you dealt with that. • Tell me about a project or idea that was done successfully as a part of a team effort.
Time Management: Process of planning and prioritizing your time and energy spent on different activities in order to increase effectiveness, productivity, and efficiency.
Example Questions: • Give me an example of a time you managed numerous responsibilities. How did you handle that? • Tell me about a time you were unable to meet a deadline. • Tell me about a time you set a goal for yourself. How did you go about ensuring that you would meet your objective?
Professional Development: Ability to take feedback, evaluate areas of opportunity, and bounceback from a negative situation. These questions focus on how you respond and what you learn from negative situations.
Example Questions: • Tell me about a time you realized you made a mistake. • Tell me about a time you wish you’d handled a situation differently with a colleague. • Talk about a time when you had to work closely with someone whose personality was very different from yours. 24
BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING EXERCISE
“Tell me about a time when you… (pick one): ____ Led a project ____ Used analytical skills ____ Had to multi-task ____ Found a solution to a problem
Situation — provide context (no more than 3 sentences):
Task—what were you given responsibility for or assigned to do (no more than 2 sentences):
25
BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWING EXERCISE
Action—HOW did you achieve or accomplish the behavior or skill identified from the list above (most elaboration here, using potentially 5-6 sentences):
Results—How did the situation result; what was the outcome of your skills and action (4-5 sentences here):
Lesson/Learning - What did you learn from this experience (1-2 sentences):
26 POLICIES NO SHOW/LATE CANCELLATION Late cancellations or missed interviews are a hindrance to your success and leave a negative impact on the relationships Michigan State University has with employers.
• A late cancellation is an interview cancelled four days or less pror to the scheduled interview date • A no-show is defined as not showing up for a scheduled interview
RENEGING A renege occurs when a student accepts (verbally or via signature) a job offer for a full time or internship position, then receives a second offer for a full time or internship position, and withdraws the acceptance of the initial full time or internship position, regardless of how much time has elapsed since acceptance.
Reneging can severely tarnish your professional reputation, not only in the short term, but also for the duration of your career. Reneging also creates an obstacle in the Broad School efforts to maintain positive relationships between corporate recruiters, alumni and the Broad School. Typically, organizations/alumni affected by a renege will contact the Broad Graduate Career Management/Lear Center Team immediately. You can avoid a
For policy details and implications, please visit lear.broad.msu.edu/policies.
27 HONOR CODE
ELI BROAD COLLEGE OF BUSINESS UNDERGRADUATE HONOR CODE The Honor Code applies to ALL students enrolled in the College or in any course sponsored by the College. Abiding by the honor code is part of the Broad culture and provides a strong ethical foundation for transitioning into your career.
Full text of the Honor Code can be found at: uas.broad.msu.edu/academics/honor-code
This includes communicating “ honestly and ethically on resumes,“ LinkedIn, interviewing, etc.
28 “THANK YOU” PARTNERS
PREMIER PARTNER:
AFFILIATE PARTNERS:
SPONSORS: Coyote Dow Chemical C.H. Robinson TJX Enterprise Holdings AXA Marathon Petroleum Corporation Altria