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Lauri Dahlberg, PHRManager of Firmwide Recruitment

Interviewing & ResumesWhat’s New?

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Agenda

• The Market Today

• Resume Tips

• Interviewing Best Practices

• After the Interview

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The Market Today – Things are different

Finding a new role is different today than it was 3 years ago

• Fewer companies advertise their positions in newspapers• Utilized mostly for entry-level, skilled labor or administrative opportunities

• Most companies require that you apply online through their web site

• Social media has changed the way companies recruit• Getting in the door through connections you have• People are easier to find on social media sites

• LinkedIn• FaceBook

• Companies utilize Employee Referral Programs more• It’s easier to trust you are hiring someone good when that someone was

referred by an existing employee

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The Market Today – Social Media

• You need to create a social media profile, and connect with as many people as you can• FaceBook – connect with friends• LinkedIn – connect with professional contacts

• You need to reach out to those connections and make them aware of your need to find a new opportunity

• Be aware that all of your information is accessible by potential employers• If you have a FaceBook page, make it private

• Whether companies should access your FB page or not, many will• Keep this in mind when posting to your FB page or sharing photos

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The Market Today – Other Tips

• Register with the State Department of Employment• Companies with government contracts are required to

post all of their open positions with the Department of Employment.

• Sign up with a Temp Agency or Headhunter• They can assist you with your job search.• They may be able to place you in a temporary/contract

position until a full-time role is found.

• Update Your Resume• It’s time to document your skills, experience and

education

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Resume Tips – It’s About YOU!

• Before starting your resume, take some time to think about yourself• What do you want to do in your next role?• What type of company do you want to work

for?• What skills do you really want to utilize and

enhance?

• Also, take time to write down your skills and education so that you can create a resume that addresses the right things

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Resume Tips – Identifying Skills

Make a list of the things you do/have done:

• Administrative• Typing, customer service, word processing, coordinating

travel, meeting preparations, phone• Production

• Manufacture, assemble, test, package, inventory, lead, supervise, supply chain management

• Technician• Implement, diagnose, fix, support, design, manage

• Engineer• Design, test, implement, support, fix, manage, direct

Then go DEEPER by detailing that experience

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Resume Tips – Identifying Education

Make a list of your education and certifications

• Education• College• High School (if no college experience)

• Certifications• Full name of the certification, year achieved,

“active” or “inactive”

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Resume Tips – Now the Resume!

Use Word• There is a resume template in Word that is easy to follow• Word is easily-uploadable by MOST applicant tracking

systems

Make it grammatically correct• Tense is consistent throughout (current job in present

tense; former jobs in past tense)• Spelling is checked – and re-checked!• Punctuation is consistent throughout• Style is consistent throughout (bullets vs paragraphs)

Must be easy to read – pleasing to the eye

Get it to fit on one page! (maximum of 2 pages)

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Resume Tips

• Objective • Not necessary, but if you choose to have one:

• Make it specific to the position you are expressing an interest in• Make it short – 1 complete sentence

• Education• College

University of MN, Minneapolis, MN

Bachelor of Science in Engineering GPA 3.55

• High School (if no college experience)

Eden Prairie High School, Eden Prairie, MN

Diploma (or GED) GPA 3.80

• CertificationAICPS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) – Active since 2003

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Resume Tips

• Work Experience• Position title, dates of employment, brief description

of the duties and responsibilities you performed• List promotions you earned by separating one role

from another at the same company

RFM Manufacturing, Minneapolis, MN 2001 – Present

Product Engineering Manager (2008 – Present)• Manage a team of 6 Product Engineers• Set strategy for Product Engineering

Product Engineer (2001 – 2008)• Design product for the ABC line by working with sales and production professionals• Test new product designs to ensure new products meet quality standards• Implement new process for producing designed products

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Resume Tips

Other Interests / Activities / Involvement• This is the section that tells the company who you ARE as a

PERSON

• Community Service Involvement• List charitable or civic organizations you volunteered your

time with regularly Ronald McDonald House – Prepare and serve meals on a quarterly basis

to the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis, MN

• Professional Activities• Identify organizations you are a member of• List out your involvement with those organizations NSPE – National Society for Professional Engineers 2001 to Present Vice President of Membership

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Resume Tips – Cover Letters

• If a company does not request a cover letter – do not provide one

• If a company requests a cover letter – provide it• Include the following information

• Position you are interested in• How you heard about the opportunity• 2-3 skills you have that make you a fit (1 -2

sentences)• Contact information

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Finding New Opportunities

• Search the Internet• Monster• JobsHQ (for jobs in ND, SD and MN)• Dice• Career Builder• Craig’s List

• Contact the Career Services Center for your alma mater and see if they have an Alumni site on the web for job search and posting purposes

• Look up the web site for companies you are interested in – go to their “Careers” section• If they have an online application process – follow it to apply for a specific

position

• Get on LinkedIn and search for open positions

• Send a post out on FaceBook and LinkedIn to your network/connections that you are looking for your next great opportunity

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Resume to Interview

Your contacts and your resume will get your foot in the door…..

The interview will get you the job!

Time to get ready for companies to call you• Prepare a voice mail message that is professional• Have paper and a pen close to the phone for

messages• Let family members/roommates know what to do

when a company calls

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Interview - Preparation

• Review the company’s web site• Make notes on things you find interesting• Jot down some questions to ask of the interviewers

• Print off directions to the company location• Do a test drive to ensure you know how to get there

and won’t be re-routed due to road construction

• Print off 2 copies of your resume

• Get a good night’s sleep• Don’t stay out late the night before the interview

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Interview - Preparation

Dress Appropriately

• When the interview is being scheduled, ask what the company’s dress code is so you can dress appropriately

• Unless they indicate otherwise, you should dress as follows for the interview:• Casual

• Men – Wear a pair of slacks (Dockers/Khakis), and a button-up shirt• Women – Wear a pair of dress pants or a skirt and a blouse or sweater-set

• Business Casual/Professional• Men – Wear dress slacks or a suit and a long-sleeved button-up shirt• Women – Wear a suit OR a skirt, dress pants or dress with a blouse or sweater set

• Jewelry – Be conservative – don’t overdo it

• Shoes – Wear nice dress shoes with hosiery (men – dress socks; women – nylons or dress socks)

• Grooming• General grooming – shower, brush teeth, brush hair• Wear deodorant• Don’t overdo the perfume or cologne• Refrain from smoking prior to the interview• Spit out gum prior to the interview

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Interview - Preparation

• During the interview, a company’s interview team is hoping to see

how you will fit in as a member of their staff

• To assist them in this effort:

• Arrive on-time (5-10 minutes early is fine)

• Dress professionally for the interview

• Be polite to anyone you interact with in the lobby

• Be both professional and friendly throughout the interview

• Shake hands firmly (but don’t give the Vulcan Death Grip)

• Complete any paperwork that is requested of you in a timely manner

• Listen to each question and answer it accordingly – don’t think ahead

• Demonstrate your interest in the opportunity

• Be the BEST “you” you can possibly be

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The Interview - Purpose

• Provide you with information about the company/department• Tour of the building• Interaction with employees at various levels• Information on benefits• Details on the position

• Provide company with information about you:• Skills and experience – as determined by your answers to

questions• Culture fit• Level of professionalism and maturity• Work ethic and drive to succeed

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The Interview – What to Expect

• Be prepared to answer a full-range of questions• General

• Technical capabilities

• Work environment preferences

• Conflict resolution

• Leadership

• Culture fit

• Be prepared for behavioral-based interview questions• Ask for specific examples of your experience with a situation or

area

• More analytical and require you to dig deeper than a “yes” or “no” response

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Interview – Questions

• General Questions:

• “Why are you interested in our company?”

• “What do you know about our company?”

• “Tell me about yourself.”

• “Do you have the legal right to work in the United States? Would you require sponsorship to work for our firm/company?”

• “Have you been terminated from a job? If ‘yes’ what were the circumstances and what did you learn from that experience?”

• “Have you been convicted of a felony? Do you have a warrant out for your arrest? If ‘yes’ what were the circumstances and what did you learn from that experience?”

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Interview – Questions

• Technical Capabilities:

• “Tell me about your experience developing a new product.”

• “On a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being ‘high,’ how would you rate your skills with XYZ software. Talk with me about a project you worked on using XYZ software that demonstrates that rating.”

• Work Environment Preferences:

• “Tell me the characteristics of your favorite boss. What types of duties did they have you perform?”

• “Tell me about your least favorite boss. What were the characteristics of that individual?”

• “Talk with me about some feedback that was recently shared with you by a coworker or boss. What did you like/dislike about the manner in which they shared the feedback?”

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Interview – Questions

• Conflict Resolution:

• “Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a coworker. How did you handle that situation?”

• “Talk with me about a time when you had to provide corrective feedback to a coworker or team member. How did you share the feedback?”

• Leadership:

• “Talk with me about a time when you had to work on a team project. What role did you play in the team? Was a leader assigned – or did one emerge?”

• “Tell me of a time when you owned a project from start-to-finish with no assistance.”

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Interview – Questions

• Culture Fit:• “What have you found to be particularly

appealing about our culture?”

• “How do you see yourself contributing to the culture of our company?”

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Interview – Your Questions

• Don’t forget – you are in the interview to learn about the company

• Ask Questions!• “What do you enjoy about working here?”

• “How would my performance be evaluated and by whom?”

• “What type of training programs do you offer?”

• “Does the firm sponsor Continuing Professional Education to maintain professional licenses and certifications?”

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Interview – Your Questions

• Asking questions demonstrates that you have an interest in the firm/company

• Not asking questions reflects negatively on a candidate

• Leave the interview with a favorable impression by asking questions – even if you ask the same questions of each interviewer (you may get a different perspective from each person you ask)

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After the Interview

• Thank each interviewer for their time

• Let the interviewers know if you are interested in the opportunity

• Follow-up after the interview with a “thank you” e-mail or card• Spell each interviewer’s name correctly• Call the person who scheduled the interview if

you are uncertain how to spell an interviewer’s name

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After the Interview

• If you are selected for a position, show your enthusiasm and appreciation!

• Respond to the offer in a timely manner – try to get back to the company within one week

• Follow-up with a “thank you” e-mail or card to let the company know you are excited to embark on your career with them

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After the Interview

• If you need to decline an offer, do so professionally. Get back to the company as soon as you know

• If you are not selected for a position, handle it graciously and professionally• You may be next-in-line if a position opens up!

• Could be based on a business need – and not on how well you did in the interview

• In either of the above cases, do not bad-mouth or avoid the company• Companies respect those who handle disappointing news with

tact and grace

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Wrap-Up

Finding your next opportunity takes a lot of work• Planning• Preparing• Networking

The rest is up to you!• Be professional• Be the BEST “You” you can be

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Questions?

Interviewing & ResumesWhat’s New?