Job Fair Success: Tips for Interviewing on the Spot” KEITH MUNSON CAREER SPECIALIST & EMPLOYER DEVELOPMENT STROMMEN CAREER & INTERNSHIP CENTER LOWER LEVEL ANDERSON HALL
The Agenda Creating an Elevator Speech/Pitch Typical Interview Questions during a Job Fair Remaining Questions & Ideas
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Creating Your 30 Second Commercial Employers will meet numerous students throughout
the day. You need to create a “commercial” that makes you stand out. Your goal is to be remembered (in a positive way). Focus on the highlights (for that employer, not YOU) rather than trying to tell your whole story. Think about what you have to offer and how it relates to what this particular employer needs from an employee. Strommen Career & Internship Center •
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Where is my commercial used? Job Fair Introduction Interviews: answering the question, “tell me about
yourself”. Cover Letters: Highlighting the key skills & qualifications you would bring to a position Networking: Introducing yourself to potential employers that may know of opportunities. Social Media: creating your profile on your LinkedIn or Facebook page. Strommen Career & Internship Center •
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Commercials that work! Brief; avoid too much detail Remember 30 seconds! Leave opportunity for the employer to ask questions for more Relates to the employer
Genuine Sounds natural, not memorized practice your pitch out loud (over and over and over and over) Show Your Enthusiasm
Shows energy, interest, and passion Strommen Career & Internship Center •
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What’s included? Your name. Your college, your major and when you plan to
graduate. What you are looking for:
Type of position Area of interest
Your specific skills or experience of interest to that
employer. Personal strengths that make you stand out.
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What does it look like? Hello. My name is Chris Smith and I am a senior Finance major at Augsburg College. I will graduate in May of this year and am looking for a position as a financial analyst. During my college career, I have gained experience in the finance field that is directly related to your firm. For example, last summer I had an internship with Johnson Financial and was able to participate in a variety of company operations. The most interesting project I worked on was redesigning the company’s service demonstration events for the Mid-West region. This was invaluable training because it afforded me greater insight into the finance industry and allowed me to show my ability as a team player. Perhaps best of all, it confirmed my desire to become a financial manager for a top-10 firm. I do several things well, but I am most skilled at communicating with a diverse group of people and organizing and presenting data analysis. I’ve done both through my academics and internships. I am now interested in a position as a financial analyst where I could utilize my skills in a business environment to help an organization achieve its goals. Strommen Career & Internship Center •
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What does it look like w/o internship experience? Hello. My name is Chris Smith and I am a sophomore at Augsburg College. I’m majoring in Psychology and am looking for an internship for this upcoming summer. I’m involved in a number of things at Augsburg but one of my most recent accomplishments was doing a service project for one of my courses. I arranged volunteer job search assistance at a family community center, working with my faculty and on campus staff members to provide the services. I set up the facilities with center staff, coordinated the volunteers, and created advertising to draw community members. This experience demonstrates my ability to work with several groups of people to sponsor an event as well my comitment to serving under-privelaged community members. I think these skills would be a great fit with the internship you have open at your organization. I work hard, manage projects well, and care about people and would welcome an opportunity to work with your organization. I hope to eventually work full-time for a social service organization and believe an internship with your organization would give me the opportunity to contribute as well as continue to build my skills in this field. Strommen Career & Internship Center •
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Job Fair Interview Questions Top Three Tell me about yourself Why this company /this position? Why should we hire you? One, if not all three, are almost guaranteed
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Tell me about yourself Covered by your elevator speech. Brief description of your background as it related to
that employer. Highlight, not the whole story. Brief overview of who you are and what you have to offer. Asked in several different ways:
Tell me about your experience Tell me about your background Walk me through your resume Strommen Career & Internship Center •
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Tell Me About Yourself What the employer is looking for: Relevant skills/experience that relate to the position How much you know about the position and what skills/experience are needed Your professionalism; how well do you present yourself Are you anxious, nervous, unsure of what to say Have you prepared
Examples of relevant experience/skills from your academic, work, or extra curricular experience
Use STAR examples to tell stories that demonstrate your relevant skills/experience.
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STAR
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Why this company/position What is the employer looking for? Understanding of the company and responsibilities of position Skills/experience related to the position Culture, structure, industry How it differs from it’s competitors
A fit between you and the company/position How well you’ve prepared and thought about a fit Generic information is not enough Indicates your interest and longevity at the company
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Why this company/position
Asked several ways: Why are you interested in our company/this industry What do you know about our company/industry How did you learn about this company/industry
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Why should we hire you? What is the employer looking for? Relevant skills, experience, and personal characteristics A fit between you , the position, and the company Self awareness Do you know your strengths and what you have to offer? Do you know what’s required of the position? Have you given careful thought to your ability to succeed in the position?
Asked in several ways Why should we hire you? Why are you a good fit? What do you have to offer that other candidates may not?
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Successfully answer the “Big Three” Research the company Know the position and the requirements Know yourself and what you have to offer Know what is relevant from your background Practice delivering your responses and your elevator
pitch Have good stories that demonstrate your relevant skills/experience and back up your claims
STAR
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Wrapping up your conversation Thank every employer for their time/consideration Reiterate your interest Restate your skills (briefly) Ask about follow up Take notes on the conversation Follow up according to their instruction
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How does it look? Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today
about this position and your company. I’m even more excited about the opportunity. With my experience in analyzing financial documents, working on teams, and solving problems creatively, I know I can be successful in this position. I’d welcome an opportunity to talk more. How should I follow up with you and when? Can I call or should I email you? I see you have a lot of people to talk to, so thank you for your time and enjoy the rest of the fair. Strommen Career & Internship Center •
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Questions?
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