GW SEAS Graduate Career Interview Preparation Booklet
What You Should Know About A Cover Letter The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce yourself to an employer and entice the hiring manager to read your résumé and invite you to interview. Cover letters can make or break your chances of an interview so you want to be sure your letter is employer focused, replicating similar experiences and language used in the job description. Avoid just repeating what you have on your resume. Instead you want to ensure your cover letter ties your past experience to the future success you hope to bring to the new employer. What You Should Know About A Resume How long has it been since you looked at your résumé? An excellent résumé is one of your best assets. Your résumé is an important tool in the job search process and should accurately portray your education, skills, experience, and accomplishments, showcasing you as a unique candidate. *The average employer spends just 10-20 seconds reviewing each candidate s cover letter and résumé, so both need to be flawless and contain your clearly stated value proposition, experiences and skill sets that highlight you as the best candidate for the job. *Double check for grammatical or spelling errors. * Make sure you have used the correct company/employer name and job title in your cover letter. Career Guidance - Resume. (28, July 2014). Retrieved from: www.lahc.edu
Preparation for Your Interview Company research Identify a parent company if one exists. Identify recent news, research, strategic planning, marketing, or other company information. (TIP: Would also be a good idea to research the person(s) interviewing you. You may discover their research interest, which could potentially result in a great conversation during your interview.) Identify competitors and analyze the industry. Know yourself Be able to walk a person through your resume. Be able to discuss your career goals, skills, strengths, accomplishments, interests, and how you define success. Be able to discuss concrete examples to illustrate how your experiences, skill sets, background and interests make you the most qualified candidate for the job. Practice your interview skills Practice interview questions you might be asked prior to your interview. Research the company and the job qualifications required of the job you are interviewing for. Sign up for a mock interview to practice your interview skills. Practice Makes Perfect Stock Photo. (28, July 2014). Retrieved from: www.the3dstudio.com
Questions Employers May Ask You Tell me about yourself? Why are you interested in this job opening? What are your expectations for this job? What contributions could you make to our organization? Tell us about your research interests. What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Explain a time where there was a conflict of interest. How did you handle it? How do you relieve stress? If your friends could describe you in 3 words, what would they say and why? What do you like to do for fun? What questions do you have for us? (The employer) Questions to Ask Employers Company Related Questions Are there any new products (or services) in the development stage? Is your company involved in the community? What do you and/or your employees like best about working for this company? Where does this position fit into the organizational structure hierarchy? How would you describe the management style in this organization? What are some of the first assignments I might expect? What is the typical career path for someone in this position? To whom would I report? Describe the typical first-year assignments. Describe a typical day on the job. Job Evaluation How often are performance reviews given? How is performance measured? What are some of the qualities you looking for in the perfect candidate? What skills would the ideal candidate possess? Work Environment Related What characteristics do successful employees in this company share? What are the opportunities for professional growth? What are your expectations for new hires? How would you describe the work environment? *ALWAYS ask employers, at the completion of your interview: What are the next steps?
Additional Types of Questions Behavioral Questions Employers will likely inquire about your past experiences and how you responded or reacted to certain situations. For example questions, check out: http://blogs.vault.com/blog/interviewing/behavioral-interviews-a-great-showcase-for-you-but-you-mustprepare-now/ Guesstimate Questions Employers may ask you a guesstimate in order to assess one s analytical and critical thinking skills. For example questions check out: http://blogs.vault.com/blog/interviewing/interview-questions-practice-guesstimate-questions/ Case Study Questions Employers will typically ask case study questions to assess one s analytical and critical thinking skills. These types of questions are usually tailored to issues or challenges the industry or company you are interviewing are experiencing. For example questions, check out: http://blogs.vault.com/blog/interviewing/interview-questions-case-questions/ *Note: Vault Career Insider provides students with insider information on top employers and educational programs. It also features 35 guides on individual career industries, employers, and career topics such as job search and salary advice. Directions to accessing Vault Career Insider through your GWork account: 1. Login to Gwork. 2. Scroll down to find link to Vault Career Insider. If you have any questions about using Vault Career Insider please contact the Career Center at 202.994.6495 or gwcareercenter@gwu.edu.
Attire Women Suit & Blouse: Two piece suit, either a skirt suit, pant suit, or dress suit with formal matching jacket (Skirt or dress length should be at least knee length or longer). Blouse should be white or flattering color. Avoid tight clothing. Footwear: Sheer stockings or pantyhose in skin tones. Closed-toe shoes with a short heel (1 or 2 inches) in black or solid color that matches color of the suit You want your shoes to be fairly comfortable in case you are offered a tour of the facility/company and end up walking a lot. Accessories: Simple jewelry. Post ear a srings (not dangling). One ring in per hand and one bracelet if any Avoid jewelry that jingles If you have additional piercings (besides one or two ear piercings), it would be best to take them out for the interview If you have apurse, make sure it's fairly small and good quality Take a portfolio with extra copies of your resume, cover letter, and a nice pen to take notes if necessary Make-up/Perfume You want your make-up to be subtle and natural looking (not heavy, avoid bright colors or sparkles) Trim nails and best to wear clear, solid (but no bright colors), or no nail polish You want your hair (long or short) to be swept out o fyour face (you may want to tie it back with a pony tail holder or a simple clip ) Avoid perfumes or body mist (the employer or hiring manager may be allergice) a p Images taken from Google Images.
Attire Men Suit & shirt: Two piece Suit (preferably solid black, blue, or grey). Solid colored shirt (preferably white or blue) Tie (solid color or conservative pattern, avoid bright color or patterns) Belt (should match color of shoes) Footwear: Shoes preferably solid black or dark leather, simple dress loafer or dress shoe. Socks preferably solid, dark color to match suit or shoes should be long enough to cover shins. Accessories: Take a portfolio with extra copies of your resume, cover letter, and a nice pen to take notes if necessary. Hair & Grooming: Neatly trim haircut. Trim beard or mustache as well, but would recommend a clean-shaven appearnce for an intervew Trim nails. If you have any piercings, best to remove for the interview. Avoid cologne, aftershave or body mist (the employer or hiring manager may be allergic). Images taken from Google Images. Business Casual: If your interview indicates that the interview or professional event will be business casual - Women: Pantsuit or skirt with jacket and simple/conservative blouse. You may also wear a simple dress. No Jeans, shorts, or sundresses. Men: Pants and a collard or button down shirt. No shorts, jeans, sneakers, or sandals. * Rule of Thumb: If you re not sure, air on the side of conservative.
During the Interview You want to show up 15 minutes before your interview is supposed to start (TIP: Scope out the location where the interview is supposed to take place. Drive or take public transportation a day or so before the interview to make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to get to the interview on time. Account for any possible delays in advance to avoid any panic situations.) Always address each employer with a firm handshake, looking them in the eye, and introduce yourself (using your first and last name). A warm smile goes a long way! Be your best self (TIP: Enthusiasm and seriousness about the job are qualities you typically want to come across to the employer in the interview.) Illustrate your qualifications with examples and real life experiences. Listen to the interviewer (TIP: It can be easy to get flustered or nervous in an interview. Don t be! You prepared and are ready to go! Make sure that you answer the actual question(s) you re being asked and have confidence in yourself and your answers.) Be aware of your body language (TIP: Make sure you sit up straight, maintain good eye contact with the employer and give the appearance of being engaged in the conversation. If you tend to fidget, clasped your hands together in your lap or plant both feet firmly on the ground.) Don t forget to ask questions (TIP: You want the interview to feel more like a conversation than an interrogation.) Ask your interviewer for their business card. (TIP: You can use the interviewer s business card to get their email address to use when you email them a thank you letter.)
Thank You Letter Within the first 24 hours of your interview you want to send a thank you letter via email. Make sure your thank you letter is formal and reaffirms your interest in the job. Also, it s always a nice touch and typically appreciated by employers if you include something you discussed during the interview. This demonstrates that you are a good listener and was engaged in the interview. It also ensures that the thank you letter is personal (want to avoid a generic thank you letter that could be sent to any employer). Additional Information/Resources LinkedIn For further instructions on how to import your resume to LinkedIn, please reference: http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1815. How to Say Good Luck in Multiple Languages. (28, July 2014). Retrieved from: www.wikihow.com Good Luck! If you have any additional questions or concerns don t hesitate to reach out to us via email: SEASCareers@gwu.edu