RPCV CAREER CONFERENCE
Day 3
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Informational Interviews
10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Acing your Job Interview
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Mock Interviews: Breakout Session
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Resume Lab and LinkedIn Photo Booth
Opportunities
How to tell your story
Your worth and path
Yourself
Know…
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Informational Interview:
Your opportunity to
discover – or be
discovered
What is an informational
interview?
It’s a ‘Career Chat’
Best Practices for Info Interview
What it’s not
Best Practices
• Know your purpose
• Do your homework
• Practice elevator
pitch
• Bring resume
• Create business
cards
• Begin with thanks, reminder of your connection
• Listen
• Respect contact’s time
• Ask for help in small doses
• Know your next steps
Best Practices
• Thank you
• Confirm
permission for
referrals
• Reconnect/share
resources
• Pay it forward
Follow-Up
Best Practices
25 Possible Questions1. In general, what credentials (degrees, licenses, majors, etc.) are required in your
line of work?
2. How did you get into this field, and why did you choose it?
3. What do you find most (and least) rewarding about this field?
4. What kinds of employers generally hire people in this line of work?
5. What is a typical career path?
6. What is the future outlook in this field?
7. Do companies in this field like to promote from within? What is the turnover rate
like?
8. What would you do differently, if you could begin your career search again?
9. What other jobs did you have before this one?
10. What is a typical day and week like, and how much variety is involved on the job?
11. What skills and abilities are needed to be successful in this field?
12. What other career areas are related to this job?
13. What are the entry-, mid-, and senior-level salaries?
14. What is the financial potential?
15. Are there opportunities to travel in this field or in your organization?
16. Are there peak hiring seasons?
17. What advantages and disadvantages are there for liberal arts graduates who want to
enter this field?
18. What is the best way to conduct a job search in this field?
19. How do you keep on top of the trends and changes in your field?
20. Do you recommend any relevant associations or organizations I should join?
21. May I keep in touch with you to let you know how my job search is going?
22. Do you know anybody else who might be willing to speak to me about this topic?
23. Would you be willing to give me feedback on my resume?
24. If you were in my shoes, who are the three people or organizations you would definitely
connect with to learn more about opportunities? (Follow up with, “Would you by
chance have their contact information and if so, would you be willing to connect me
with them for possible follow-up?”)
25. What are the most important challenges facing your department/industry currently?
Acing Your
Job Interview
Interview – Why?
Allows EMPLOYER to assess your:
• Technical qualifications
• Team fit
• General disposition
• Elasticity – multiple hats
Allows YOU to:
• Communicate personal attributes &
link them to employer needs
• Assess if it is a good fit for you, based
on skills, interests & values
• In person vs.
phone vs. Skype
• One-on-one vs.
Panel
Interview Formats
Interview Styles
• Screening: Often done via phone w/ HR before referring
candidate on for consideration
• Informal conversation—little to no ‘questions’
• Behavioral (most common): “Tell me about a time you…”
• Case study/presentation: Assessing you ‘in action’ i.e.
test/presentation; often round 2 style
• Second/Third/Final round: ‘Best of best’
Preparing for the
Interview
Always bring list of questions to ask employer!
What does it look like?
• Arrive 10-15 min. early (shut
cell phone off)
• Timeliness shows
respect/reliability
• Feeling nervous is
normal
• Deep breaths/poses help
Important Tips:
Day of Interview
Important Tips:
Day of Interview
• Solid handshake!
• Repeat the names of the
people you meet.
Important Tips
Day of Interview
• Stand/sit tall & confidently
Body language expresses
confidence
• Keep a pleasant look &
project enthusiasm
• Emphasize [limited] facial &
hand movements w/
illustrative tone of voice
• Good eye contact: 3-5
second “eye clasp”;
blink/glance quickly away &
reestablish; avoid ‘staring’
Managing the Interview
• Volume, inflection, pacing
• BEWARE of:
• Lack of clarity
• Monotone delivery
• Non-words
Managing the Interview
- Voice
Behavioral Interviews
• Most common type
• Past behavior = best indicator of future
behavior/performance
• Open ended questions in several categories:
• Your Skills, Background and Experience
• Your Growth Opportunities/Weaknesses
Behavioral Interviews
Employers will focus on actual behaviors and
emotions
• Prepare answers that will describe how you
handled a situation
• Concrete, specific examples of your actions
‘Preface’ your answers
• Allows you to set context and depth of your experience
• Helps fill space and keep you & interviewer on track
EX:
Q: “Tell me about a time you used cross-cultural skills in a team
environment”:
A: “I have 4 years of experience working in a multicultural team
environment, where I’ve had ample opportunity to utilize my cross
cultural skills. Most recently as program coordinator for___, I…[cite ex.
of time used cross-cultural skills]”
STAR Methodology
S = Situation
T = Task/Challenge
A = Action taken
R = Results
Preparing for Interview Questions• Most common opener question?
“Tell me about yourself”
Consider responding with verbal resume (elevator pitch) including:
• Who you are (no name needed!)
• Where coming from/recent related experience
• Spotlight special expertise/related educational background, passion for…
• Reference # years of field experience/internships in… including [project work
on]; worked for…
• ‘Looking for an opportunity to apply my X, Y, Z skills in the [int’l. development
arena]…’
• Include why interested in THIS particular position (‘seems a perfect fit for me
given my proven…’)
• Your response should highlight your skills and competencies, specifically in
their areas of interest
Your turn: “Tell me about Yourself”
Pair Share
• Partner up with someone you haven’t
worked with yet;
• Practice answering the ‘Tell me about
yourself’ question.
• Provide feedback & switch roles
• Debrief
Be Prepared! Standard Questions
• What are your weaknesses?
[Pick unrelated weakness, couch in past, talk re how have worked to
overcome, much better now]
• Why should we hire you?
[Focus on strengths you’d bring to job]
• Why do you want to work here?
[Again, focus on assets, qualities you bring to job and stress your
commitment to field]
• Short- and long-term goals?
(Standard Questions, con’t.)• Why did you leave (or why are you leaving) your job?
[NEVER badmouth former employer; instead "searching for new opp’s to
use my ____ skills”]
• Tell us about a failure of yours.
[Own up to failure; focus on what learned from it.]
• What can you do for us that other candidates cannot?
[Focus on strengths/unique features you bring (re ‘PC field experience)]
• What are three positive/negative things your current/last boss would
say about you?
[For negative, choose unrelated items to job interviewing for]
Closing the interview• Always have list of questions available for interviewer:
• May preface first question w/ “Between the job description,
what you’ve shared & the research I’ve done, I have a pretty
solid understanding of the job, so I only have a few remaining
questions…”
• Ask about next steps and hiring time frame
• Jodi’s opt’l ‘concerns’ question: “Now that you’ve had a chance
to review resume & visit with me, what if any concerns do you
have about my candidacy?” (if went well); ALWAYS respond
• Make certain you have their contact info (ask for business card(s)
or at least email/phone for thank you note(s)
• Smile – Eyes – Warmth: lasting image is key
Don’t be afraid to ponder a question
briefly in order to answer it thoughtfully.
Repeat it back, if necessary.
Focus on your strengths. Don’t talk
about your faults or areas of weakness,
unless asked; then pick unrelated
weaknesses.
Never, ever bad-mouth your current
or former employer (even if they
deserve it).
Interview Tips
Focus on how YOU can help the
company—not vice versa.
Don’t bring up salary until THEY ask.
Avoid locking self into set figure without
knowing the salary range.
End by thanking interviewers for their
time & reconfirming your interest in
the position.
Interview Tips
Interview Tips - Deadly Sins
Being unsure of what the job entails (or which job in a
company you are interviewing for)
Focusing only on one experience [PC, PC, PC]
Being perceived as arrogant
Interrupting the interviewer
Dwelling on things that you don’t do well
Insensitive about ethnicity, race, or national origin
