EN 493 ▪ Resumes and CVs ▪ Cover Letters, SOPs & PSs ▪ Interviewing ▪ Internships & Volunteering ▪ Job Searching

Resumes ▪ Skimmable ▪ Informative ▪ White Space ▪ Specific to the Position ▪ Honesty: Lies on your resumes ▪ Knowledge: Expanding on key words and your strengths ▪ References: Ask… then inform ▪ Read Strong Resume Samples

Curriculum Vitae (CV) ▪ Length ▪ Encompassing ▪ References

Cover Letters ▪ Format ▪ Contacts: Use a name! ▪ Three paragraphs (or four at the most) ▪ First Paragraph: Connect with the company! ▪ Second Paragraphs: Show-Not-Tell ▪ Third Paragraph: Proactive ▪ Cover Letters Cover Letters

Personal Statement / Statement of Purpose ▪ Personal Statements are... Personal - but not too personal: Hook! ▪ Statement of Purpose: Academic ▪ Discrepancies and/or problems: Address these up front ▪ Prompts: Answer the question(s)! ▪ Application: Show your research! ▪ Application: Apply your self awareness to the school ▪ Individual professors: Research and make connections

Interviews

Job Interviews - Before the Interview ▪ Dress: Observe and/or ask ▪ Research: Research the company - AND - the individuals ▪ On site: Visit the site - if possible ▪ Presentations: If not sure… ask!

Phone Interviews ▪ “Presentation”: Dress the part ▪ “Energy”: Sit at a desk or stand ▪ Notes: Take notes - to ask questions later ▪ Notes: Have notes - on research, etc. ▪ Resume/CV: Have these in front of you for reference ▪ Research: Have a mental picture of the person with whom you’re speaking

Skype Interviews ▪ Camera: Look at the camera - not the screen ▪ Background: What will your interviewee see - behind you? ▪ Phone: Turn it off! ▪ Quiet ▪ Practice ▪ Technology

When Does the Interview Begin… and End? ▪ From the first or phone call… ▪ Until you get on the plane ▪ Everyone you meet… and that means everyone ▪ Lunch… Dinner… Conversations…

Going to the Interview ▪ Dress: If possible, visit the site. Always err on the side of dressing ‘up’ ▪ Promptness ▪ Phone ▪ Food: Odors, stomach problems, etc.

How Do You Act During the Interview? ▪ Be yourself - but your best self ▪ Make eye contact - with each person - and continue to do so ▪ Give a strong handshake ▪ Engage in active listening ▪ Be aware of and have methods for dealing with jitters

Questions During the Interview Questions Put to You

What are some of your strengths? ▪ Example of a strong & successful teamwork situation ▪ Example of when you saved your current/previous employer money or time ▪ Example of a difficult situation at work that you overcame - to the benefit of everyone ▪ Example of a failure in your job and how you dealt with it successfully

Why would you be a good fit? ▪ How you see yourself fitting in with the mission of the company - to the benefit of the company and all employees ▪ How your passion for the company will motivate you

Why do you want to work here? ▪ Research ▪ Self awareness ▪ Passion

Why do you think you can do this job? ▪ Research ▪ Self awareness ▪ Application

What is your biggest weakness? ▪ Self Awareness ▪ Ability to be a problem solver ▪ Reflection - before the interview ▪ Problem-Solving Plan: Develop on your own

Tell us about yourself… ▪ Succinct ▪ Applicable to the job! ▪ Resume/CL repetition

Job-Specific Questions ▪ If you could create the ‘perfect’ course to teach, what would you create - and why? ▪ How would you handle “X” problem? (when this is a points made in the job advertisement) ▪ How would you apply your experience to a liberal arts college - when you have never taught at one?

Questions During the Interview Questions Posed by You

What Questions Should You Ask? ▪ The preferred method of following up after the interview ▪ Professional- and personal-growth expectations by the company ▪ Further education opportunities ▪ Company values - as they apply to certain situations: such as how interest in employees is demonstrated, etc. ▪ Travel

Problems During the Interview

Mistakes - During an Interview ▪ Going to arrive late? Call! ▪ Arrive late? Be honest ▪ Make a mistake? Apologize immediately and sincerely - and let go! ▪ Regret something later? Mention in a follow-up letter

Miscellaneous

Internships Offer You… ▪ The opportunity for hands-on work ▪ The chance to see how employees interact ▪ The ability to observe how long employees work during the day and how they behave in general

Volunteering ▪ Volunteer Work as Relevant Experience: Over half ▪ Competition ▪ Teamwork vs.. Individual work

What Employers Are Looking For ▪ Communication Skills ▪ Teamwork Willingness ▪ Willingness to Learn ▪ Ability of potential employees to relate their experience to the current/potential job ▪ Ability of potential employees to fit in with/be able to work with current employees

Some Last Advice ▪ Be able to actually put yourself in the position of the possible job position. ▪ See yourself in it - before you go to the interview. ▪ How would you address what you see to be common issues that you would need to address?

What Can I Do with an English Degree??? ▪ Public Relations ▪ Human Resources ▪ Grant Writing ▪ Editing ▪ Publishing ▪ Sales Managers ▪ Advertising ▪ University of Kent

Where Can I Look for Jobs? ▪ simplyhired.com simplyhired.com ▪ jobspider.com jobspider.com ▪ indeed.com/ indeed.com/

What Can I Do to Help My Professional Self? ▪ Linkedin: and network through Linkedin. Linkedin: ▪ Competition: Stakes are high! ▪ Network through conferences. ▪ Network through volunteer work. ▪ Network through clubs and groups… and consider FB. ▪ Start groups - and join groups. ▪ Offer to help - first to honestly help, and second to connect. ▪ Stay in touch with important professors! ▪ Write letters of recommendation to important professors.

Questions?