What do I need to do? Presented by Dr. Kevin A. Cojanu Kaplan University

There are several key parts to the planning process:  Know what direction you truly want to go in  Make sure you know all the skills required for this career  Make sure you have clear educational direction  Find a mentor in that field to help you be successful  Define a Plan “B & C” in the same field to potentially build skills  Stay connected with the field in the news and literature  Target a company in the field and make contacts

Making contact is the hardest thing to do. Here are some pointers:  Cold calling into Human Resources  Letter campaign to the director or recruiting manager  Visit twice a month to say hello and ask questions about available positions  Ask for a mentor inside the company  Be prepared to interview on the spot each time you visit  Always send a “thank you” note after your visit or encounter  Keep notes about your visit for reference

 It is important to make contacts whenever possible  Be prepared to talk about your goals and objectives with anyone who will listen  Do not be afraid to ask for help in reaching your goals  Always say Thank You to anyone who listens

 Contact Information  Objective Statement  Clear and to the point  Do not be too specific  Education  Everything, do not leave anything out  Even company-specific training  Hardware and Software you can use  Experience  Company Name, Position Held, Dates worked  Bullet points on what you did (Past Tense)  References upon Request

 Needs to be in real letter format  To whom it many concern OR Dear Hiring Manager  3 paragraph Rule  PARA 1: Intro – saw the ad and I think I am an excellent fit based on my experience  PARA 2: Brief details of your experience and how it relates to the job - use action verbs that describe your accomplishments, not just duties  PARA 3: Closing – based on qualifications, you believe in an interview we can discuss further the great fit that you will provide!

 Get an address that is your name  DO NOT submit a resume with  Use proper English in your resume and cover letter  DO NOT use slang  Make sure you spell check EVERYTHING  Use the language in the advertisement in your resume and Cover Letter  DO as much research about the company as you can

 address  Instant Message Accounts  Google Yourself  Blogs  Myspace, Facebook, and other networking sites  Forum/ Bulletin Board Posts Your internet profile should be professional and place you in a favorable position.

In any interview you need to distinguish yourself from everyone else – HOW?  Research is KEY – Know what you can before walking in the door  Resume for the interviewers (take 4 with you)  day plan  What you will be doing to get up to speed in  30 days – learn all you can about the responsibilities of the job  60 days – you will start taking on responsibility for tasks  90 days – should be able to take all responsibility, and perform  Core Qualities that you bring to the table  Character  Special skills  What you will do to help the organization be successful

 4 points to success  Be specific as possible  What was the situation  What did you do to solve the issue  What did you learn  Gotcha situations  Once you are done with your answer – Stop talking!  If there is very long silence from the interviewer, ask if they would like another example of your skills  Never keep talking to fill the silence!

Behavioral Interview:  The premise behind behavioral interviewing is that the most accurate predictor of future performance is past performance in similar situations. Situational questions:  "How would you handle XYZ situation?“  How does the interviewer know, after all, if you would really react in a given situation the way you say you would? In a behavioral interview, however, it's much more difficult to give responses that are untrue to your character. Behavioral interviewer:  Will pick apart your answer to get at the specific behavior(s).  The interviewer will probe further for more depth or detail such as "What were you thinking at that point?" or "Tell me more about your meeting with that person," or "Lead me through your decision process." If you've told a story that's anything but totally honest, your response will not hold up through the barrage of probing questions.

The interviewer identifies job-related experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities:  Critical thinking  Being a self-starter  Willingness to learn  Willingness to travel  Self-confidence  Teamwork  Professionalism

 Any questions?