What Employers are Looking for in YOU!

Objectives Discuss key skills Employers look for in a successful Intern or New-hire. Discuss key skills Employers look for in a successful Intern or New-hire. Discuss interviewing strategies. Discuss interviewing strategies. Individual Activity Individual Activity Assess your ability to provide examples of how you demonstrate skills. Assess your ability to provide examples of how you demonstrate skills.

Key Skills Employers Look For Leadership Leadership Works Effectively with Others Works Effectively with Others Problem Solving/Decision Making Problem Solving/Decision Making Grows Capability Grows Capability Effective Communication Effective Communication Embraces Change Embraces Change Positive Attitude Positive Attitude Ability to Deliver Results Ability to Deliver Results

Leadership Skills Envision Envision Envision the future; recognizes opportunities; forms a clear vision of what can be achieved. Envision the future; recognizes opportunities; forms a clear vision of what can be achieved. Engages Engages Engages others in developing and owning the vision and strategies. Engages others in developing and owning the vision and strategies. Energize Energize Energize people and resources to realize vision. Energize people and resources to realize vision. Create environment where people are inspired and motivated to do their very best. Create environment where people are inspired and motivated to do their very best. Enables Enables Enable self and other to achieve vision by leveraging strengths and removing barriers. Enable self and other to achieve vision by leveraging strengths and removing barriers. Execute Execute Develop executable plans to deliver the strategy. Develop executable plans to deliver the strategy. Hold self and others accountable for results. Hold self and others accountable for results.

Works Effectively with Others Maintain positive and effective working relationships. Maintain positive and effective working relationships. Values diversity and leverages those differences to deliver results. Values diversity and leverages those differences to deliver results. Ability to give and receive feedback. Ability to give and receive feedback. Ability to listen. Ability to listen. Accepting instructions and assignments. Accepting instructions and assignments. Assisting others to accomplish work group objectives. Assisting others to accomplish work group objectives.

Problem Solving & Decision Making Skills Smart, creative people who are problem solvers. Smart, creative people who are problem solvers. Set specific, challenging, and achievable goals. Set specific, challenging, and achievable goals. Integrates knowledge and thinks strategically. Integrates knowledge and thinks strategically. Sort through data, identify issues, risk, & trends, and determine optimal solutions. Sort through data, identify issues, risk, & trends, and determine optimal solutions. Exercise sound judgment to make informed and timely decisions. Exercise sound judgment to make informed and timely decisions. Anticipate new problems and consider long-term effects of decision. Anticipate new problems and consider long-term effects of decision.

Grows Capability Learns from success and failures. Learns from success and failures. Values learning opportunities. Values learning opportunities. Shares knowledge, skills, and experience to raise the competence level of the group. Shares knowledge, skills, and experience to raise the competence level of the group. Coaches, mentors, and brings the best out in others. Coaches, mentors, and brings the best out in others.

Effective Communication Skills Interacts effectively at all levels of the company. Interacts effectively at all levels of the company. Express ideas in an effective manner. Express ideas in an effective manner. Clear, to the point, and understood. Clear, to the point, and understood. Confident and poised. Confident and poised. Enthusiasm and interest in the company. Enthusiasm and interest in the company. Identifies the right issues to communicate to the appropriate audience. Identifies the right issues to communicate to the appropriate audience.

Embraces Change Seek out and readily accepts new ideas, experiences, opportunities, and ways of doing things. Seek out and readily accepts new ideas, experiences, opportunities, and ways of doing things. Initiates and manages meaningful change. Initiates and manages meaningful change. Flexible and adaptable Flexible and adaptable Respond/adjust to changing conditions. Respond/adjust to changing conditions. Manages ambiguity. Manages ambiguity.

Positive Attitude Can-do Attitude Can-do Attitude Dedication Dedication Persistence Persistence Results-oriented Results-oriented

Ability to Deliver Results Academic Accomplishments Academic Accomplishments Previous Work Experience Previous Work Experience Extracurricular Activities Extracurricular Activities Student Organizations Student Organizations Volunteer/Community involvement Volunteer/Community involvement Sports Sports

Developing an Interviewing Strategy

WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW? An opportunity to “sell” your abilities, interests, and career objectives. An opportunity to “sell” your abilities, interests, and career objectives. An opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the position and career offered by a particular company. An opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the position and career offered by a particular company.

PREPARE FOR INTERVIEW Know the Company. Know the Company. Know the job requirements. Know the job requirements. Prepare your resume. Prepare your resume.

PLAN YOUR INTERVIEW STRATEGY Know yourself and what you have to offer. Know yourself and what you have to offer. Everyone has something to offer. Everyone has something to offer. Realistically appraise your strengths and weaknesses. Realistically appraise your strengths and weaknesses. Inventory your assets: talents, interests, and experiences – what have you already accomplished? Inventory your assets: talents, interests, and experiences – what have you already accomplished? Stress your strong points. Stress your strong points.

INTERVIEW TIPS Different interviewers have different styles. Different interviewers have different styles. Different types of interviews (panel, one-on-one). Different types of interviews (panel, one-on-one). Show self-respect and confidence, but don’t be cocky. Show self-respect and confidence, but don’t be cocky. Be positive, enthusiastic and interested. Be positive, enthusiastic and interested.

INTERVIEW TIPS L isten to questions and answer directly. Be concise – don’t go into details that are not important. L isten to questions and answer directly. Be concise – don’t go into details that are not important. ASK QUESTIONS! ASK QUESTIONS! Focus on YOU – sell your accomplishments and contributions. Focus on YOU – sell your accomplishments and contributions. Give specific examples of what you have already accomplished. Give specific examples of what you have already accomplished.

Interview Tips Use CAR concept for examples Use CAR concept for examples Context--Action--Result Context--Action--Result If any of the three are missing, the example is not complete. If any of the three are missing, the example is not complete.

What is the CAR Concept? C – Context. The situation in which the action took place. It’s like background information. C – Context. The situation in which the action took place. It’s like background information. A – Action. What did you personally do? What was your contribution? A – Action. What did you personally do? What was your contribution? R – Result. What did your action make happen? Be specific. R – Result. What did your action make happen? Be specific.

INTERVIEW MISTAKES Doesn’t provide results. Doesn’t provide results. Did not prepare for the interview. Did not prepare for the interview. Provides too much background/not enough background. Provides too much background/not enough background. Rambles. Rambles.

Exercise For each skill, list one example of how you have demonstrated that skill. For each skill, list one example of how you have demonstrated that skill. Share a few examples. Share a few examples. Practice CAR Concept: Context--Action--Result Practice CAR Concept: Context--Action--Result

SUMMARY Know yourself and the company. Know yourself and the company. Success is dependent on your ability to sell yourself - communicate your strong points. Success is dependent on your ability to sell yourself - communicate your strong points. Interest and enthusiasm are important. Interest and enthusiasm are important. REMEMBER - you’re not just looking for a job, but a career -- prepare accordingly. REMEMBER - you’re not just looking for a job, but a career -- prepare accordingly.

QUESTIONS?