1. Career Pathways Before the Interview, cont’d
October 19th, 2017

2. Student Contract Review
Please think back to the contract you signed
Poor attendance affects everyone in the class
It’s important to keep professional connections healthy

3. Office Vocabulary Word Bank
App
Backup
Bluetooth
Browser
Hard Drive
Hardware
Hotspot
MAC
Megahertz PC
PDF
Phishing
Software
Spreadsheet
USB
Virus

4. ‘App’
Def. - A self-contained program or piece of software; an application, especially when downloadable to a mobile device
Short for ‘application’

5. ‘Backup’
Def. - A copy of files from a computer's hard disk, usually made on some external medium such as CD-ROM or flash drive

6. ‘Bluetooth’
Def. - A way of communicating wirelessly over short distances between electronic devices

7. ‘Browser’ Def. - a program used to view or browse the internet
Most common examples are Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and Firefox

8. ‘Hard Drive’
Def. - A stack of rigid disks, usually inside the computer, where data is stored magnetically
External hard drives can be connected to your computer

9. ‘Hardware’
Def. – The physical parts of a computer and all related devices

10. ‘Hotspot’
Def. – An area that has an available wireless signal, usually public

11. ‘MAC’
Def. – Stands for Macintosh. Refers to the specific operating system on that line of computers as developed by the Apple Corporation

12. ‘Megahertz’
Def. - describes the speed of computer equipment. The higher the MHz the better the performance
Frequently appears as MHz

13. ‘PC’
Def. - Stands for "Personal Computer" and refers to the specific computer format developed by the IBM Corporation that eventually became the predominate format for all computers.
All computer are either MACs or PCs

14. ‘PDF’
Def. - Stands for "Portable Document Format' and it describes a file format that was developed and distributed for free by Adobe Systems. It can be used to display and print documents, text, fonts, and formatting from a variety of applications.

15. ‘Phishing’
Def. - The attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

16. ‘Software’
Def. - Lines of computer code written by programmers that tell the computer what to do.

17. ‘Spreadsheet’
Def. - A document that stores data in a grid of horizontal rows and vertical columns. Each cell can store a unique instance of data.
Most commonly associated with Microsoft Excel

18. ‘USB’
Def. - Stands for "Universal Serial Bus" and it refers to the most common type of computer port used to connect peripheral devices to computers

19. ‘Virus’
Def. - A small, unauthorized program that can damage a computer

20. Review What is good about the different job sites?
Which ones do you prefer?

21. Applying online
Using the internet is the most common way to apply for jobs online
Other ways:
Classified ads
Applying in person

22. Applying online
Most companies will post job listings through sites we’ve explored
Companies may also post on their own website for jobs they’re hiring for
Some companies will also use recruiting agencies
Let’s explore some companies…

23. Researching the company
VERY important part of the interview. Not just for yourself, but for the company too.
You want to know what you’re potentially getting yourself in to
The company wants to know if you’ve done your homework
Important information to look up
Job description
Mission statement
History
Board of directors/staff
Do you know anyone there?
In the news
What are people saying?
Do they have social media?

24. Researching the company
Find the mission statement, founding year, and one interesting piece of data for the following companies:
Achievement Network
Citizen Schools
Posse Foundation

25. Know where you’re going
And how are you getting there?
Make sure you account for traffic, rush hour, parking, etc.

26. Give it a shot Look up directions to the interview Find their website
You have interview the following locations
Posse 11am
Citizen 3pm
10am

27. Writing a Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is essential to most jobs
It expresses your interest but also shows more about you as a candidate

28. Tips for Writing a Cover Letter
Be sincere, but not too many compliments
Do your research about the organization
Talk about your past experience
Explain how the skills you have fit in to the job description
Let’s explore a successful cover letter I’ve written…

29. Cover Letters, cont’d Great start
Very professional language and good ‘resume speak’
Being a good writer helps you write a good cover letter

30. The morning of… Get plenty of sleep Make sure your phone is charged
Set your alarm
Eat a good breakfast
Make sure you shower and brush your teeth

31. Arriving at the Interview
You should arrive 15 minutes early
Make sure you know where in the building you’re going
Not just the address
Be polite
Strike up a conversation with the receptionist

32. Another option (this is what I do)
Get to the area early
Find a café and bring your laptop (if you have one) or use your phone
Do last minute research. Write out your thoughts

33. Customs of the Interview
The handshake
Very important
Handshake should be firm
Make eye contact, smile

34. Customs of the Interview
Speaking
Be honest
Speak positively
Don’t bad talk previous employers

35. Customs of the Interview
Body Language
Project confidence by
Smiling
Sitting up straight
Making eye contact

36. The beginning of the interview
Usually begins with an introduction
The first question is usually “what brings you here” or “why are you interested?”

37. Rest of the interview Most interview questions are not unique
Questions will be specific to the job
It’s good to research some interview questions
Don’t come off as too scripted

38. Give it a shot!
You will each get a turn as an applicant for an office position
You each have a sheet of question to ask the applicant
You have 2 minutes to ask questions. After 2 minutes, give 1 minute of feedback
Then switch

39. Asking Questions
Every interview will end with “do you have any questions for us?”
Always make sure to ask questions
Have at least three prepared

40. Good questions vs. bad questions
The questions you ask will be important
While it is imperative to ask questions, not all questions are equal
What are some examples?

41. Give it a shot
Using the organizations we looked up directions to, come up with 3 questions for each, if you were going on a job interview for them