1. Interview Workshop The Pennsylvania State University Actuarial Science Club September 18, 2013

2. Job-Finding Process Career Fair Resume Interview Process Purpose of an Internship Interviewing What Recruiters Want Researching a Company Question Types Thank You Follow-up General Tips

3. Over 30 companies are coming!! Sept 26 th, 5-8 PM Business Building Atrium Dress is business professional Bring plenty of copies of your resume

4. Helps you get the first interview Makes the first impression and sets the tone for the interview Be ready to discuss anything on it Get lots of feedback!

5. Meet companies and distribute resumes at the career fair Build your Network Attend info sessions Browse the company website Learn about the company and position Demonstrate interest – recruiters often track attendance! Talk to recruiters in a more personal setting Apply online (Resume, Transcript, Cover Letter, etc) SmealConnect for Internships NLCN for full time Company website Interview Most first-round interviews are on-campus Most second-round interviews are by phone or on-site

6. Elevator Speech Shorter for Career Fairs Elaborate more for Interview (Tell me about yourself…) 30 Seconds Name, Major, Exams, Past Internships I am looking for… While at Penn State, I have… (Leadership Positions, Activities, etc…) Elevator Pitch

7. Purpose of an Internship For you: Perspective to evaluate: Company Profession Location Experience For your next job For your resume For the company: Extended job interview Many companies do most of their full- time hiring through internships

8. The recruiter is evaluating if you’re right for the company You should be evaluating if the company is right for you!

9. Communication skills / Personality / Leadership Extracurriculars – focus on transferrable skills Leadership positions Dedication to an actuarial career “What made you want to be an actuary?” Prior internships Attempted exams Major Technical skills Passed exams GPA MS Excel, MS Access, VBA, coding experience Time Management (work-exam-life balance) Responsibilities outside of the classroom (work, extracurriculars) Evaluate Fit Are you right for them? Are they right for you?

10. Respectful yet relaxed Confident but not arrogant No matter how qualified, you’re still an unproven entry-level candidate; act like it Portray that you are willing to learn “Would I want to work with this person?” Make the interview conversational and personable

11. What is the position like? How do your qualifications fit their needs? How does the position fit your goals? Company information How do they make money? Financial health Current events Ask good questions Don’t ask anything available online Repeating questions to multiple interviewers – can get multiple perspectives Don’t embarrass yourself

12. Traditional Behavioral Case Analytical

13. Tell me about yourself. What made you want to be an actuary? What accomplishment are you most proud of? What is your greatest strength/weakness? What are your career goals? Tell me about [something on your resume]? What did you learn in your previous internship? How you prepared for your next exam? Do you have any unique extracurricular/experiences? What’s your favorite class?

14. Tell me about a time when you… …worked in a team with someone who didn’t pull their weight. …made an unpopular decision. …made a mistake. …balanced multiple commitments. …had a disagreement with a team. …proposed an idea that was unpopular. STAR – be descriptive as if you’re story telling Situation – recent challenge you were faced with Task – what you were trying to get out of the situation Action – what did you do about the situation; alternatives Result – outcome of what you did; spin it to be positive

15. Case Questions 30-45 min interview Presented with a business problem Collaborate with your interviewer to arrive at a solution Assesses your thought process in solving business issues

16. How many taxi cabs are there in NYC? Could I fit a stack of pennies as tall as the Empire State Building in this conference room? How many windows are there in the business building? You won’t know the answer – just talk through your reasoning! They’re looking for your logic, not the final answer

17. Send a “thank you” e-mail to everyone who interviewed you Remember to get contact information Personalize each message – recruiters can spot canned responses Be concise – recruiters are busy!

18. Ask good questions Pause to collect your thoughts Give concise and detailed answers Don’t ramble Don’t complain or make excuses Don’t speak negatively Mock Interview…Practice

19. Questions