1. THE CAREER CENTER THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA WWW.CAREER.UA.EDU Making a Professional Impression

2. What impression do you want to make? Capable Responsible Eager to LearnProfessional Easy to Interact With ConfidentPleasant to Work With Respectful Mature; Good Judgment Attentive; Engaged

3. Being intelligent and accomplished is one part of making a good impression

4. These can be demonstrated through which of these? Capable Responsible Eager to Learn Easy to Interact With Confident Respectful Mature; Good Judgment Behavior Attire Electronic Presence Conversation E-mails How do we make an impression?

5. Don’t let your opportunities to demonstrate professionalism backfire. Wonder if I’m going to get tagged in this shot? What kind of reference will he get?

6. What we wear Consider this… You are the professor and have two interested students with very similar qualifications. You believe both have potential to do great work and benefit from the experience. Both students are coming in today to talk with you about the research position, but you can offer it to only one. You’ve never met them before and look forward to talking with them. Here they are…

7. What is your first impression?

9. Some things worn around campus any given day are not appropriate for all campus activities. Would you stop and think before wearing this to meet with a professor about a research position?

10. How we present ourselves Consider the first 30 seconds in a networking situation or interview Appearance Posture Eye Contact Facial Expression Handshake Greeting Verbal Interaction Body Language

11. What we say…let’s practice “networking lines.” “ Hi, I’m _______. Thank you for taking time to talk with me about my interest in undergraduate research. My major is _____ and some of my interests right now include ____ and _____. I’m considering pursuing (ex. grad school, particular career) and I believe getting involved with research at this stage will help me learn more about this subject and also about future options. I’m adjective and adjective and would welcome the chance to work with you.

12. Be able to talk about the type of work you’re prepared to do based on your academic experience. Did you participate in a summer program that included research projects? Did you do an elaborate science project in high school that gave you unique experience in your area of interest? Did you have a class that included opportunities for you to explore different aspects of research? What classes have you taken in your area of interest? (How far along are you in understanding the subject?) _____________________________________________________________________ You will be helping the faculty member know how to work best with you if you can describe your level of knowledge at this time. They do not expect you to be experts! They know you are learning.

13. What you might expect in your interview Introduction; small talk Interviewer gives details of the position and the organization Interviewer asks you questions You ask the employer questions Closing: What are the next steps

14. Prepare for the interview. Research what is currently happening in your field of interest. This will give you an idea of some questions you might ask. Practice sample interview questions.

15. Interview Questions---Plan and Practice Think about questions you might be asked based on what you will be doing. Think of questions you would like to ask that have not been answered in prior meetings or online. P R A C T I C E answering questions out loud to be comfortable with your own voice and to develop answers that are substantive, but not too lengthy.

16. Open-ended questions: A few behavioral questions for practice: Tell me something about yourself. Why did you choose to participate in Emerging Scholars? What are your goals? What do you hope to gain from this experience? Describe a time when you had a lot to juggle. How did you handle it? Describe a time when you were not successful. What did you learn? Describe a time when you had to work on a team. What was your role? Sample Interview Questions

17. Following up after an initial meeting… notice the difference Not appropriate Dear Dr. jones, thank u for talking to me about research options in your dpt. im excited about working there & ill see u next wk. yn Appropriate Dear Dr. Jones, Thank you for taking time to talk with me about the research opportunities in your department. I am excited about the possibility of working with you on _____and I look forward to talking with you again next week. Sincerely, Your Name

18. Professionalism through E-mails 1. Make sure you have a courteous greeting and closing. 2. Make sure your subject line is relevant to the content. 3. Address your contact with the appropriate level of formality: Dr. Wood, Dr. Adams –err on side of caution 4. Check your spelling beyond Spellcheck – read it aloud to hear your tone and to make sure all your words are actually there. 5. Use proper sentence structure - complete sentences, capitalize first letter of first word. 6. Include all relevant details or information necessary to understand your request or point of view.

19. Maintaining a Professional Image Take responsibility and initiative. Be mindful of others’ time, privacy, and work space. Express appreciation. Avoid use of cell phone during work unless there is an emergency or unavoidable circumstance. Put things back where you found them. Meet deadlines. Respond to emails and phone calls promptly.

20. Resources InterviewStreamInterviewStream Practice interviewing in the privacy of your own room or in a private recording room in the Career Center. Career GuideCareer Guide Tips, guidelines, samples, and checklists related to career planning and job search preparation Website Repository Website Repository Categories of sites related to career planning, resume writing, interviewing, etc. Career Center WebsiteCareer Center Website Explore our site to learn more about other resources and services for UA students and alumni.