COMM 202 – THE LAST TUTORIAL!

Alison Buchanan | T30 + T37 and guests!#202forever

AGENDA

1.Employment Interview Assignment2.Interview Q&A3.Words of Wisdom from Alison & Sabrina 4.Action Items

EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEW (10%)

WHEN: April 4th, 5th and 7th • Check in with “reception” in Birmingham 10

minutes before your scheduled time; your interviewer will come to waiting area to get you

• The interview will last 20 minutes with 1-2 Commerce 202 team members

• Please bring your pen, resume, job posting, and cover letter in a padfolio

DRESS TO IMPRESS – BUSINESS FORMAL

INTERVIEW Q&A

QUESTIONS TO EXPECT

Tell me about yourself / Walk me through your resume

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

Tell me about a time when… x2

WILD CARD / Problem-solving / Creative stumper question

Do YOU have any questions?

1

2

3

4

5

6

Q1 – TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

The MOST COMMON QUESTION you will get in an interview

Can be asked in different ways… PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

• Keep it 2 minutes or less• Brand yourself – give them something to remember you by• Sound natural, not like you’re reading off a script!• Speak to your skills and accomplishments• Show passion • Provide a well-rounded picture

YOUR STORYThe

Beginning

Growing Interest

The Spark

Your Future

Why you are here

Introduction – quick background

Realization that this was the career for you

Your formula that makes you perfect for the job!

Where you see yourself

How this position ties into it all

YOUR STORY: WHAT IS YOUR FORMULA?

? + ? ?+THE GOAL: Tell them a story that no one else can replicate and impress them in the first 2 minutes

SABRINA’S FORMULA

Ice-hockey Education KPMG SR

PassionAccountability Perseverance

High PressureLearning Problem SolvingAccounting & HR

Public Practice ExposureAnalytical CPA

I would hire you on the spot (2 points)

I would like to interview you again (1 point)

I would not hire you (0 points)

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

Student provides a relevant, chronological “story” highlighting their beginning, spark, growing interest, goals and fit to the organization in a concise manner (2 minute max)

The student provides a chronological “story” highlighting most but not all of the 5 aspects listed in the first column in a concise manner and/or answer was longer than 2 minutes

Student provided “story” that is neither concise (more than 2 minutes) nor chronological/logical

✪ GRADING RUBRIC: ABOUT YOURSELF

ACTIVITY

Grab a partner and share“TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF”

stories

2 minutes story-telling, 1 minute feedback!

#2 – WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?

• A way for the interviewer to tell if you know yourself and that you know you have what it takes to do the job

• Can also be asked in different ways!• There is no right answer – just good answers and bad

answers

I would hire you on the spot (2 points)

I would like to interview you again (1 point)

I would not hire you (0 points)

STRENGTHS

Student is able to choose strengths relevant to the position, give a strong example with proof of execution and links the experience to the job opportunity

Student is able to choose strengths relevant to the position, gives a strong example of execution, but may lack a link to the position

Student’s strength may be irrelevant to the position and/or lacks proof of execution or link to job opportunity

✪ GRADING RUBRIC: STRENGTHS

#3 – WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?

Do not flip WEAKNESSES

intoSTRENGTHS!

#3 – WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?

✘ “I’m such a perfectionist”✘ “Too detail-oriented”✘ “Over-achiever”✘ “I work too hard sometimes”

Weakness wouldn’t impair you from doing the job

Show you have a plan to improve these weaknesses

Show the “lesson learned”

✪ GRADING RUBRIC: WEAKNESSESI would hire you on the spot (2 points)

I would like to interview you again (1 point)

I would not hire you (0 points)

WEAKNESSES

Student is able to choose a developmental area not key to the function of the position and share how they overcame the situation, the lesson learned and action plan moving forward, while demonstrating self reflection and resilience

Student is able to choose a developmental area not key to the function of the position and share how they overcame the situation, however is not able to articulate the lesson learned or action plan moving forward and/or student choose cliché answer ex. “My greatest weakness is my greatest strength”

Student either chose a skill essential to the position or was not able to clearly convey the lesson and/or action plan moving forward; student was unable to provide a weakness

#4 – TELL ME ABOUT A TIME…?

STARSITUATION ACTIONTASK RESULT

What position and where were you?

What was the challenge you

faced?

What did YOU do and how

did you do it?

What was the accomplishment and the impact?

+ LINK back to job and why the story is relevant

#5 – WILD CARD QUESTIONS

#5 – WILD CARD QUESTIONS

• A way for the interviewer to gauge your interest and knowledge of the position and industry

• Test your ability to communicate clearly• Shows the interviewer how you think• TESTS BUSINESS ACUMEN: news, trends, etc.

Industry/job specific or… A SURPRISE!

YOUR GOAL

• Walk them through your thought process

• Stay calm and provide a clear answer

FINANCE PITCH ME A STOCKWHAT ARE THE BENEFITS VS DOWNSIDES OF USING DEBT VS EQUITY FINANCING?HOW WOULD VALUE A PERPETUAL ZERO COUPON BOND? DO YOU THINK THE FINANCIAL MARKETS ARE EFFICIENT?

ACCOUNTING WHY DO YOU WANT TO PURSUE A CPA?WHY THIS FIRM?WALK ME THROUGH THE MAJOR LINES OF A CASH FLOW STATEMENT?

MANAGEMENT CONSULTING

HOW MANY WORDS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NY TIMES?TELL ME YOUR 5 WEAKNESSES… AND ANOTHER… ANOTHERDESCRIBE A PROJECT YOU HAVE WORKED ON THAT CHALLENGED YOU?CASE-BASED QUESTIONS…

MARKETING HOW WOULD YOU INCREASE SALES OF X PRODUCT BY X%?SELL ME THIS PENHOW DO YOU THINK OUR BLOG IS DOING? WHAT CAN BE DONE BETTER?

TLOG HOW COULD YOU IMPROVE THE COMPANY’S PRODUCTIVITY?HOW WOULD YOU DEAL WITH A DIFFICULT FACTORY WORKER?TELL ME ABOUT A TIME YOU IMPROVED SOMETHING WHERE YOU WORKED?

HR TELL ME ABOUT A TIME WHERE YOU HAD TO MOTIVATE A TEAMASSUMING YOU ARE SELECTED, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST CHANGE YOU WOULD MAKE?

RANDOM WHAT IS 3/16 IN DECIMAL?TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING IN THE NEWS, HOW IT RELATES TO THIS JOB?WHY ARE MANHOLES ROUND?TEACH ME SOMETHING YOU LEARNED IN SCHOOL?WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

EXAMPLES

✪ GRADING RUBRIC: WILD CARD

I would hire you on the spot (2 points)

I would like to interview you again (1 point)

I would not hire you (0 points)

CREATIVE/STUMPER QUESTIONS

Student “aces” every opportunity to differentiate themselves during the interview: e.g., they offer a credible, logically-organized, and concise answer for every question. If on the rare occasion, they don’t know the answer, they then respond by asking clarifying questions and/or outlining the problem-solving approach they would use. Maintains composure.

Student “handles” some opportunities to differentiate themselves during the interview: e.g., they offer credible and/or logically-organized and/or concise answers for many questions. They sometimes respond by asking clarifying questions and/or outlining the problem-solving approach they would use

They “miss” too many opportunities to differentiate themselves during interview: e.g., they offer widely varying answers in terms of credibility and/or logical organization and/or conciseness. If they don’t know the answer, they often don’t seem to know how to respond by asking clarifying questions and/or outlining a problem-solving approach

#6 – DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

• Always have at least 2 questions• Avoid asking questions you could find the answer to on Google• Never ask a question like, “What do you look for in candidates?”

– probably should have asked this before the interview• Do not ask something that has already been addressed in the

interview• Always safe to get them talking about themselves – maybe ask

something directly related to their job/industry or some career advice.

CLOSING THE INTERVIEWTHANK them

Reiterate your INTEREST

End with a HANDSHAKE

Ask for their BUSINESS CARD

Ask if you can CALL to follow-up

Use their NAME

FOLLOW UP

Don’t write an essay!

Email in 24 Hours

Thank Them

Refer to Convo

Tailor to the Reader

Re-iterate Interest!

Check for Typos

FOLLOW UP: EXAMPLE

Hi Michael,

I just wanted to say a quick thank you for taking the time to interview me. I really enjoyed our conversation, even though you did not like my top two classic rock bands, at least we could agree on Zeppelin. Good luck with your future at Goldman, hopefully the transition continues to be a smooth one for you.

Best Regards,

Curtis Kuznecov

GENERAL TIPS

Listen to the question

Answer the darn

question

Use your Skills

Matrix

&DON’T FORGET

TO SMILE

WORDS OF WISDOM

ACTION ITEMS

• InterviewStream due April 3rd at 11:59PM EST

• Employment Interviews April 4th, 5th, and 7th (write down your time!)

• Informational Interview due April 14th via Turnitin

• Lecture next week!

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Puppy o f the te rm(A l i son ’ s puppy )