Perspective (Ruth-Ellen Simmonds & RoseMarie McCaffery)
Introductions (Melissa Kastens)
Resume Writing (Kimberly Williams)
Recruiting Resources (Marjorie Moliere)
Interviewing Preparation(Melissa Kastens)
Mock Interview (Kimberly Williams, interviewer, & Melissa Kastens)
The Offer Process (Marjorie Moliere)
Perspective (Ruth-Ellen Simmonds & RoseMarie McCaffery)March 7 is the next seminar in the Professional Development Series, which are scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month.
Our guests tonight are Melissa Kastens, Kimberly Williams, Marjorie Moliere and Kerry O'Callahan, all of whom are members of the HR department of Goldman, Sachs and Company, New York City.
These four women have achieved success in their chosen professions and will share what they have learned not only as recruiters but as individuals who have taken responsibility for managing their own careers.
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Introductions (Melissa Kastens)
We're going to look at the job search process from a different perspective. We are recruiters; none of us is a career counselor.
Melissa Kastens: A year and a half with Goldman as a recruiter, has another four years experience in HR with a competitor.
Marjorie Moliere: Seven years with Goldman, five of them in campus and diversity recruitment; was a non-profit fundraiser before that and is now involved with more experienced hiring.
Kimberly Williams: A year and a half at Goldman and is now doing diversity recruiting on campus level; has experience with other financial services firms; also managed A Better Chance, New York City, for placing academically gifted students of color in boarding schools.
Kerry O'Callahan: One year at Goldman as manager of non-professional recruiting; has 14 years of experience as an HR generalist for a couple of law firms; has done recruiting and retention work in professional and nonprofessional sectors.
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Resume Writing (Kimberly Williams):
Resume Format:
- Write one page only
- Use reverse chronological order in summarizing experience (the most recent first)
- Include clear and simple descriptions (bullet points or simple sentences)
- Use an easy-to-read font
- Keep it simple!!!
Resume Content: - Include full name and current contact information
- Use a bullet format
- List your accomplishments
- Mention honors and awards
- Highlight work experience (and licenses you have earned)
- Include extracurricular activities and leadership involvement
- Show GPA, if it's good. If it's not, don't list it.
- Summarize your academic history (school, location, graduation date, major/minor)
Consider including these elements: objective statement, summary of experience, hobbies and interest, high school info (
see Resume Example in Related Links below).
Resume Landmines: - Typos and other spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors
- Inaccurate or untrue information - Don't inflate (i.e. Did you manage a process or participate in a process?). List real hobbies; only list your true interests.
- Too "stylish"
- Irrelevant objective statement - Write objective statement in one or two sentences and make it relevant to the job. Change it to fit each job you consider.
- Contact names and company names that don't match
Have others proofread your resume.
Write a one page, three-paragraph cover letter which highlights key points from your resume that show why you're ideal for that job; don't repeat word for word what is in your resume.
- Question: Is it ok to generalize in your cover letter by writing "Dear prospective employer" as a greeting?
- Answer: This is full-time job. Do research to make letter specific. That makes you special because you stand out. Personalizing your cover letter helps differentiate you from other candidates.
- Question: Should I tell the company about my disability?
- Answer: That's your call. Many companies are still not enlightened. Talk to someone who knows the corporate climate of that company. If your
disability is a problem for that company, you probably
don't want to work there.
- Question: I became blind later in life and have gaps in my resume. How do I address that?
- Answer: Write a functional resume by describing your skill sets and capabilities. Support those statements with brief examples of your work experience. Explain the gaps in your cover letter. A go-between, such as an agency, can also help.
- Question: At the interviews I've had, my blindness is a turnoff. When is it a good time to tell about a visual impairment?
- Answer: I would like to know before our interview because that would help me do a better job as a recruiter.
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Recruiting Resources (Marjorie Moliere)
- Agencies
Two types: Contingency agencies are paid by the company when a job is filled. They're not exclusive, and usually concentrate on middle management jobs. Executive search agencies are paid regardless of whether the job is filled, charge higher fees and have the exclusive right to fill the job. They concentrate on senior executive jobs.
Agencies can provide you with information about the job market, a firm's culture, industry prospects, working conditions, average compensation etc.
Some agencies specialize in specific types of jobs; some are generalists. They ultimately work for the employer.
Talk to people who are job holders or a recruiter for leads on agencies. Also check the Directory of Executive Recruiters, a reference at the library, to find who to call (see Related Links below).
- Job boards online
They can be specialized or broad-based generalists, offering company research and career tips in addition to resume and job postings.
- Word of mouth
Employer referral programs can be valuable. A relative or even a friend of a friend can pave the way to introductions and give you a sense of the corporate culture, mentoring possibilities. Have family members keep eyes open for job opportunities. Remember that a good fit for a friend may not be a good fit for you.
- Schools or alumni associations
- America's Job Bank
A web site offering nation-wide job postings, including those for federal contractors. It offers geographical searches (see Related Links below).
- Professional associations
- Question: I'm interested in web programming. How do I find information about that working environment?
- Answer: Ask friends, school contacts, career officers, professors and agencies which specialize in tech placements. There are also web sites which specialize in information technology careers.
- Question: Is there an agency in New York City which works with visual impaired job candidates?
- Answer: eSight will further research that and post the results of that research. (Also see summary of December, 2000, seminar, a discussion by Peter Newman, Diversity Services, New York City.)
- Question: Because I have a visual impairment (which is a hidden disability), I have difficulty in filling out a neat job application. What should I do?
- Answer: Notify the receptionist about your situation. An HR person will help. Or, ask if you can take the application home. Most companies will make accommodations.
- Question: How can I deal with a situation in which I'm asked to take a test?
- Answer: You can say: "I'm more than happy to take your test. I just need help to record my answers."
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Interviewing Preparation (Melissa Kastens)
Purpose of an interview:
- Determine whether you're capable of doing the job
- Determine whether you're motivated to do the job
- Determine whether you'll "fit" into the culture
Preparing for an interview: - Know yourself
- Know the job for which you're interviewing
- Know the industry and company
- Put yourself in the place of the interviewer
- PRACTICE!
Interview types: - Behavioral interview, which is designed to show your organizational skills
- Case study interview, which focuses on your problem solving skills and how analytical you are
- Historical interview, which is a discussion of experience to date and is designed to show your the progression in your skill development
What to do: - Pause before you speak
- Say you don't know if don't know
- Bring copies of resume
- Allow one to two hours total time for the interview
- Do your research about the job and the company
- Let interviewer guide the conversation
- Be ready to give concrete examples of skills
- Ask questions
Interviewing landmines: - Inappropriate dress and presentation
- Getting caught in a lie
- Lack of enthusiasm
- Being uninformed
- Asking about salary. (That's up to the interviewer to decide whether to discuss it. If asked, be honest about present salary)
- Too much follow up
How to give yourself an advantage: - Follow-up with a thank you letter or email ASAP
- Collect and distribute business cards
- Reiterate your interest
- Thank everyone
- Inquire about next steps
A good interview is like a good conversation. Sell yourself.
- Question: How do you answer the question: What do you expect your salary to be?
- Answer: Do your research. You can say: "Right now I'm making $35,000 and would like to be making $40,000." Be honest. You can say, "I'm interested in the job," as a first response, but you also need to show your interest in salary and back it up with figures.
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Mock Interview (Kimberly Williams, interviewer,
& Melissa Kastens)
Kimberly (interviewer) and Melissa conduct a five-minute mock interview, which usually takes 30-40 minutes.
Negatives in mock interview:
- Never say anything negative about previous employer or company
- Asking "What is this job about?" was not appropriate and showed lack of preparation.
Positives in mock interview:- Summarized what she had to offer at the end of the interview.
- Gave concrete examples of experience and comments from others about job well done.
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The Offer Process (Majorie Moliere)
The offer usually comes after several interviews. Listen carefully to what the organization is offering you. Repeat specifications about adaptive equipment and accommodations. Get clarification. That may take several phone calls.
Don't prolong this process for more than a week. Accept or reject the offer.
If offer is not what you want, be prepared to negotiate. Decide what will make you happy before negotiating.
An agency can negotiate on your behalf.
Once you accept an offer, you should receive an offer letter. Make sure it states the conditions you negotiated.
There may be a background check. Ask what will be checked. Will there be a drug screening? When?
Ask when you can let your present employer know that you are leaving?
Ask about dress, direct deposit, education policies etc.
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