01 Working with the CMC 04 Networking 02 Assessment and Planning 05 Resume Writing 03 Job Search Strategy 06 Letters and s 07 Interviewing

Transcription

1 Career planning and job search guide Table of Contents 01 Working with the CMC CMC General Information Peer Coach Program Assessment and Planning The Career Development Process The Value of Self-Assessment CareerLeader Skills Research for the Right Fit Research Resources Personal Elevator Pitch Employer Information Sessions Prioritizing Your Career Options Preparing for Career Transitions Career Action Plan Job Search Strategy Steps of the Job Search Job Search Framework Developing a Target Company List Research and Target Companies Informational Interviewing Leveraging GPS Recruiting Applying to Companies and Positions Staying on Track Leadership/Rotational Development Programs Networking Networking Overview Building Your Network Identifying Your Network How GPS Recruiting Can Help Networking Strategies Networking Action Plan and Timeline Additional Networking Situations Resume Writing Resume Fundamentals CMC Resume Writing Guide Owen Resume Template Create Compelling Accomplishment Bullets Tailoring Your Resume to the Job Key Knowledge and Skills by Function Sample Resume Bullets Resume Action Verbs By Skill Sets Guidelines for Electronic Resumes Letters and s Career Correspondence Cover Letters Thank-you Letters Correspondence Interviewing Interviewing Process Interviewing Fundamentals Types of Interviews Getting Ready to Interview Sample Interview Questions Function-Specific Interviews and Resources Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management MSF rev. 6-12

2 08 Offers and Negotiations Offers and Negotiations Overview Prepare Before Receiving Offers Things to Know Before Interviewing Receiving the Offer Evaluating the Offer Comparing Job Offers Negotiations Accepting or Declining an Offer International Students Guide for International Students Job Search Strategies for International Students Advice from Alumni Explaining Work Authorization to Employers Other Important Employment Information Walker Management Library Resources Tools Career Web Resources and Tools Frequently Asked Questions Budgeting for Your Job Search Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management MSF rev. 6-12

3 1-1 Working with the CMC CMC General Information Address: st Avenue South Nashville, TN Main Phone: (615) Fax: (615) Hours of Operation: The office will be open 8:00 AM 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. Work schedules and availability of the CMC Staff will vary by the day. Scheduling Appointments: All appointments should be scheduled through the CMC Administrative Assistant or by contacting a staff member directly. Walk-in appointments with CMC staff are possible, but we encourage you to schedule individual appointments to avoid delays and conflicts. GPS Portfolio of Tools for Guiding Professional Success: To help you be successful in pursuing your career goals, we have created a portfolio of tools for Guiding Professional Success GPS. Each GPS tool contains resources, activities and information to help you develop your strategy and prepare you to take advantage of every opportunity at Owen. The GPS portfolio includes: GPS Handbook this thorough guide for career planning and job search GPS Online online resources to augment the GPS Handbook and CMC workshops GPS Recruiting online system utilized for company information, job postings, interview scheduling and all employer and CMC events GPS Recruiting Information: The CMC uses GPS Recruiting as the primary resource for CMC and recruiting information at Owen. This online system helps you manage all CMC related activities. You will receive an during Orientation with instructions on how to access the system and set up your account. As an MSF student, you will also use the DoreWays system through the Vanderbilt Career Center for additional recruiting activities. Before you can access all features of GPS Recruiting, you must first complete the two following items within the My Profile tab (Note: You can update this information as needed at any time.): Personal Information Indicate whether you are seeking employment, not seeking employment or are sponsored by your employer. My Career Interests Your personal profile will help the CMC better understand your career aspirations. To gain access to on-campus recruiting through GPS Recruiting, you will also need to complete the requirements of the Career Management Program. Features of GPS Recruiting include: Job Postings Explore postings for both on-campus interviewing and off-campus opportunities. Events Find both CMC- and employer-related events. You will be able to RSVP to attend workshops, company Information Sessions or other scheduled CMC / recruiter activities through the system. Announcements and Alerts Found on your homepage, these are important CMC notifications or system alerts where you are required to take some action (e.g., sign up for an interview with an employer). General Company Information These include both HR and networking points of contact. Document Manager Upload resumes and cover letters in PDF file format. Interview Scheduler Sign up for interview slots.

4 1-2 Working with the CMC In addition to GPS Recruiting, important information will be posted in the CMC section of the Owen Daily News (ODN), the front page of GPS Online and occasionally communicated via . Please check all of the above daily for interviewing and job search information as well as other important updates. DoreWays Information: The Vanderbilt Career Center s system, DoreWays, has almost identical functionality as GPS Recruiting, but please check both systems, as they will be posting different openings and events. In fact, DoreWays tends to post more MSF-specific openings, so be sure to check that site often. One of the best ways to stay up to date on these postings is to create job search agents inside your accounts; this allows you to receive a periodic updating you on positions that meet your specified search criteria. See GPS Recruiting and DoreWays for instructions. You will need to create a DoreWays account at Vanderbilt Career Center Listservs: One of the best ways to stay on top of current job postings and events at the Vanderbilt Career Center is to sign up for the center s various industry listservs. We highly recommend signing up for the VCC Finance Listserv at: For more career management resources, go to GPS Online at Peer Coach Program The purpose of the Peer Coach Program is to utilize a select group of second year students to provide resume reviews, interview preparation and functional area career advice in conjunction with the coaching provided by the CMC. Peer Coaches offer a wealth of information and provide insights based on their first year experiences with recruiting. Peer Coaches share real world experience on the process of recruiting, research, networking, company information and job and industry information. Once matches are made, your assigned Peer Coach will contact you to set up a meeting. Keep in mind that these are just initial Peer Coach matches and that you have access to all of the Peer Coaches as you need them throughout the year. The Peer Coach position is paid, so don t hesitate to rely on this valuable resource. Peer Coach Qualifications: At least three years of work experience Strong communication skills Coaching skills Job search resources knowledge and experience Functional expertise and focus Leadership and initiative Time management Enthusiasm and interest to help other students Peer Coach Services: Resume reviews Industry or functional information Job search guidance Cover letter reviews Mock interviews First year experience

5 2-1 Assessment and Planning The Career Development Process There are several ways you can go about selecting your career path and managing your career. These four steps in the Career Development Process will provide you with a framework to help you get started and yield optimal results. By following these steps, you will gain valuable insight and increase the confidence you have in making career related decisions now and in the future. In this chapter, we will discuss Step 1: Research and Step 2: Plan. Step 1: Research Conduct self-assessment of your interests, values, knowledge, skills and attributes. Gather information on possible career options including key skills and expectations for specific functional areas and industries. Review online and print resources and start preparing and practicing your elevator pitch. Attend employer Information Sessions as a way to learn about organizations and career paths. Step 2: Plan Evaluate options in light of self-assessment and industry/market information. Develop a focus based on preferences in functional area, industry and geography. Perform a gap analysis based on what you have to offer now and what employers seek for your career focus. Establish priorities and set goals to address your gaps. Create a career action plan to achieve your goals. Step 3: Implement Identify a target list of companies and conduct company research. Network with contacts and find job leads. Conduct tactical job search activities fine tune resumes, cover letters, elevator pitch, interview strategy. Assess progress of your job search and adjust as needed. Negotiate offers and make decisions. Step 4: Evaluate Establish criteria for evaluating job/career satisfaction. Evaluate your current position against these criteria. Start new research to identify options and create a plan to advance your career.

6 2-2 Assessment and Planning The Value of Self-Assessment = Competitive Advantage When starting the research process, the best place to start is self-assessment. Understanding yourself your interests, values, knowledge, skills and attributes will help you create a personal Brand that you will sell throughout the job search process. Job search success starts with knowing yourself. Through self-assessment, you will evaluate: Your Interests What activities did you enjoy in your last job? What activities didn t you enjoy? What are the patterns in your preferences? Your Values What are the must haves in your work: variety, autonomy, prestige, recognition, stability, etc.? How would you rank them? In what type of corporate culture do you thrive? Your Knowledge and Skills What are your achievements? What knowledge and skills led to those achievements? What kinds of things have you always done particularly well? What comes naturally? What skills do you want or need to develop? What skills do you enjoy using and what skills do you not enjoy using? What knowledge and skills do you currently possess that you can leverage in your next position? Your Personal Attributes What characteristics and behavioral tendencies do you consider to be your strengths? Which of your attributes could become challenges or barriers to your success?

7 2-3 Assessment and Planning CareerLeader Skills Problem Solving Creative Thinking Critical Thinking Quantitative Analysis Quick Thinking Strategic Thinking Able to think creatively, generating new ideas and approaches to situations Able to think critically (define a problem and determine the information needed to solve it; understand unspoken assumptions; form and test hypotheses; and judge the validity of conclusions) Skillful using quantitative analysis to understand business issues Picks up new ideas and processes new information quickly and easily A strategic thinker: able to grasp the big picture and think long term Taking Initiative Action-orientation Flexibility Leveraging Multiple Focus Persistence Political Skill Power-oriented Action-oriented: makes sure that decisions are implemented Adapts easily to changing situations and is able to adopt new approaches when necessary The capacity to leverage one s time well (e.g., set priorities and keep to them; delegate when appropriate) Able to juggle many projects and responsibilities at once Doesn t get discouraged and give up on things easily Knows how to get things done within the political framework of an organization Comfortable asserting authority and using power Interpersonal Effectiveness Acceptance of Others Communication Confidence Leading/Management Openness to Criticism Psychological Awareness Sensitivity and Tact Sociability Teamwork Toughness Being comfortable and effective in relating to many different types of people The ability to listen well and write and speak to individuals and groups in a clear and effective manner The ability to feel and project self-confidence and be persuasive even in uncertain and difficult situations The ability to lead, motivate and directly manage other people effectively Accepts critical feedback without becoming defensive The quality of being good at understanding people and getting them to work well Sensitive and tactful; promotes an atmosphere of good feeling and mutual consideration Socially venturesome and self-assured; forms new relationships easily and works to maintain them A team player: cooperative, works well as part of a group Having the capacity to be tough, stand one s ground and confront others effectively when necessary

8 2-4 Assessment and Planning Research for the Right Fit Career exploration is exactly what it sounds like: You investigate the options before deciding which goals to pursue. You started with self-assessment to help you learn more about yourself and clarify your goals. Now, through research, you can begin to determine what kinds of work would be rewarding and satisfying. This involves doing research among many sources to gather information about job functions, industries and companies. As you research, think through and answer the following questions: What makes this option the best possible goal for me? How do my skills, interests and values come together to make me a good fit for this career? What are some factors out of my control that might affect finding a career in this field? Do the market expectations match my goals? How does the economic climate impact this option? Starting the Research Process Using a combination of resources for your research is key to your success. Consider researching from all angles. Print and online resources, connecting with people in your field of interest, attending employer Information Sessions and using job postings and internships are ways you can learn more about the career path you are pursuing. Research also pays off by helping you uncover career paths or areas that would not be a good fit for you professionally. Research Resources GPS Online has a large list of suggested resources to use. Some additional resources are: Walker Library career resources, such as OneSource, Hoover s, Vault Online Career Library and WetFeet Career Guides The Wall Street Journal, business publications and trade journals Books about specific jobs, industries or companies CareerLeader has many online career research resources to help you in various ways, including industry sketches, tips on how to choose an industry and career profiles. Within CareerLeader s online Personal Research, you can explore more about corporate culture and things to consider as you look for career fit. Another good source is online job sites, such as Indeed, Monster, Career Builder and Hot Jobs. While these sites might not be the best way to land a job, use them for reading job descriptions to learn what companies are looking for today and what you might do in these jobs. Reading job descriptions can provide valuable information, including: Nature of daily functions/responsibilities involved in work Commonly desired skills specific to a certain job/industry Company/industry values and culture Type of work environment (e.g., team vs. individual) Opportunities for further training, professional development and advancement Any geographic constraints

9 2-5 Assessment and Planning Personal Elevator Pitch As you begin the process of talking to individuals in your potential career path, you will want to perfect your personal elevator pitch. The term elevator pitch refers to the scenario where you step into the top floor elevator only to come face-to-face with the key manager you have been wanting to talk with; you have only the time you are riding in the elevator to deliver your sales pitch about yourself and make a lasting impression. Essentially, it is a two-minute or less pitch where the product you are selling is you. You will use your elevator pitch in multiple scenarios such as informational interviewing, networking, social situations and career fairs. This pitch can include: Your employment background and career aspirations Your interests, strengths, skills and motivators Your education and work highlights Your current situation and what you are looking for (the purpose of the conversation) The value you bring to an organization Your elevator pitch will answer the question that may or may not have been asked: So, tell me about yourself. The most effective way to tell someone about yourself is to focus on your most relevant attributes for that specific person and situation. Keep it short and direct. Do not allow your pitch to turn into a lengthy dissertation. Create your elevator pitch around the one or two key points you want to drive home. Focus on the first impression you want to give and the lasting impression you want to leave with your audience. Consider using the two minutes, or available time based on the situation, in this manner so that you can cover all key points: Discuss your current situation and/or desired future (in 75 seconds or two-thirds of the perceived time you have) If you are informational interviewing or networking, ask a question of the listener. Asking a question is polite and a way to promote two-way discussion. EXAMPLE: Do you have any other ideas as I try to research more options within brand management? EXAMPLE: You re familiar with Equity Research. What should I be considering when I speak with professionals in this industry? EXAMPLE: Based on my interest in Dallas, can you recommend any alumni or other professionals I should contact or companies I may not be aware of that I should research? Practice, Practice, Practice. Perfect your pitch by practicing on your own and with others. Practicing will help you notice if your delivery is off, you are stumbling over certain words or you don t feel comfortable with the message. Pay attention to eye contact, movement, energy, facial expression, voice quality, etc. It is very important that the style of your pitch reflects you as an individual. If you are not comfortable with your pitch, practice in front of a mirror or in front of others to help make it feel more natural. Your elevator pitch needs to be flexible. You need to customize it and make it responsive to the agenda and needs of the listener. It is important to be able to expand your story when the opportunity presents itself, or to hold back if that is more appropriate for the situation. In either case, once you are comfortable with your basic story, you will find telephoning, networking and interviewing to be easier and more rewarding.

10 2-6 Assessment and Planning Basic Tips To Remember Make sure your pitch is two minutes or less, depending on the situation and audience. Don t forget to include your name when you introduce yourself. Present an engaging pitch because you want the person to remember you. Smile, make eye contact and, most importantly, make a connection. Make sure the style of your pitch reflects your personality. Always communicate the one or two main details you want the person to take away. Be careful not to come across as too aggressive. Keep your pitch top-of-mind, natural and ready to be delivered at an instant. Employer Information Sessions Another form of research is attending the presentations of employers who come to Owen and conduct Information Sessions. These employer presentations provide a convenient and comfortable way to learn about different companies as well as opportunities to network with recruiters, alumni and other company representatives. Some tips for attending Information Sessions: Sign up as early as possible before the deadline for the Information Session. If you cannot attend, you must cancel your RSVP no later than 48 hours before the event. Wear appropriate attire at recruiting events. Appropriate attire for each Information Session will be posted in GPS Recruiting it is generally business casual. Be on time for an Information Session. It is unacceptable to be late. Do not use Information Session refreshments as your evening meal. Be prepared do some research! Target your elevator pitch for the event. Definitely ask questions during an Information Session that is why the companies are here. However, the rule of thumb is that general interest questions should be asked in the group setting; questions that are of interest only to you should be saved for the one-on-one discussion. It is appropriate to pass out your business card at an Information Session; resumes are generally not handed out at Information Sessions. Be polite and attentive in the Information Session (e.g., laptop use is frowned upon; don t use profanity; keep your cell phone off). Be considerate of the presenters and your classmates. Don t monopolize someone s time. Keep and maintain eye contact even if you are bored or disinterested. Don t stampede the presenter after the presentation.

11 2-7 Prioritizing Your Career Options Function, Industry, Geography (F-1-G) Assessment and Planning At this point, you have completed self assessment exercises and gained valuable insight into your skills, abilities and interests. You have also begun the process of conducting company research from online resources, Owen databases and Information Sessions. It is now time to develop a plan. During your research, it can be overwhelming to filter through all of the available options. One way to do this is to consider your options in three categories: Function, Industry, Geography. In order to narrow your focus, you need to identify at least two of the three categories. As you narrow your focus by identifying two of the three categories, keep in mind the larger economic landscape to ensure that you are setting realistic goals. FUNCTION Business functions may include corporate finance, investment banking, operations, marketing, general management, human resources, information technology and consulting. Start by narrowing your interests to a specific function, then focus on the various jobs available within each function. If you have interests in more than one function, you will need to prioritize them. INDUSTRY This category may be the easiest with which to start because you may already feel strongly about a specific industry. Determine if industry or function is more important to you. If working in the pharmaceutical industry is more important than whether you work in marketing, business development, business planning or general management, then you have successfully narrowed your first category. GEOGRAPHY This can be one of the most difficult categories to determine for a couple of reasons. Too broad? While it is important to be flexible, if you are focused on the entire United States or on the globe you cannot devote enough time to make the necessary impact. If you don t have a specific city in mind, pick two or three and target them in a ranked order. If you don t get traction in a specific city, then move on to the next city. Too specific? The alternate pitfall is limiting yourself to only one city or focusing on a city that doesn t have a base of jobs in the specific industry or functional area in which you are interested for example, being focused on Nashville if you are interested in the consumer products industry. Sample F-I-G Template Priority A B C Brand Mgmt Marketing Operations Product Mgmt Market Research Functions 2 Industries 1 CPG Healthcare Fortune 500 Tech products Sporting Goods Geography 3 Chicago Cincinnati Atlanta Mid-west D.C.

12 2-8 Preparing for Career Transitions Assessment and Planning As you develop your focus and career plan, it is important to understand that planning future job transitions might be required. Because of your background, the economy or the reality of what is available at the time, you might have to make several transitional moves to get to your desired career goal. It s good to plan accordingly. To plan transitions, use the function/industry concept as your basis. While you will have a job title at a company, consider it in broader terms thinking about the generic function and industry. For example: Assistant Brand Manager at Hanesbrands = Brand Management in CPG. Let s say your career plan calls for moving from a first position in market research for a sporting goods manufacturer to your goal of brand management at CPG. You might start in Market Research/Sporting Goods Manufacturer and then transition to the new industry, Current Function Next Function Current Industry Market Research/Sporting Goods Manufacturer Brand Management/Sporting Goods Manufacturer Next Industry Market Research/CPG Brand Management/CPG Market Research/CPG, before making your final move to the new function, Brand Management/CPG. Your career progression might look like this: Market Research/Sporting Goods Manufacturer Market Research/CPG Brand Management/CPG The alternative path is to transition to the new function first, Brand Management/Sporting Goods Manufacturer, and then make your final move to the new industry, Brand Management/CPG. Market Research/Sporting Goods Brand Management/Sporting Goods Mfr. Brand Management/CPG This concept can be expanded to future transitions by creating a larger matrix. Taking Into Account Longer-term Goals For some people, there might be longer-term goals to take into consideration, such as a 5-year, 10-year or even a 15-year plan. For most, your plan will be a 2- to 3-year plan for your time at Owen and your immediate post-owen job plan. Longer-term goals might include: Implement the entrepreneurial idea that you have Return to a family business Move to a particular location Return for more education Longer-term goals can require an additional layer to the focus and priorities that you develop and may lead into a new career action plan for those years beyond the career you are currently planning as you prepare to leave with your Vanderbilt MSF.

13 2-9 Assessment and Planning Research and Goals Come Together Career Action Plan It is time to put together your career action plan that will help you get to your ultimate goal, your post-owen career. Remember to add in the actions you need to take that were identified in your Gap Analysis (CMC Workshop). The plan that you create and follow has to work for your style and preferences. There are many different ways to approach your plan. Here are some things to consider in planning: Remember the 6 Ws 1. Who Whose help do you need? 2. What What actions have to take place to make it happen? 3. When What target dates or deadlines are required? 4. Where Do you have to go someplace or get some space to make it happen? 5. Why Be clear on the purpose for what you are doing (selecting concentrations, picking specific courses, conducting your research, finding an internship/job) 6. How What methods do you need to follow to make it happen? SMART Goals We usually fail in our plans if we try to do things that are too vague, too big or shouldn t be done. A goal of getting a job is too broad. One way to approach your planning is to make sure your goals/objectives are SMART: Specific Your objectives should specify what you want to achieve and be clearly defined. Measurable You should be able to measure whether you are meeting the objectives or not. Achievable Are the objectives you set realistic, achievable and attainable (humanly possible)? Relevant Avoid the temptation of defining a goal just because it fits nicely into the previous three criteria; does it have an impact on your overall purpose? Time-framed Set deadlines: when will you start and when will you need to finish? Find Supporters Find people with whom you can discuss your progress and exchange ideas. These people can support you and make you feel better when things get tough, but they can also hold you accountable for achieving your goals and meeting deadlines. You might create a schedule with them to check in and report your progress. Rely on your Peer Coach and CMC Coach. Your networking contacts can be good supporters as well. Overcome Obstacles Obstacles or barriers can substantially set you back, as they often consume valuable time, energy and excitement from your activities. Look for the obstacles before they occur and try to avoid them. If you are up against an obstacle, are there other ways around it? Do you even need to be doing what you re attempting? Contact your supporters and ask their advice. Often a fresh perspective can help. Create a method and tracking system that works well for your style and that will allow you to be successful.

14 3-1 Job Search Strategy Steps of the Job Search At this stage, you have thought about your target function, industry and geography. The actual steps of the job search, from assessing your skills to accepting a final offer, are stages that build on one another. The diagram and descriptions below show and explain this progression. Accept Negotiate Offer Interview Apply Connect & Learn (Informational Interviewing, Targeted Networking, etc.) Start to Bridge Job Search Skills Gaps Target (Company List Individuals List) Focus (Function Industry Geography) Start to Bridge Gaps for Competitive Advantage Assessment & Research (Know Yourself Know Your Career Options Search for the Right Fit) K (Knowledge) S (Skills) z z A (Attributes) I (Interests) V (Values) For a successful search, all steps are critical: Focus... Develop clear focus and priorities around function, industry and geography. Target... From your defined focus, develop and continue to build a list of targeted companies. Learn... Before applying, learn all that you can about the companies and actual positions and how to navigate the application process. Apply... Now that you are knowledgeable, apply based on what you learned from the previous step. Interview... Thorough preparation and practice will improve your interviewing performance. Job Offer... Getting an offer is the ultimate goal of the job search, but not the final step. Negotiate... Determine if negotiation is necessary, and if so, learn how to negotiate for what you want. Offer Acceptance... The search is not over until you officially accept the offer with the employer.

15 3-2 Job Search Strategy Job Search Framework Guiding Principles for a Successful Job Search All pieces of the GPS and career development process tie together to contribute in helping you land a job that you want. While the process may seem overwhelming in the beginning, thinking about it in a simple framework can help maximize efforts and keep you on track. The search is an ever-evolving process, so incorporating the following principles will help you continually adapt throughout your job search. Goals: Set interim goals to keep your job search focused and on track. These might include setting a specific number of networking contacts to make each week or sending a specific number of resumes per week. Schedule: Set aside some time each day or week for specific job search activities. Organize: Create a system to manage your job leads, networking contacts, resumes and cover letters, company research and action items/follow up required. Select a system that you can work with and then stick with it. Critical Components of the Search As you plan and implement your strategy, keep in mind the job search aspects below. They include personal marketing tools, such as your elevator pitch and resume, as well as resources that will help refine your search, such as employer Information Sessions and networking contacts. Resume used throughout and should be updated, refined and targeted Personal Elevator Pitch used throughout and is tailored to the audience and purpose of the conversation Network Contacts utilized continuously to learn, get advice, gather information and connect to others Informational Interviewing used at every stage to gather information to learn from and act on Employer Information Sessions attended at every stage to learn about and connect to employers and jobs Letters and s used throughout and tailored to the audience and purpose for writing Applications done through GPS Recruiting, company websites, job boards and your network contacts Interviews occur in planned or unexpected manners, and there can be one or multiple prior to an offer

16 3-3 Job Search Strategy Developing a Target Company List Resources to Develop Your A-B-C List A critical step in your job search process is identifying and researching companies and positions that interest you in order to create a prioritized (A-B-C) list of targeted companies. Your goal is to have at least companies per priority level. A List Top companies you want to work for B List Second-tier of companies you want to work for C List Backup list that still allows you to meet your career goals Following are tools and resources to help you develop your lists: Review the list of Where Students Went to Work located on GPS Online. Review past on-campus interviews and job postings at Owen through GPS Recruiting. Check the Vault and WetFeet guides for lists of companies that frequently hire MSFs into structured programs. Search LinkedIn using an advanced search based on your function-industry-geography focus. Rely on Walker Library resources including databases such as Hoovers and OneSource (searchable by geography and industry). Think about the companies where you have personal connections through family, friends or personal and professional networks. Take advantage of Owen alumni. Explore connections through VUConnect and LinkedIn. Talk to your Owen classmates and professors. Explore job boards such as Indeed.com to search employers within the industries, functions or cities of your focus. If you are targeting a specific geography, visit the local Chamber of Commerce website; search the online version of local newspapers, business journals and metropolitan Book of Lists in Walker Library. Review The Best of. lists frequently published by magazines and newspapers such as: Top MSF Companies, Top Global Employers, Best Large Companies to Work For, Largest Private US Companies, Most Admired, Best for Women, etc.

17 3-4 Job Search Strategy Company List Sample Template The following is a sample of how you might organize and build your list. Typically, you would want to identify at least 20 companies for each category. You can find this template on GPS Online. Remember, the list should constantly evolve as you progress through your job search. A List Best Plan; Close to Ideal B List The Next Best Thing C List My Backup or Safety Plan Once you ve developed your list, you will want to evaluate companies along several parameters such as cultural fit, geographic location, job opportunities, networking connections, recruiting history with Owen or other characteristics that are important to you. Make sure to look closely at each company s market positioning, corporate structure, products, services and performance to assess how well the company aligns with your desired career path. As you go through this process, it s important to recognize that your company list will likely evolve. You will find that companies are continually moving on and off your A-B-C lists as you learn more and refine your search. Below is a visual of how your list will change as you narrow your companies.

18 3-5 Job Search Strategy Research and Target Companies Use Research to Gain a Competitive Advantage Company Research: Once you ve developed your company list, consider the following: Determine if each company is a good target for your goals. Identify networking contacts within the company. Use various resources to learn as much as possible about each company s current positioning, products/services and recent news. Provide questions or topics of discussion for networking and interviews. Prepare for anticipated interview questions. Information that you gather through your research will help you become more effective in your discussions with alums as well as in your interviews. The most effective and successful job seekers use research to create a competitive advantage by better understanding the target company and the individuals with whom they are speaking. Industry Research: In addition to learning about the companies, learn all that you can about the industries you are targeting. Industry data includes: Industry trends Stage in the life cycle Annual growth rate, total sales Number of competitors, competitor strengths and weaknesses Major changes and challenges Major segments Remember, Walker Library, GPS Online and GPS Recruiting offer many valuable resources for your job search, including tools to help you create and refine company lists, identify contacts and prepare for interviews.

19 3-6 Job Search Strategy Informational Interviewing The objective of an informational interview is to do primary research on a functional area, industry or company and develop a network within a company or industry of interest. A key part of the MSF job search is to conduct informational interviews with fellow students, alumni and professionals. You may find these people through VUconnect (Owen and Vanderbilt alumni), within GPS Recruiting, by asking the advice of your CMC Coach or Peer Coach, or through your own network. You may also ask other Owen students, faculty and staff. When planning an informational interview, you should: 1. Identify someone to interview a. Identify the interviewee s name, employer, position and contact information. b. Contact that person ( or phone) to set up a time for the interview. See Letters and s chapter. c. If you are making the initial request by phone, tell the person that you understand that he or she is busy, but that you would like to schedule about 20 minutes in the near future to ask some questions about the person s position, company, etc. NOTE: You need to be prepared to have the Informational Interview when you make the initial call to arrange the future call. Your contact may answer the phone and say I can talk right now; let s go! d. The actual interview may occur on the phone or in person. If you are meeting in person, dress professionally and remember that it is always nice to treat the contact to coffee, lunch, etc. e. Research the type of job and organization where your interviewee is working before the interview, so that you know the basic information about both. 2. Based on your research and interests, develop a list of questions Develop 8 to 10 questions you intend to ask during the informational interview (sample questions follow). Structure your list of questions to elicit responses that assist you in gaining a better understanding of the career, the organization and/or the process of securing work in a similar position. 3. After the interview, reflect and make notes a. How do you see this career matching with your skills, interests and values? b. Do you possess or can you acquire the necessary skills? c. Would you be comfortable working in this position/organization/location? d. Having done the interview, how do you feel about the career? e. Realistically, can you obtain this type of job? f. How has the interview assisted you in developing your post-owen plans? 4. Thank You Send a thank-you letter to the person you interviewed. The thank-you letter may be a handwritten note, an or a professional business letter. (See Letters and s in the GPS Handbook or visit GPS Online - Resumes, Cover Letters, s for examples and more information on this topic.)

20 3-7 Job Search Strategy Sample Informational Interviewing Questions Industry This is where you can differentiate yourself by knowing the basics of the industry. If you do some initial homework and ask insightful questions, you can make an impression. Refer to Porter s 5 Forces. What are the forces that really shape this industry? The interviewer may ask your opinion so be prepared. See if you can get some insight into what is really going on. 1. Why did you choose to get into this industry? 2. What do you see as the outlook for the industry? 3. What direction do you see the industry going in the next few years? 4. Who do you see as your major competitors? 5. How is ABC company responding to the industry challenges? Job Function Try to determine what the person actually does in the organization. Use this as an opportunity to key in on your transferable skills. 1. How long have you worked in this field? 2. What is your background (education/experience)? 3. How did your background lead you to this position? 4. What are your specific duties and responsibilities? 5. Can you describe a typical week? 6. What are the toughest problems you are dealing with right now? 7. What part of your job function do you find most rewarding? 8. What skills are the most essential in your current role? 9. What prior experiences are essential for your current job? Company Use these questions to determine more about how the company is structured and what the company culture is like. 1. Can you tell me more about the organizational structure of the company? 2. What is the management style in the organization? 3. How are decisions made in your organization? 4. How would you describe the culture? 5. How would you say the company differs from the competitors? What are its competitive advantages? (It would be good if you knew this already.) 6. What do you see as the new products or services offered by your company? (Again, this would be great for you to know and ask about specific products or services.) 7. How did you get to this organization? Close 1. Do you have any advice for me? 2. What did you think of my resume? Do you have any suggestions? 3. Based on our conversation today, are there other people you think I should talk to? Could I use your name when I contact them? 4. Can I check back with you in a few weeks to let you know what happens as I follow up on the information you ve shared with me today?

21 3-8 Job Search Strategy Leveraging GPS Recruiting to Target Companies GPS Recruiting is a rich repository of information and a valuable tool for connecting with companies and contacts. GPS Recruiting can facilitate and augment many activities associated with building your target list of companies. The GPS Recruiting database is searchable so students can filter their results based on company name, industry, and geography. The database includes Contacts at companies where Owen has established relationships, Current job opportunities, and Descriptions of each company, past job postings and information Owen may have about the company culture, interviewing practices and other pertinent data. You can use GPS Recruiting to reach out to company contacts for informational interviews that will help you learn more about the company and its opportunities. Here s How it Works: Follow these 5 tips in GPS Recruiting to see all of the information that s available to you as you build a list of target companies during your job search: 1. Look at companies that posted job opportunities with Owen last year. These companies have decided they like the Owen brand, and the CMC encourages you to look seriously at them and the opportunities they offer. 2. Search for companies that participate in interview events such as West Coast Forum, New York Interview Day, Southeast MSF Schools Interview Forum (SEMSFSIF) and the Vanderbilt Career Fair. You ll find the contact information for these companies and the jobs for which they interviewed the previous year in the GPS Recruiting system. 3. Search by name for other companies that interest you. Some companies may post their opportunities in our system but not visit campus or participate in one of the interview events. 4. Based on your interests and the company s relationship with Owen, you can use the information from GPS Recruiting to build your tiered list of target companies categorizing them into ideal, next best and your backup plan. CMC Coaches can help you think through the companies, specific opportunities and categorization for your target list. Applying to Companies and Positions Refine Your Search Based on Your Research From your research and the information that you gathered, revisit your focus and resume. Focus: From what you learned, if your focus has changed, update your company target list and prioritize the companies to align with your refined focus. Resume: Based on your company and industry research, update your resume so that it is better targeted to your focus and specific companies. Always tailor your resume based on the company and job.

22 3-9 Job Search Strategy Before Applying, Know the Two Hiring Approaches The traditional way to apply for a job is to wait for it to be posted. The non-traditional way is to seek it out, as many jobs are never publicly posted. Some news sources estimate that 80% of jobs are not posted. To be more successful, understand both PASSIVE and ACTIVE hiring approaches. Passive: The employer looks for you through posting positions on websites, visiting campuses and attending career fairs. Once posted, more than 12,000 graduate business students at the top 50 programs will be in competition for those postings. Active: You look for opportunities at employers on your target list and network to learn how to get your foot in the door. Specific positions might not yet be posted, but by expressing interest in the company and networking early you can gain an insider s advantage for any upcoming or current opportunities not publicly posted. A good job search will use both approaches: For your targeted companies, use networking to establish good contacts within your targeted companies BEFORE you are ready to apply or BEFORE they start to look for applicants. If you see a posting for a non-target company, try to quickly establish some contacts within the company. Establishing contacts before applying can help you better apply by creating a more targeted cover letter and resume. Apply to positions in DoreWays and GPS Recruiting. Attend career fairs and interviewing events. Apply to positions on company websites. Apply to positions on job boards. Applying through DoreWays and GPS Recruiting GPS Recruiting is the source for job postings for Owen, whether the company will be interviewing on campus (referred to as a Pre-select opportunity in GPS Recruiting) or interviewing on its own (an employer s resume drop referred to as a Job Listing in GPS Recruiting). You can also use the Qualify column in the Jobs section to quickly see the opportunities for which you meet the basic requirements and therefore can apply. Some things to remember: Target your cover letter to the company and position. Target your resume to the company and position. Applying through Other Online Sources For companies that are not currently recruiting through Owen, you might apply through their company websites or through a job board. Some things to remember: Try to establish some contacts within the company. Target your cover letter to the company and position. ALWAYS include a cover letter. Target your resume to the company and position. The web application system might require a plain text resume. If you find a job posting on a 3rd party job board (e.g., Indeed.com), see if you can find the same job posted at the company website and apply there. It is usually better to apply directly on the company website than on a job board.

23 3-10 Job Search Strategy Resources for finding out more about LDPs: GPS Online has a listing of every LDP/rotational program that the CMC has knowledge of to date (more than 180 companies and 380 programs). The Vault Guide to Management and Leadership Development Programs explains LDPs at more than 70 companies. Review company websites for LDP descriptions. From your research, you might consider adding several LDPs to your job search plan and company/job targets. How to Get Unstuck Staying on Track At some point you may experience a lack of progress in your search or feel like you are stuck, despite setting goals and implementing a thoughtful plan. If you are experiencing a lull in your job search, consider the following: Establish a Search Regimen Successful job searches require discipline. Take charge of your search by maintaining regular work habits related to your search. Follow your plan, keep records of what you have done and evaluate your progress regularly. Since networking is the most effective strategy for finding a position, spend most of your time and effort on this activity. Follow Your Action Plan You have identified your goals and created a plan. Stick with it! Review your plan regularly, make adjustments based on what you have learned and track your activities. Examples of activities you may want to track include: calls made, s sent, new contacts developed, meetings set and applications submitted. Ask for Help People around you want to help, so let them know how they might help you during your search. Talk to a fellow student, professor, your Peer Coach or your CMC Coach. Asking someone to check in with you on a weekly basis to hold you accountable to your activity goals is a great way to use the help of those around you. Focus on the Facts Base your actions on real information whenever possible and spend as much time as you can evaluating what has worked and what has not. If a certain activity does not seem to be yielding results, evaluate whether you are approaching it effectively or consider adopting a different approach. Consider Alternatives Do not overlook other possibilities if your original goals do not materialize. It may be necessary to broaden your search.

24 3-11 Job Search Strategy Stay Organized with Your Applications Keep track of all the details of your applications. An excel spreadsheet is often the best method, but choose any system that works well for you. Some details to track: Company Position Source of the position Deadlines Contacts at the company and details of past/current contact Your references provided to the company Interview dates Follow-up items due to the company Follow-up items due from the company to you Offer date Acceptance/decline date Leadership/Rotational Development Programs An Option to Consider Many companies have leadership or rotational development programs (LDP) designed for business school graduates to develop future leaders for their business. The approach is usually a multi-year rotational program that allows the individual to rotate through different assignments and/or business units or functions and provides training, coaching and development to become a business leader. The LDPs differ not only among companies but often within the same company. It is important to thoroughly research the LDP to understand key information for your decision making. Things to find out and to consider include: How does the company view and value the LDP? How long has it been in existence? Are company leaders graduates of the program? What functions and/or business units within the company sponsor the program? How is the program funded? What is the level of training, development and coaching provided? Is the focus on leadership development or simply job rotations? What is the duration of the program? What are the requirements for the program? Which rotations and/or assignments are offered during the program? Is it a general program cutting across functions or function specific? Will there be job opportunities at the end of the program and how are they obtained?

25 4-1 Networking Networking Overview Networking Basics Networking involves cultivating and maintaining productive relationships with existing contacts while expanding these types of productive relationships with new contacts. Chances are your network already includes many people who can be helpful with your job search. Your network contacts can: Provide you with information about companies in which you are interested. Give you advice on your career plan and job search. Offer feedback on your resume or qualifications. Refer you to company contacts or other individuals who can help you get your foot in the door. Introduce you to hiring managers. Networking taps into human nature. People like to talk about themselves. People are flattered when you show an interest in them. People reciprocate sincere interest. Adding Purpose to Networking Most people think of networking as a purely social skill, and they overlook the important point about the desired outcome. As a result, many people will go to an event or pick up the phone to network without knowing what desired outcome they want or expect from the conversation. Effective networking is knowing your desired outcome BEFORE the event or phone call and thus adding purpose to your efforts and your conversations. By adding active verbs to your networking efforts, you can then define your desired outcome: Gather information from your network. Learn from your network. Seek advice from your network. Grow new contacts with your network. Connect to new ideas through your network. Give back to and help your network. In career planning and the job search, your network will be a wide and diverse group of people you can call on for assistance and advice during the process. At a minimum, you should use your network for: Information about job functions, industries, companies and cities Advice on your own career plan Resume feedback Growing your company target list Connecting to others for more assistance and advice Navigating the hiring process in their companies, industries or cities Insight on job opportunities that are open within the person s own company, industry or city

26 4-2 Networking Marketing Yourself through Relationships Networking is fundamental to job search success. The essence of effective networking is developing a connection with people that may further develop into a mutually beneficial support system. Networking is not a project or a process, but a way of life one that professionals who are at the top of their fields practice continuously. Your network will become your eyes and ears for career opportunities. Remember that some 80 percent of all job opportunities are never publicized or advertised to the public and that roughly two-thirds of all jobs are found by networking. Staying top of mind or on the radar among your contacts may help pave the way to new opportunities when someone in your circle is approached about a position that needs to be filled. Planned Luck Planned luck involves attending, scheduling or taking advantage of events (planned or unplanned) to create opportunities for your career plan and job search. Let s examine the two parts of this: Planned: Being intentional with planned goals, which requires clear focus on your targeted companies, jobs and cities, as well as being clear on your desired outcomes as you approach an event. Luck: Making luck happen by putting yourself into situations where luck can happen. You will need curiosity, persistence, flexibility and optimism, and you must be willing to take risks by sticking your neck out. Luck happens by... Having the right conversation, with the right person, at the right time. By now, you should have your focus, targets and goals defined. Now think about where and how you can make luck happen: Have conversations with contacts. Attend employer information sessions. Attend career fairs. Talk with your professors. Strike up random conversations on the airplane or in the elevator. Sit by people you do not know at an event rather than sitting with those whom you know. Apply to positions in DoreWays and GPS Recruiting. (This seems obvious and not luck, but many good opportunities are missed because students do not apply to what is available.) Getting and Giving A Two-way Street Networking should be a two-way street or a win-win for both parties. It is NOT solely about what help you can get from others. You should never think of networking as How can I use you to get what I want? While you are asking for and getting information, advice and new connections to help in your career plan and job search, you should be finding ways to give back to your contact to thank the person and reciprocate the help. Giving Back and Following Up The first and simplest thing to do is ALWAYS send a thank-you note. See GPS Online - Resumes, Cover Letters, s for examples.

27 4-3 Networking Another easy way to give back is to follow up with contacts as they typically ask you to do. Let them know that you followed through and how these actions have helped you. Many individuals who receive advice from a contact while networking never get back to that person. Contacts have taken time out of their schedules to give you advice and suggest other actions; therefore, as a basic courtesy, you should let them know how things turned out. This is also a great way to stay connected. Here are some examples: Your contact gives you the name of another person from whom you might seek advice. Reach out to and learn from the new contact and then go back to the original contact to let him or her know about the outcome. Your contact suggests a trade journal to follow. Get and read the journal, follow it as suggested and get back to your contact to describe how this has helped in your plans. Some might argue that there is no point following up on a dead-end networking contact, but consider the following scenario: Your contact offers to review your resume and give you feedback based on 20 years of experience in the industry. However, you decide not to follow up because his or her company is under a hiring freeze and there is no timeline for when hiring will resume. Regardless, you should still send your resume to your contact; the person s experience alone makes him or her a valuable resource. Now take into account the notion of planned luck where the following may be true: Hiring at his or her company may resume at any time, and your contact would already have a copy of your resume to pass along to the relevant hiring manager. Your contact could play in a tennis league with key hiring managers from other companies that are hiring and can forward your resume to them for consideration. Your contact might do business with a company who needs to hire someone with your specific background and experience. For finding other ways to give back, it is important during the conversation to listen to all contacts carefully and learn about their professional and personal activities, such as projects at work, comments about the industry, vacation plans or family interests and memories of Owen/Vanderbilt/Nashville. From what you hear, you can find simple ways to give something back. Here are some examples: Company, industry or business interests Send contacts links to articles that you found about their companies, competitors, industries, etc. Send current information relevant to a project that your contact is working on. Walker Library has the resources for these types of actions. Personal interests If your contact has a trip to Hawaii coming up, find an interesting article about the particular island to be visited and send along a website link. The contact s child had a terrible night at basketball the previous night. the person an Amazon review on a book that you used when you were trying to improve your b-ball game. The contact has always wanted to visit your home town of Charleston, which was mentioned when you talked about your background. Send the person a website link for the city and best places to stay there, or pass along an article in The Wall Street Journal about the booming business in Charleston. Connections related to Owen or Vanderbilt Send the person a link to anything new on the Owen website; look at the home page for features and what s new so you can highlight press releases, podcasts or upcoming events. Look for relevant news within Vanderbilt s website and send along a link. Send your contacts whatever news/highlights you can about sports teams they follow.

28 4-4 Networking Additional Resources on Networking Numerous books and articles have been written on effective networking. If you consider yourself shy or uncomfortable with networking, it may be a good idea to explore effective strategies more in depth. Suggested readings on networking include: Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz Networking for Dummies, Sixth Edition, by Doug Lowe How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie GPS Online - Create & Work Your Network Check for networking guides in the Vault and WetFeet Guides available through the Walker Management Library website. The Power of Networking Building Your Network The power of networking may not come from those you directly know, but rather from people your contacts know. These new contacts can then refer you to other individuals who were previously inaccessible to your current networking circle. While you ultimately want to connect with the decision makers, hiring managers or recruiters, you might need a few referrals to get there. So, do not discount any contact and plan for persistence and patience.

29 4-5 Networking Identifying Your Network People You Know and How They Can Help To increase the effectiveness of networking as part of your job search, it s important to identify and evaluate the people you know and how they may help in the process. While you may be most familiar with those in your daily sphere of activity such as classmates, close friends and family, think beyond this inner circle and reach out to people with whom you have less frequent interaction perhaps a former boss, classmates from undergraduate school, previous work colleagues or family members and friends with whom you haven t talked in a while. Career consultants say that these weaker ties are often more effective in progressing your job search because they offer insights, information and linkages to others beyond those of your inner networking circle. Making sure you reconnect with these people, letting them know about your job search and updating them on your interests and qualifications can pay off in the long run. Identifying your network will take time, and it s an ongoing process. Ultimately, you ll want your contact list to include 250 or more people. Before you panic and think you ll never identify that many contacts, remember that the Owen and Vanderbilt alumni networks contain thousands of names. Start by identifying people you know and then finding the names of others to add to your network. Create a contacts list that keeps names and titles, addresses, and telephone numbers in one place for handy reference; using an excel spreadsheet or creating it in Microsoft Outlook contacts are possible methods. Sample Tracking Sheet Contact Name Company & Location Contact Info ( / phone) Date & type of contact (phone/ in person) Advice Actions & Date Addt l Follow Up & Date Notes Once you have a healthy list, prioritize it moving to the top those individuals whom you feel may offer the best connections for leading you to career opportunities and helping you land an interview. Use this list actively by adding notes about your conversations, follow-up correspondence and so forth. It will become your relationship manager throughout your job search. LinkedIn is a valuable resource to connect you to previous colleagues and companies as well as to connect you to your new career focus (function, industry, geography). Find tips on using LinkedIn at GPS Online - Create & Work Your Network.

30 4-6 Networking Consider these sources for expanding your network: Owen alumni Remember that each of them came to Owen with an average of 5 years of experience at a breadth of different companies. (VUconnect) Vanderbilt alumni A database of all Vanderbilt graduates is available to you. (VUconnect) Owen academic, social and community clubs Check for lists. Professors The Owen faculty are connected to business people around the world. Former business colleagues Include former bosses. Current classmates Remember that your classmates worked or interned before coming to Owen. Former classmates Reconnect with individuals from undergraduate school or earlier. Family Reach out to those you don t see regularly. Friends Look up those you haven t contacted in recent years. Community contacts Are there people in your neighborhood, church, social groups or other avenues who may be good to add to your network? LinkedIn Set up your profile in LinkedIn and expand your connections using this tool. A Rich Resource for Contacts How GPS Recruiting Can Help with Networking In addition to providing a valuable tool for targeting companies, GPS Recruiting offers search capabilities for networking with companies who recruit at Owen and current and former students. The system contains a wealth of individual contacts and how to reach them: address Telephone number(s) Company title Company searches let you search by company name, industry, location and active job opportunities. Many company profiles in GPS Recruiting contain alumni and recruiting contacts, as well as all of their contact information. This is unfortunately one of Owen s most overlooked networking resources. Student searches through the Owen Student Network include Owen Graduate School of Management students who have elected to make their previous work experience available to other students for networking purposes. Please note that this is a voluntary service and that not all students participate. Search within the Networking tab in GPS Recruiting.

31 4-7 Networking Networking Strategies Connecting with Your Networking Contacts You have developed your contact list and now it is time to connect with the people listed. See sample communications for contacting your network in the chapter Letter and s and find many more at GPS Online - Create & Work Your Network. Remember these two important points: Your first connection is to ask for a future connection. Do not assume that any contact in your network will immediately have the time or desire to talk with you. Instead, your goal is to quickly introduce yourself and ask if the person would be willing to talk with you in the future at a convenient time. Do not provide your resume until the contact asks for it. Sending your resume before being asked for it can be considered too forward or direct and suggests you are only looking for a job and not seeking help or advice. This action can quickly turn off a contact or even prevent the person from ever responding to you. Remember a key point from this chapter s networking overview: You are NOT: Asking for a job. Asking for a job lead. Networking Like a Pro The goal of networking is to build and nurture relationships that can support your job search. Every interaction counts from simple social schmoozing at a party to asking someone to pass along your resume to a hiring manager. As you reach out to people in your network, keep these tips in mind: If connecting by phone, be sure to have a clear connection and no background noise. In person, always smile, use a firm handshake and exhibit confidence. Show genuine interest in everyone whom you meet to help form meaningful relationships. Ask about the other person. In social situations, asking about the other person s family or personal hobbies and interests can break the ice and enrich the conversation. Listen carefully and find things you have in common. Arrive early at events before the noise and number of distractions rise. Want to learn more? See GPS Online - Create & Work Your Network for sample conversations that you can use as you network and sell yourself to your many contacts.

32 4-8 Networking Solidify your Elevator Pitch Revisit your personal elevator pitch and update it for your networking conversations. Remember to cover: What differentiates you, What value you will add to your potential employer, and What is your mission statement or unique selling proposition. As each contact is different, you will need to tailor the length and message to the situation and audience. Finally, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Taking the time to perfect your elevator pitch will help you make a quick connection with your contact, and it will save time later as you prepare for interviews. The Basics for the Networking Conversation Time It shouldn t last more than minutes unless you are invited to talk/stay longer. Objective Know your needs: Seek information and advice gathering. Get coaching. Obtain contacts/referrals. Brainstorm ideas. Assemble knowledge. Garner feedback. Research Know your audience and your audience s needs. Focus Know how the person can help you and you can give back. Identification Know companies and/or industries that you want to target; mention them to the contact. Once you have used the tools in this handbook and online at Owen to identify your network, it s time to get started. Remember these key steps in the process: 1. Start with your classmates. You can learn more about them and their backgrounds by using GPS Recruiting. 2. Be prepared. Do your homework to learn all you can about the individual and, where appropriate, his or her company and trends in the industry. Be ready to clearly and concisely talk about yourself and your career goals. 3. Make precise and appropriate requests. Learn about the person s career path and experience at the company or in that field. Ask for specific information about the company, introductions to key company contacts or hiring managers, feedback on your resume or a referral for a position. Be confident, but not demanding, and show respect for the person s time. 4. Say thank you. Follow up every interaction with an expression of appreciation. If people introduce you to others in their networks, follow up with the new contacts and let the original contacts know that you have done so. When you land a job, be sure to thank everyone in your network who played a part. 5. Reciprocate. Your network will thrive when you show a willingness to reciprocate. Networking is an exchange between two people. Remember that you may be able to offer information or make connections of interest to the people in your network. Always leverage your network when making warm calls to company contacts or hiring managers. State the name of the person who referred you in the subject line of s and in the first sentence of both s and letters. When following up with a phone call or in person, re-state the referring person s name and be prepared to say how you know each other.

33 4-9 Networking Questions to Ask Remember to ask focused open-ended questions to stimulate discussion, such as: Do you think that someone with my background could transfer skills to the field of supply chain management? What is the typical career progression in this industry? What courses would you recommend that I take to pursue a job in this industry/function? What obstacles do you think I will encounter? What steps do you recommend that I take to overcome them? What advice do you have for me as I make this career change? Three Questions to Close Out There are three types of questions that you need to make sure you ask before the conversation ends: To get advice or insight on job leads, without directly asking: 1. How do I break into this? 2. If you were in my shoes, what would you recommend in applying? 3. What do you recommend that I should do if I do NOT want to get lost in the black hole of online applications? To gain more contacts: 1. Who else do you recommend that I talk to? Can you recommend two or three additional people? 2. You mentioned John Smith at XYZ earlier. Is that someone you recommend I should contact? 3. Can I use your name when I contact the person? To give back: 1. I appreciate your time today. Is there anything I can do for you? 2. I appreciate your time today. May I say hello for you to anyone at Owen? 3. Thanks for your time today. You mentioned Gary Scudder s class and how it has helped you. Do you want me to pass that onto him? Follow Up on the Network Conversation Remember to: Send a thank-you note. Follow through on the actions from the conversation and let your contact know. Give back to the contact through one of the suggested ways. Feedback from an Alumnus The following advice worth heeding is excerpted from an alumnus who works for a major international financial firm: Since my information is on VUconnect, I regularly get contacted by Vanderbilt students. One thing I have noticed is that often they do not follow up with a thank-you , or with additional questions. In an industry where initial impressions amount to a lot, they stand out in a negative light when compared to other students who send out a thank-you within 2-3 hours. In some cases, I have forwarded their resumes to appropriate recruiters, who also have mentioned to me the lack of follow-up in both thankyou s and recurring interest in the position. In a highly competitive environment...students need to learn that no one is going to go to bat for them if they don t put in the work to harness the relationship. Other alumni might be a lot less patient, and it would be a loss to both the university and the student body.

34 4-10 Networking I Haven t Heard Back What Do I Do? Your contacts are very busy and you are at the mercy of their schedules and priorities. In networking, the phrase polite persistence is important to understand. Polite Be courteous in all dealings with your contacts and respectful that they are giving you their time and attention. Persistence Give your contacts time to respond, but do follow up after you have given them time. At a minimum, do not expect a reply sooner than five business days. The contact could be traveling or on vacation, even though you did not receive an out of office reply. Wait five to seven business days, and then you can try again writing/saying something like: I know you are busy and might have missed my from a few weeks ago, but Another approach might be to offer dates and times when you would like to connect. This can sometimes prompt your contacts to set a date to talk rather than asking them to find time on their calendars. When do you stop trying to make contact? If you have not heard anything after the second attempt, it might be time to move on. After three attempts, it is definitely time to cross that contact off your list. Maintain Your Network Once you have built a network that works for you, it is important to stay in touch and continuously build upon it. One way to look at the objective of networking is that you are getting on your contact s radar, and you need to stay there through occasional contact and updates. This process is a simple law of averages: The more radars you are on, the more referrals and connections you are likely to get. REMINDER! Ways to maintain contact: Keep the person advised; check in every five or six weeks, as appropriate. Send an article or research you found on the person s projects (Walker Library resources). Send an interesting article related to the company, competitors or industry of your contact. Share news from Owen or Vanderbilt. Networking Action Plan and Timeline After you have assessed your current network and identified people with whom you may need to re-connect or build a connection, it s important to document an action plan, goals and timeline for networking. Having a detailed calendar and ongoing reminders will ensure you stay in touch and leverage your network. Having an action plan and goals will also help you focus on expanding and maintaining your network throughout your job search. Follow these steps to make networking work for you: Step 1: Evaluate Is My Network What It Should Be? Take a close look at the people in your current network. You may need to broaden your sphere for getting your message out and marketing the brand called you. Consider your career goals the direction in which you are heading based on your self-assessment and target companies. Does your network match your career aspirations? If not, who should you add to your network? Spend more time on the contacts who are relevant to your goals, but don t forget to keep your other contacts warm in case you need their assistance down the road.

35 4-11 Networking Step 2: Expand How Can I Add the Right People to My Network? Bridging the gap between your existing network and the one you need to support your job search means identifying people who should be added and where you are most likely to find them. Ask these types of questions: Who is familiar with the company I m pursuing? Possibly a 2 nd year Owen student who interned there? Maybe a Vanderbilt alum or one of your professors? What organizations or business networking activities might connect me with the right people? Do you belong to and participate in the academic clubs that Owen and Vanderbilt offer? Are you a member of your local Chamber of Commerce or business networking groups? Do my social interests present opportunities for networking? What sporting, arts or social activities offer ways to expand your network? Are there people at your apartment complex, golf club or gym with whom you should talk? Step 3: Exchange What Actions Will Keep Me in Touch with My New Network? Map an action plan for when and how you will stay connected with your network. Consider activities such as those shown below and plot your calendar of interactions. Remember that networking is an exchange between two people, so consider ways you can reciprocate or offer to help those on your network. with news about yourself or others you both know. Include on your greeting card list for certain holiday(s), but be sensitive to cultural or religious differences (e.g., Season s Greetings not Merry Christmas ). Send a card, not an . Send a happy birthday with a brief note about what you are doing. Invite to coffee or lunch several times a year. Share information that is of common interest via , snail mail or telephone. Call when news about the person s company appears in the media. Visit contacts when you travel to their cities. Sign up for committees, or chair one, within business, social or religious communities to which you belong. Put together a weekend or seasonal get-away with people who will enjoy each other.

36 4-12 Networking Employer Information Sessions Additional Networking Situations Approach the Information Session as a networking opportunity and put into practice what you have learned in this chapter. Social Events Connecting with New People As you attend social events (organizational meetings, parties, weddings) or go into social settings (the gym, church, synagogue), you have the opportunity to talk with people you vaguely know or have never met. Remember that we all have things in common. Regardless of how disconnected we think we might be, we all share threads of commonalities. When you meet people at these social events or in these social settings, you do have common interests or connections. Try to connect with these newly encountered people by: Identifying commonalities with people at the event or setting. Using commonalities as the basis for conversation (ice breakers) with someone you don t know. During your conversation, listening intently to discover commonalities. Finding ways to continue discussions in the future. Career Fairs How to Take Advantage Career fairs can provide a valuable resource as you explore careers and seek employment. Whether you re interested in one organization or many, career fairs can be used in a variety of ways to enhance your job search efforts. Career fairs are designed for students to explore internship and full-time opportunities with participating organizations, network with employers and gather information. It is never too early in your academic career to attend a career fair. There are several career fairs throughout the academic year, including: Net Impact Nashville Area College to Career Fair Check GPS Recruiting for more information regarding upcoming career fairs. Also, check the website for the career fair to see if you are able to submit your resume in advance and if there are interviewing opportunities at the fair. Before the Fair Prepare Plan to dress in business attire. Know what your goal is: gather information to help better define your focus, make contact with the company or get an interview at the event. Have plenty of copies of your resumes. You can have different resumes targeted to different industries. Prepare a 30-second personal elevator pitch about yourself so that you have something to say that catches the interest of an employer. Introduce yourself, show your knowledge of the company, as well as your enthusiasm, and tell what you have to offer. Focus on your knowledge and skills. Employers want to know what knowledge/skills you bring to the position and organization. Before you go to a fair, give thought to these plus your accomplishments, experiences, interests, strengths and weaknesses. Be prepared with two to three examples. Find out what companies will be there so that you can do your research ahead of time. Check the website for the career fair in advance to see a complete list.

37 4-13 Networking There will be lines of students waiting and your time may be limited. Make a list to prioritize your organizations of interest. You ll maximize your time at the fair and connect with your top choices. Develop a list of questions you want to ask each employer. At the Fair Perform Dress professionally. Career fairs require the same attention to attire as interviews. Wear professional shoes that are comfortable since you will be standing and walking for hours. Bring multiple copies of your resume. Bring an appointment book in case you have the opportunity to set up an interview. Keep all these materials organized throughout the fair. Take advantage of standing in line and observe what is happening at the recruiters table. Listen to the types of questions that recruiters are asking other candidates. Try to identify the skills and traits that seem important to that company so you can sell them when it is your turn. Practice with a few companies that you are less interested in first to get comfortable. Smile, show enthusiasm, maintain eye contact and be your (professional) self! Greet the person with a firm handshake and maintain eye contact. Stand alone and be independent. Try not to move in groups with your friends. Have an open mind. Approach lesser-known companies in order to discover their potential. Have a sense of humor and be personable. Talk conversationally with recruiters. Inquire about obtaining further information on the company. Remember to close the deal! Take the initiative and ask what your next step should be. Get a business card so that you can follow up with a thank-you letter. If you were unable to talk with the recruiter but picked up a business card, follow up with that employer and convey your interest. You can use the back of the business card for notes about the contact (who/when/where/next steps.) Things NOT to do: Don t be afraid of recruiters. They attend career fairs to meet qualified candidates. Don t pretend you are interested when you are not. Don t schedule an appointment if you don t intend to keep it. You may be preventing a student who is really interested from obtaining an interview. Don t overstate your abilities; you ll end up in a job that you are not able to do. Present yourself and your abilities in a convincing manner. Don t monopolize the recruiter s time. Sell yourself, make a good impression and give the next student the opportunity to do the same. Don t ask questions about salary. Don t just throw your resume on the table. It will probably be thrown into a pile. Take time to market yourself. Don t interrupt or jump in if the recruiter is talking with another student. Patiently wait for your turn. After the Fair Wrap Up Evaluate your career fair experiences and stay in touch with organizations to demonstrate your ongoing interest. Send timely thank-you notes to all recruiters you met to show continued interest. See the chapter Letters and s and GPS Online - Resumes, Cover Letters, s for more information on thank-you letters. Keep notes. Evaluate opportunities, impressions, highlights and correspondence/calls. Keep up the good work. Use a variety of job search strategies in addition to job fairs to round out your job search.

38 5-1 Resume Writing Resume Fundamentals Marketing Your Brand Your resume can be your most critical marketing tool, playing a key role in making or breaking your job search. Because recruiters often spend no more than two minutes reviewing your resume during an initial screen, clearly stating the value you can bring and tailoring content to meet their needs are critically important. The ultimate purpose of your resume is to spark enough interest to get an interview with the company by: Highlighting your knowledge, skills and strengths that are relevant to the job you are pursuing. Summarizing your personal accomplishments. Emphasizing your career direction and objectives. Your goal should be to make your resume visually appealing, readable, compelling, concise and informative. Resume Formatting and Writing Tips Keep your resume to one page only. Choose Times New Roman the recommended font. Select a font size that is at least 10 point but not larger than 12 point. Avoid spelling errors, typos and poor grammar. Assure that content is accurate and factual. Keep consistent indenting, margins and alignment never use margins less than ½-inch. Use regular round bullets. Decorative bullets often do not upload correctly. Use tabs to align text. Do not use tables or the space bar to align text. Remove hyperlinks from addresses and websites. Important Things to Remember Resume Building is a process not a one-time event. Your resume is a reflection of you, so you must be comfortable with its content and any questions about it. Keep track of your accomplishments! Biggest Mistakes in Writing a Resume Listing every task you have ever performed or just cutting and pasting your job description Not explaining results Using industry jargon, language only those within previous industries/functions will understand

39 5-2 Resume Writing Your Resume Strategy at Owen The Career Management Center s GPS tools and resources will assist you throughout the process as you create multiple resumes for different purposes during your job search. For the formal recruiting process, we require that you use the specific Owen Format in order to maintain consistency for recruiters. You will need to upload a PDF version of your resume in the Owen Format to DoreWays AND GPS Recruiting in the Documents & Resume Books section. Uploading your resume will: Allow you to apply to job and interview opportunities for which you are qualified. Provide employers with a copy of your resume via the Owen Resume Books available to recruiters. Let you participate in Opt-In resume books for specific functional areas, geographies, etc. Make your resume available to CMC staff for referrals to job or interview opportunities which are not posted in the career services system. You may upload an updated copy of your resume at any time, but please ensure that your most recent, up-todate version is always set as your DEFAULT resume. This is the resume which will be used in the Owen Resume Books and also by the CMC staff for referrals. To keep your resume active in the Owen Resume Books, you must also log into GPS Recruiting at least once every 45 days. If you do not log in within this time period, the system considers you as Not Seeking and will remove your resume from any Resume Books in which you are participating. To reactivate your resume, simply log in to GPS Recruiting at the earliest opportunity. Resume Review Process During your first few months at Owen, many opportunities will emerge for using your resume: company information sessions, interview forums, career fairs and conferences and, of course, networking. To help you create a powerful resume, we have developed a resume review process that includes: Resume Writing Workshop These sessions will help you improve the content of your resume. We will be primarily focusing on your Experience section of your resume and creating strong accomplishment bullets. A formal resume review process Your resume will be reviewed at least three times: first for format, then by a Peer Coach and finally by a CMC Coach.

40 5-3 Resume Writing CMC Resume Writing Guide As you get started building and creating your resume, here is an outline of what to include in each section. Name/Address Your name should be in bold all capital letters and should be the largest point size on the page. If you have a name that may make it difficult for reviewers to determine your gender (e.g., Marshall, Mason, Pat), it is acceptable to put a Mr. or Ms. in front of it. Do not abbreviate for example, Ave. for Avenue unless space restrictions make it mandatory. To conserve space, you may combine a cell phone number and address on the same line. You may also list the street address, city, state and zip code on one line. Education List university names and degrees received in reverse chronological order with most recent listed on top. Do not use abbreviations. List Vanderbilt University on the first line, Owen on the next line. The city and two-letter state abbreviations or country names should be right-tabbed at the margin with the city and state abbreviations or country names in the Experience section of your resume. The resume template and sample resumes list accomplishments by second-year students (club memberships, GPA). You will not have these on your initial Owen resume, but may add them later. Experience This is the most important section of your resume! Companies will judge your fit for their organizations by assessing whether your knowledge, skills, past experiences and results meet their current needs. Place your full-time jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job. List your divisional employer when working for a multi-division corporation. If the corporation you worked for is not easily recognizable, feel free to add information regarding its size, revenue, parent company, etc. (example: a $3 million manufacturer of widgets). Highlight increases in responsibility, measurable accomplishments and promotions, wherever possible. Keep industry jargon to a minimum. List dates in years only, except in the case of internships. List internship date as Summer Provide a bulleted list of your accomplishments using detailed, action-oriented, results-focused statements. If an accomplishment bullet does not clearly define a skill, think about revising the bullet. Additional This section is often more important than you realize. Recruiters use the information in this section as a foundation for getting to know you and as an icebreaker in an interview. List something unique not previously mentioned on your resume. For more information on writing your resume, go to: GPS Online resume resources, in the section titled Resumes, Cover Letters, s. Walker Management Library s Career Reference section for examples of previous students resumes.

41 OWEN R. TEMPLATE Street Address City, State Zip List the phone number you want the recruiter to use when contacting you EDUCATION VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY Nashville, TN OWEN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT Master of Science in Finance, May 2013 List scholarships or awards if greater than 50% GPA-list if 3.5 or above; GMAT-list if 700 or above Club Memberships including offices held in each Major Coursework: list only those applicable to your future career aspirations. This bullet is not mandatory but may be helpful for career changers. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI Bachelor of Business Administration, December 2012 Major: Marketing; Minor: English Designations such as cum laude in lower case and italicized List GPA if 3.0 or above; also list top x% of class Awards and honors, such as 1 of 350 awarded ABC Award Clubs, etc. should be listed if you held a leadership role or shows consistency in your goals There should be fewer bullets under your undergraduate section than your graduate section EXPERIENCE GREAT COMPANY SECURITIES Anytown, NY Investment Banking Analyst Health Care Group Focused on team advising Biotechnology and Medical Technology companies on capital raising in public and private equity markets. Bullets should begin with an action verb and be results oriented. Do not list a job description or responsible for as that tells what anyone in the role would have done. Prioritize your accomplishments; start with those most relevant to your desired job. Summer 2010 BANK OF ANYWHERE Anothertown, IN Intern Analyzed client s financial statements and strategic plans in the development of annual Relationship Plans on clients to pursue future business needs. Use your action oriented accomplishments to entice a recruiter to interview you. Mention names of clients and companies if appropriate. Summer 2009 INTERNATIONAL BANK Yet Anothertown, IL Part-time, Credit Cards Division Coordinated launch of new credit card for teenage customer segment and managed cash flow of major key accounts. The further removed the experience, the fewer bullets you will probably utilize. Don t reiterate skills. ADDITIONAL If you are an international student with permanent residency, put Permanent U.S. Resident. Interests: list hobbies, unique interests, travel, etc. Make them unique to YOU. Language Skills: list any languages in which you are proficient and fluent. Computer Skills: list only what is above and beyond standard Microsoft programs AND is applicable to your career choice. There should be no more than three bullets in this section. Other possible topics include: Honors/Awards, Certifications/Licenses, Publications, Professional Organizations and Volunteer Activities.

42 5-5 Resume Writing Create Compelling Accomplishment Bullets When writing your accomplishment bullets, focus on the knowledge and skills you need to convey for the job you want, not the job you had. Always ask yourself what the recruiter will find valuable, NOT what you find to be valuable! Below are a few steps to help you write powerful bullets. Step 1: Document your work history: List all tasks for which you had responsibility. To help you generate ideas, review job descriptions and annual evaluations from previous positions. Keep these notes, as they are also helpful in preparing for interviews. Step 2: List actions and results: Use the PAR framework to reword your accomplishment bullets. Project Concisely identify the project, problem or situation you were working on. Action Focus on business language and tasks that are meaningful to the reader and use specifics wherever possible. Use action verbs that easily identify the skills you used. Results Quantify results in business terms such as: increased revenues, reduced cycle times, etc. If the result isn t quantifiable, list the intended goal (e.g., in order to increase customer satisfaction). The goal is to answer the question How did your actions impact the business? Follow these guidelines for writing compelling accomplishment bullets: Begin with powerful, past tense action verbs followed by results. Try not to repeat the action verbs in consecutive bullets. Quantify as often as possible. Keep bullets to two or three lines; avoid providing too much or too little information. Refrain from using pronouns (e.g., I, we, my). Use objective language rather than subjective language. List bullets in order of importance or chronologically if necessary for logical interpretation. Overall, does the language convey leadership and teamwork simultaneously? Accomplishment Before Questions to Ask Accomplishment After Worked to improve inventory system for product lines. Evaluated ethnic marketing opportunities and designed business plan. Trained international sales personnel on sales system. What tasks did you perform? What was the goal? What were the results? What was your role? What results did opportunities produce? Did you only conduct the training or did you actually determine the need? Did you design the materials & curriculum? What countries were involved? Designed and instituted a spare parts inventory system for eight product lines which reduced material costs by 15%. Led initiative to evaluate ethnic marketing opportunities and designed integrated business plan to increase share and loyalty among ethnic groups. Analyzed skills gaps of worldwide sales personnel in moving to new tracking system; developed and delivered training to 350 employees across 25 countries. Step 3: Know the knowledge and skills required for your career area of interest: After doing your research, tweak your bullets to match the information that you have gathered about the key knowledge and skills required for your career area of interest. When you are applying for a specific position, review the job description and include on your resume the bullets that best match the requirements, job responsibilities and qualifications.

43 5-6 Resume Writing Tailoring Your Resume to the Job It s important to customize your resume so that your knowledge, skills and qualifications best match the specific requirements of each individual job for which you apply. Starting with the job description, follow this approach for each position profile or job posting: Assess the Position 1. Read the job posting and write down the top five responsibilities. You may need to read between the lines to create your list. If, for example, the position reports to the vice president or has staff in various locations, responsibilities will include providing support to the vice president and creating ways to increase teamwork among the staff. 2. For each responsibility, describe all of the associated tasks anything that the person holding this position will actually do on a daily/weekly basis. 3. List the specific knowledge and skills the person holding the position must have to complete these tasks and manage the responsibilities of the job. 4. List the personal attributes that the position requires. Attributes are personality traits that describe your behaviors and how you perform, such as proactive, organized, perceptive, sense of humor and diplomatic. Describe the Ideal Candidate After you have assessed the position, think about the qualities that would make a candidate the perfect fit for the position, including: Ideal Work Experience Ideal Education Ideal Knowledge/Skills Ideal Personal Attributes Write the Ideal Resume Based on these qualities, tailor your resume to ensure you re highlighting the most relevant and compelling aspects of your past experiences and skills for the specific role: 1. Dissect your work experience into the kinds of responsibilities, tasks and skills shown on the position posting. 2. What educational experiences or professional training relates specifically to the job requirements? 3. What extracurricular activities have resulted in learning, developed skills or strengthened personal attributes that are tailor-made for this job? 4. Prioritize your work experience, education and other activities according to those apt to be perceived of most value by the interviewer. 5. Use the wording or phrasing from the job posting, if accurate and appropriate from your background. Key Knowledge and Skills by Function While your first resume may be more general, you will begin to tailor it as you become more focused. Think like a recruiter! Remember, recruiters are looking for specific competencies related to a specific position. Your results-based resume should reflect these competencies, knowledge and skills. The following is a list of general MSF and function-specific competencies that you should try to include in your resume.

44 5-7 Resume Writing Essential MSF Skills Leadership Teamwork Problem-solving and analytical skills Initiative Adaptability to change Interpersonal and communication skills Strategic thinking and planning abilities Global orientation Ability to leverage technology Time management and project management skills Prior history of results and progressive experience Function-specific Skills Based on Concentrations and Key Functions Corporate Finance Quantitative skills Basic understanding of accounting and financial management principles Ability to interpret numbers and draw conclusions from results of various financial strategy changes Ability to handle a wide variety of tasks Investment Banking Strong quantitative and financial skills Team player Handle multiple tasks/multiple bosses Ability to analyze diverse information and formulate recommendations quickly Ability to synthesize large amounts of data into small manageable chunks and then communicate these chunks both in writing and verbally Willingness to take risks, deal with uncertainty and accept occasional failure Ability to perform well under pressure Ability to take criticism lightly Aggressiveness, strong internal motivation and ambition Consulting/Strategy Evidence of solid intellectual capacity Ability to elicit information from others and to synthesize that information into a cohesive story Strong listening skills Ability to communicate with all levels of management, from line managers to the CEO Ability to see the big picture Solid business judgment and desire to tackle complex business problems Creative/conceptual ways of thinking Ability to determine key issues from confused and incomplete information Project management skills Professional presence Ability to assess situations and devise solutions

45 5-8 Resume Writing Sample Resume Bullets The collection of resume bullets listed in this section not only gives you an idea of how to present your accomplishments on your resume, but it also provides you with a glimpse of what types of projects and work you could be doing during your summer experience. Consulting/Strategy Summer Associate, Strategy and Operations Conducted competitive analysis evaluating pricing zones and ad zones and identifying key competitors in various markets for a Fortune 500 retail client; results to be used for benchmarking items comprising 75% of chain-wide revenues. Summer Associate, Strategy and Operations (Financial Shared Services: Retail Client) Designed framework of Key Performance Metrics to evaluate the associates and devised reporting structures for leadership in the form of scorecards giving a concise view of financial operations. Presented best practices for Service Level Agreements for shared services centers and the various pricing models used therein to client executives and department heads. Identified key activities to be performed by Shared Services Center to realize cost savings of up to $2 million and made recommendations for designing the global financial operational process for the client. Health Care Consultant, Intern Analyzed workflow and developed Value Stream Process Maps in a cross-functional team to implement improvements; streamlined patient flow in OR by employing pull system; reduced prepped wait by 35%. Constructed a strategy for a health care provider based on physician productivity to dissolve uncompetitive OB/GYN practice; resulted in savings in excess of $1 million. Financial Services Summer Associate -- Private Banking Created asset allocation draft proposals for clients and prospective clients. Prepared investment product/service presentation materials for relationship managers. Presented product overviews and pitches to firm executives and product specialists. Monitored global investment markets through attending daily equity research overview. Attended Private Banking training program covering managed equity, fixed income, private equity, equity overlay strategies, trust and estate planning, and legal and compliance. Research Intern, Small and Mid-cap European Equities Applied value and activist investing strategies at $300 million hedge fund managed by European investor David Marcus. Evaluated potential investments by interviewing management teams of European small and mid-cap companies. Recommended investments in two French logistics companies based on in-depth research of the Central European logistics industry. Created and designed a pitch book, including valuation, recommending the break-up and sale of a Swedish IT company for which the portfolio manager is Chairman of the Board. Conducted due diligence and created pitch book for the first target of a potential private equity vehicle.

46 5-9 Resume Writing Investment Analyst Intern Developed hedged equity strategies by means of self-made quantitative models incorporating market and fundamental ratios using tools like Compustat, Capital IQ and Excel. Constructed a portfolio monitor and developed trading screen in Excel to visualize dynamic long/short/mixed positions with minimum required upside/downside characteristics and high expected return potential. Fundamentally researched/analyzed companies based on historic ratios and potential future cash flows to compare intrinsic value to market value and identify potential catalyst or trigger. Corporate Finance Financial Analyst Intern Created a projection of 2008 commercial membership to estimate demand for three newly proposed health coaching delivery methods. Worked with special project and financial consultants to develop a plan estimate to produce $650,000 in increased revenues. Built a flexible and integrated Excel model to estimate pricing for new health coaching services. Interviewed various groups throughout company to establish structure and cost estimates for the new health coaching programs. Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis Graduate Intern Rebuilt and enhanced Shares Outstanding projection model to more accurately represent three-year projection of earnings per share numbers. Analyzed and presented management with EPS scenarios under varying share repurchase programs. Collaborated with investor relations management to draft Q2 earnings call summary and press release. Used variance analysis to determine changes in year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter R&D expenditures. Intern Finance Development Program Improved the budgeting and forecasting planning process by initiating a new process to determine market data more accurately. Analyzed historic market size and share data to forecast future sales and determine budgeting requirements for multiple business units. Evaluated research capabilities of various market research firms and negotiated services and costs based on a limited budget. Researched website monetization and presented concept on user-defined products to CFO and marketing division. Global Brand Communications Intern Led the creation and launch of a global public relations campaign spotlighting key business achievements of ABC Company. Secured coverage in more than 70 print and online publications. Conducted focus group and analyzed results to provide recommendations to agency for the corporate website redesign. Designed and implemented a creative global strategy to increase insight into the youth consumer market to ultimately secure a larger market share. Business Development Intern, Health Care Analyzed historic market characteristics of competing products usage and reimbursement rates in order to develop and implement market rollout strategy focused on targeted consumer.

47 5-10 Resume Writing Real Estate Intern Underwrote the proposed sale, including Argus runs and preliminary investment memorandum, of a $35 million industrial portfolio, a $10 million office building and a $45 million industrial portfolio. Performed feasibility studies and market research for six proposed developments including competitive analysis, sales calls and research on demographics, traffic, zoning and utilities. Maintained the Nashville Operating Budget requiring monthly updates to reforecast management fees, development and construction fees, leasing commissions and operating costs. Summer Associate, Real Estate Development Conducted market research and feasibility analysis to evaluate potential property acquisitions. Created pro-forma financial models for multiple developments to forecast profits and assess risks. Pitched opportunistic investment proposals and development sites to the firm.

48 5-11 Resume Writing Resume Action Verbs By Skill Sets Refer to this list of strong action verbs when writing your resume bullets. Communication Skills Addressed Consulted Enlisted Mediated Referred Advertised Contacted Explained Moderated Reinforced Answered Conveyed Expressed Negotiated Reported Arbitrated Convinced Formulated Observed Resolved Arranged Corresponded Illustrated Outlined Responded Articulated Critiqued Influenced Persuaded Simplified Authored Debated Informed Presented Solicited Briefed Defined Instructed Promoted Suggested Clarified Directed Interacted Proposed Summarized Communicated Discussed Interpreted Publicized Synthesized Compiled Documented Interviewed Recommended Taught Composed Drafted Lectured Reconciled Translated Condensed Edited Listened Recorded Transmitted Conferred Elicited Marketed Recruited Wrote Creative Skills Adapted Created Fashioned Integrated Promoted Architected Customized Formulated Introduced Revised Combined Designed Founded Invented Revitalized Composed Developed Generated Marketed Shaped Conceived Displayed Identified Modified Solved Conceptualized Entertained Illustrated Originated Transformed Condensed Envisioned Initiated Performed Crafted Established Instituted Planned

49 5-12 Resume Writing Resume Action Verbs (continued) Financial Skills Adjusted Balanced Determined Netted Reduced Administered Budgeted Estimated Planned Researched Allocated Calculated Financed Prepared Retrieved Analyzed Computed Forecasted Programmed Appraised Concluded Justified Projected Assessed Conserved Managed Qualified Audited Corrected Measured Reconciled Management Leadership Skills Accelerated Coordinated Executed Instituted Recommended Administered Decided Expanded Launched Reduced Advanced Decreased Expedited Led Reorganized Analyzed Delegated Generated Managed Replaced Anticipated Determined Governed Merged Restored Appointed Developed Handled Motivated Reviewed Approved Directed Headed Navigated Scheduled Assigned Doubled Hired Organized Secured Attained Eliminated Hosted Originated Selected Authorized Emphasized Implemented Overhauled Streamlined Commanded Enforced Improved Oversaw Strengthened Consolidated Enhanced Incorporated Planned Supervised Contracted Envisioned Increased Presided Controlled Established Initiated Prioritized Converted Exceeded Inspected Produced

50 5-13 Resume Writing Resume Action Verbs (continued) People Skills Adapted Counseled Evaluated Managed Resolved Advised Critiqued Explained Mediated Simulated Advocated Cultivated Facilitated Mentored Staffed Assessed Demonstrated Guided Motivated Stimulated Championed Developed Individualized Persuaded Supervised Clarified Diagnosed Informed Prevented Supported Coached Directed Inspired Recruited Taught Collaborated Educated Instilled Referred Trained Communicated Enabled Instructed Rehabilitated Tutored Coordinated Encouraged Intervened Represented Volunteered Planning and Administrative Skills Activated Consolidated Formulated Orchestrated Routed Amended Coordinated Generated Ordered Scheduled Approved Corrected Implemented Organized Solved Arranged Corresponded Imported Planned Standardized Catalogued Decentralized Incorporated Prepared Submitted Categorized Deployed Inspected Procured Supplied Centralized Developed Laid out Projected Systematized Charted Distributed Logged Provided Transformed Classified Engineered Maintained Purchased Updated Coded Estimated Mapped Recorded Validated Collected Executed Mobilized Registered Verified Compiled Exported Monitored Reorganized Connected Filed Obtained Reserved Conserved Formalized Operated Reviewed

51 5-14 Resume Writing Resume Action Verbs (continued) Research and Investigative Analyzed Critiqued Explored Observed Surveyed Assessed Detected Extracted Organized Systematized Clarified Determined Formulated Proved Tested Collected Diagnosed Gathered Researched Verified Compared Discovered Inspected Reviewed Computed Evaluated Interviewed Searched Conducted Examined Investigated Solved Correlated Experimented Measured Studied Technical Skills Adapted Constructed Fabricated Printed Restored Applied Converted Fortified Programmed Solved Assembled Debugged Installed Rectified Specialized Built Designed Maintained Regulated Standardized Calculated Determined Manufactured Remodeled Studied Computed Developed Operated Repaired Upgraded Conserved Engineered Overhauled Replaced Utilized Quantitative and Analytical Skills Adapted Compared Estimated Measured Strategized Analyzed Concluded Evaluated Observed Targeted Applied Consulted Examined Prospected Assessed Critiqued Hypothesized Questioned Calculated Defined Identified Reviewed Clarified Determined Improved Solved

52 5-15 Resume Writing Guidelines for Electronic Resumes Because many companies now use computerized Resume Management Systems, your resume will need to be in a format that can be scanned or submitted through the company s website. When you submit your resume with these systems, it is immediately processed into the system before anyone sees it. The systems do not read fonts, graphics or other aesthetic features, and they left-justify every line. Consequently, you will need to create an electronic version of your resume so that you not the system will be in control of how it is presented. Remove any special formatting that exists in your original word processing document. (The easiest way to do this is to save it as a text-only file with a new name and then re-open it.) Do not use bold, italic, graphics, boxes or formatted bullet points. (These will not transfer to plain text format.) Instead of bullets, use asterisks or dashes. Distinguish your various categories, such as work experience or education with capital letters, and double space between each section. Use separate lines for name, address and address, so the information doesn t blend together in one line. Use a separate line for job title, company name, location and employment dates. Use standard fonts such as Arial, Courier, Helvetica or Times New Roman. Use a font size that is between 10 and 12 point. Save your document in plain text format, or as a text only file. Many electronic resumes are scanned to find key words; consider adding a Key Skills section to your resume that would include typical key words that employers use for that particular job. See the following page for a sample electronic resume.

53 John Q. Public Sample MSF Electronic Resume 123 My Place, Nashville, TN EDUCATION VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, Nashville, TN OWEN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT Master of Science in Finance, May 2012 ** GMAT: 700 ** Member of Finance Club ** Coursework includes: Econometrics, Stochastic Processes, Derivative Securities Valuation, Asset Pricing Theory, Corporate Value Management, Bond Markets, Risk Management. TULANE UNIVERSITY, New Orleans, LA Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering May 2011, GPA: 3.2/4.0 DESIGN PROJECTS Designed and implemented an experimental method to evaluate the role of cellular organization in the tissue engineering of articular cartilage and designed and built two novel devices to implement and test the method ** Performed cell culture protocols to promote cell proliferation while maintaining phenotype using growth factors ** Implemented one device to create columnar orientation of bovine chondrocytes in agarose gel to mimic native cartilage microstructure ** Examined biochemical markers to assess extracellular matrix deposition and chondrocyte phenotype ** Performed element modeling simulation using AQUS to map stress distribution in cultures loaded in confined compression ** Designed and built a novel mechanical stimulation device in order to determine the effect of mechanical stimulation on the maturation of chondrocyte-agarose cultures WORK EXPERIENCE Big Company Inc., Jonesboro, TX Department of Regulatory Affairs and Quality Systems Intern, Summer 2009 and Summer 2010 ** Worked under several supervisors including the VP of RA/QS, Director of Clinical Affairs and Quality Assurance Manager to complete several projects of varying length ** Compiled an inventory of scientific journal articles related to BMTI s products and wrote summaries of the articles and their findings to be included in regulatory documentation ** Working with members of the QA department, organized and updated supplier audit files to ensure that all suppliers were compliant with applicable standards Tulane University, New Orleans, LA Teaching Assistant for Medical Instrumentation and Space Program and Society courses Fall 2009-Spring 2011 ** Supervised a weekly instrumentation laboratory with students and documented their performance ** Generated answer keys for weekly homework sets Summer Research Intern Intracellular Bioengineering Laboratory Summer 2008 ** Performed basic experiments with fluorimetry and HPLC ** Qualitatively observed degradation characteristics of orthoester, a degradable polymer with potential as a drug delivery vehicle ADDITIONAL Computer Skills: MS Office, Minitab, Crystal Ball, C++, Mathematica Interests: playing piano, cooking, traveling, golf

54 6-1 Letters and s Career Correspondence Corresponding with your network is a critical component of your job search. The following pages in your GPS Handbook and information found at GPS Online include guidelines, tips and a variety of examples for all types of career correspondence including cover letters, thank-you notes and networking s. Keep in mind that what you write is a representation of your communication skills and personality and is often the reader s first impression of you. Many companies rely on the cover letter to specifically evaluate communication skills. HOW TO USE SAMPLE LETTERS AND S IN THIS CHAPTER Writing effective career correspondence is crucial to your job search success. Let the sample letters and s in this chapter be your guide, but ALWAYS tailor your correspondence with every prospective employer and those in your network to fit your degree and background and the opportunities that you pursue. General tips for all career correspondence Save a copy of all career correspondence and develop a system to track and manage your correspondence. The overall tone in your communication should convey confidence with humility. Avoid arrogance. Be positive but don t beg. Address your letters and s to a specific person, whenever possible. Be brief and to the point. Proofread! Be grammatically perfect and do not rely on spell-check. Ideally, have someone else review your letter or before you send. Social Media Social networking sites have become very popular for both the job seeker who is looking for opportunities and the recruiter who is evaluating candidates. Be careful what you write on your status updates or what you post online. As a general practice, keep things professional and consider reviewing your privacy settings to ensure you know who can view your information. When inviting people to connect with you on LinkedIn, take the extra step to draft original requests.

55 6-2 Letters and s An Example of what NOT to do Below is an actual exchange between an Owen student and a recruiter: Hi Sam, Sorry that I didn t respond to you sooner. It looks like we are moving forward with other candidates. I appreciate your efforts and interest in XYZ Company. It seems like the local candidates may have had an edge in the screening process. Best of luck with your search and please touch base with me next year as you approach graduation. Dan Recruiter Sr. Employment Specialist Dan, I am sadened by your decision, but I don t believe your reasoning. If you truly did not hire me because I don t have a local edge, than you re doing a poor job for XYZ Company. Both my old roommate from the Westshore and my girlfriend from the Eastshore still call me for directions in and around Sometown. I can drive through the area with my eyes closed, and I know the owners/managers of most the bars, restaurants and package stores in that region. I even know the owner of the Pat s Pub across the street from XYZ Company in Townville. I believe that I did not do a good job in my correspondence with you, and that gave you a bad impression of me. For all the time and energy I spent trying to communicate with you and for my love of XYZ Company, you could at least do me the favor of telling me why I am not the ideal candidate for your internship programs and what I need to work on to become a better candidate. Your dishonesty, your disorganization and your lack of caring towards a loyal customer has soured my impression of XYZ Company. Sam Smith In the second , there are spelling errors and the tone is confrontational and completely unprofessional. By sending this response, the candidate leaves the recruiter with a negative impression and has likely closed the door to ever working for XYZ Company. While rejection is not easy, it is good business practice to maintain a positive and professional tone with any contact you have made through the recruiting process. This type of could limit your employment options as well as relationships with potential clients or partners if you were to cross paths again with this person under different circumstances. Below is a better response. Dan, Thank you for letting me know my status. XYZ Company will remain a company of interest. Please keep me in mind if you come across opportunities that you feel would be a good fit between my experience and your needs. I continue to believe that my background and knowledge of the local area can be a value to XYZ Company. I will certainly contact you again before graduation. I wish you all the best and thanks again. Sincerely, Sam Smith

56 6-3 Letters and s Cover Letters Cover letters are one of the most important forms of career correspondence. They also are one of the most dreaded. Many job postings require a cover letter with your resume, and the CMC encourages you to send one even when it is not required. Career switchers should always include a cover letter to show recruiters the link between your resume and long-term career goals. The reality is that not every recruiter or hiring manager may read your cover letter; however, you don t want to be knocked out of consideration just because you didn t include one with your application. Including a cover letter also gives you an opportunity to interject a personal side to your application. This section provides you a basic framework for writing cover letters. The best cover letters are written specifically for each company and job. As always, you want to target your letter to the needs of the company and the position. A cover letter is like a resume. It is a personal document, and you have to feel comfortable with it. Your cover letter should help you stand out by illustrating how your skills and abilities will add value to the company. Cover letter expectations may vary by function, industry or who is reading it. Think about who will be reading your cover letter and whether you are taking the appropriate tone. If you are using an for a cover letter, you need to be even more concise. People don t want to read long s. Tip for cover letters: Do not fill in the address until you are finished or create in Word and then cut and paste to avoid accidently sending before you are finished. If you are attaching a cover letter and resume to your , attach only one PDF document that includes both. 10 Tips for Winning Cover Letters 1. KISS it. Keep It Short and Simple. The letter should always be typed and, ideally, about ¾-page long. It should never exceed one page. Use ¾-inch to 1-inch margins. 2. Address the letter to a specific person. (If you don t know the name of the contact person, see next page for tips on finding the appropriate contact person.) 3. State the position or job title in the first paragraph. 4. Explain why you want the job. You should always answer the question: Why do I want to do this work? A genuine show of enthusiasm and knowledge will set you apart from those sending generic form letters. 5. Clearly describe ways you will contribute. Write in concrete terms and use action verbs. Outline one or two specific examples of how your experiences will fit the company s needs. You can use the PAR (project-action-result) format to highlight your experience. It is okay to use bullets. 6. Avoid stuffiness and maintain a balance between professionalism and friendliness. 7. Match, but don t restate your resume. You might elaborate on a specific experience on your resume. Use the cover letter as an opportunity to highlight additional relevant experience that isn t included in your resume. 8. Use positive language. Avoid indirect language such as I believe I have the skills Instead say I have the skills 9. Tell the reader what you will do next or what you want. This is very important it forces you to make a commitment to action. You want to be proactive and take initiative rather then be reactive to the process. 10. And remember proofread!

57 6-4 Letters and s Finding the Right Contact Person While many internship/job postings do not list a contact name, it is very important that you try to identify the specific individual to whom to address your cover letter. If you don t know the name of the contact person, do some investigating. The goal is to get the name of the hiring manager or lead recruiter. Search for a contact in GPS Recruiting under Employers. Search the company s website for appropriate contacts. Call the company s main telephone line. (See sample calling script below.) Sometimes you will see postings that will indicate No Calls Please. In this case, you will often have to be more creative in identifying contacts: Look in your alumni directories (VUconnect or your undergraduate institution) for alumni who work at the company. Search for recent news articles on the company and contact individuals mentioned in the article. Mention the article as a way to make a connection. Ask friends if they know anyone in the organization. Use your networks in LinkedIn. Do a Google search. The purpose for reaching out to these individuals is to ask for an informational interview. During the interview, inform your contact of your interest in a position at the company and then ask if he or she knows the name of the hiring manager or the individual to whom you should address your cover letter. If not, ask if the contact is willing to help you identify the appropriate person. If you have exhausted every means of identifying the name of the individual to whom you should address your cover letter, then address the letter to Dear Recruiter. This should be an absolute last resort. Never address the letter To whom it may concern. Calling Script Sample The script below offers a suggestion on how to contact a company to ask for a contact name: Greet the person and introduce yourself: Hello, my name is Owen Smith. State your purpose for the call: I would like to send my application to the hiring manager for the marketing research position. Could you please provide me with his or her name and spelling so that I am sure to address it correctly? Ask for the individual s official title: Thank you. Would you also be so kind as to provide me with his (her) official title? Thank the individual: Thank you very much for your time and assistance. Have a great day.

58 6-5 Letters and s The Cover Letter Format Writing a cover letter can be overwhelming. Following the format below, which breaks the letter into three basic sections, can help simplify the process: Date Name of Contact Person Contact s Title Company Name Company Address Dear Ms./Mr. Last Name: Paragraph 1: I like you 1. What led you to apply (referral, job posting, Information Session, etc.)? 2. Mention mutual contacts/acquaintances. 3. Address why the employer should read further why you want to work for this organization. Grab the reader s attention use the company s products, status in the marketplace, reputation, business philosophy and commitment to quality. This is where company research is essential. 4. If you are applying to an on-campus opportunity through DoreWays or GPS Recruiting, avoid starting the letter and stating the obvious with I am an MSF student at Vanderbilt University. It will not differentiate you. Paragraph 2: You like me 1. The sales paragraph: Explain how your background, education and abilities can be of value to the organization. Mention qualifications and unique attributes that distinguish you from other candidates. 2. Demonstrate your knowledge of the company by comparing your experience and skills to their needs. 3. Highlight how your skills are directly relevant to the position for which you are applying. Paragraph 3 Let s get together 1. Closing paragraph: Pave the way for the interview ask for an appointment; restate contact information. 2. State a strong interest in the company. 3. Call to Action: State how and when you intend to follow up. 4. Thank the reader for his or her time and consideration. 5. Close the letter with your expectation for a favorable response. Sincerely, Your name See examples at GPS Online - Resumes, Cover Letters, s.

59 6-6 Letters and s Request for Campus Interview: Letter in Follow Up to Career Fair OWEN SMITH September 20, 2010 Ms. Linda Stark Director of Human Resources Acme Finances 101 John Doe Lane Atlanta, GA Dear Ms. Stark: Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Bob Jones at the Vanderbilt University Finance Career Fair, where I had the opportunity to learn about some of the exciting roles analysts play at Acme Finances. I was struck by the amount of autonomy and responsibility given to analysts and the Client First attitude, because it rings true with many of my past experiences. Prior to coming to the Owen Graduate School of Management to attain a Masters in Finance, I was an Analyst at Bank X in the Investment Banking Operations Division. At Bank X, I quickly advanced into a Senior Analyst role, where I was given much more responsibility and self-direction in my duties. As a Senior Analyst, I was a team leader on several high-level projects reporting directly to Directors and Managing Directors. On one such project, I developed and presented a proposal to management to streamline our trading processes by developing a creative conversion flow process and an innovative trade capturing application. Through these improvements, the trading process became so efficient that Bank X was able to offer the trading platform to higher volume customers such as Program Trading and Prime Broker clients. Mr. Jones also conveyed the importance of having an Analyst make an immediate impact at Acme Finances. Having two years of full-time experience at an investment bank will immensely shorten my learning curve. I experienced firsthand the credit crunch and financial crisis, and I will always remember the lessons I learned from those trying times. Again, I want to work with your organization and would like to be placed on your October 1st interview schedule. I am confident that the combination of my past experiences, creativity and analytical skills would be a great fit for your team. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to speaking with you. Sincerely, Owen Smith

60 6-7 Letters and s Cover Letter & Request for Campus Interview OWEN SMITH September 1, 2010 Finance Recruiter Acme Finances 1112 San Juan Street Los Angeles, CA Dear Recruiter: I am very interested in the Public Finance Analyst position with Acme Finances. Having spoken with contacts who previously have worked at Acme, as well as with friends who currently work in the field of public finance, I know that I would be a great fit for the culture of the company and would be able to enjoy the day-to-day tasks of a public finance analyst. I am especially impressed with Acme after reading a Business Week article that ranked your firm as having the best fixed income analysts on the street. My interest in public finance started when I was a summer analyst at Bank X in its private wealth management group. One of my main projects as an intern was to work with a team of financial advisors to research and identify the most desirable municipal securities for different types of investors, which were then incorporated into various portfolio strategies. I also had the privilege of helping implement government funded projects while studying abroad in Chile. I took part in opening discount health clinics, launching education centers, planting vegetable gardens at elementary schools and turning vacant lots into parks. Besides my interest in public finance, I have a great interest in the world of investment banking and financial analysis. I spent my past two summers working for investment banks doing mergers and acquisitions for a boutique in Oregon and working in the Debt Capital Markets group of Bank Y in New York City. During my time in these positions, I worked on numerous merger deals and bond issuances which taught me advanced valuation techniques, a more thorough understanding of Excel and PowerPoint and, most importantly, how to make sure that every task I completed was done meticulously and in a timely manner. Currently, I am pursuing a Master of Science in Finance, which will further my grasp of financial theory. I want to reiterate my interest in this position. My prior experiences in finance along with my education would make me a great addition to the Public Finance division at Acme Finances. I would like the opportunity to interview for the position on September 9th. Feel free to or call me if you have any further questions. Sincerely, Owen Smith

61 6-8 Letters and s Request for Interview: Cover Letter Responding to Job Posting (Off-campus Interview) OWEN SMITH September 30, 2010 John Johnson President and Chief Executive Officer Company X 1050 Main St., Floor 19 Montreal, Quebec Dear Mr. Johnson: I would like to interview for your Equity Research Analyst position in the video game software sector. Company X s Equity Research Department is renowned for its expertise in Sell-Side research, as evidenced by its ranking in the recent Wall Street Journal Best on the Street survey. I want to contribute to this record of success. I have been investing in stocks since I was 12 and currently manage my family s portfolio. Furthermore, I have researched equities for the Transylvania University Foundation and the Max Adler Student Investment Fund at Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management. My investment philosophy relies upon rigorous fundamental analysis to identify undervalued equities. Whether it is calling company representatives, conducting channel checks, performing DCF valuations, playing the latest video game or scrutinizing 10-Ks and 10-Qs, I constantly search for information that the market has overlooked. Due to this framework and my knowledge of the sector, I have achieved recent gains of 15%, 12% and 10% in ERTS, ATVI and GME. My experiences in Owen s one-year Master of Science in Finance program will further enhance my investing knowledge. This rigorous program complements my background in accounting and economics by sharpening my quantitative skills and exposing me to EViews and SAS. Courses such as corporate valuation management and financial economics are also helping me to prepare for the CFA exam in June As a result of my education at Owen, I know that I will be able to contribute as an Equity Research Analyst from the beginning. My experience aligns with the mission of Company X. I would make a great addition to your team and would like to be added to your interview list when you begin your hiring process. If you have any questions, please contact me using the information on my attached resume. Sincerely, Owen Smith

62 6-9 Letters and s Unsolicited Letter for an Opportunity OWEN SMITH February 16, 2010 Joanne Jones President and Chief Executive Officer Company X 1050 Main St., Floor 19 Dallas, TX Dear Ms. Jones: I am currently enrolled in Vanderbilt University s one-year Master of Science in Finance program. I discovered information about the Actuarial Leadership Development Program at Company X on your website, and I am excited about this unique opportunity because it is a good fit with my analytical, problem-solving and database skills. As my resume indicates, I feel that I would be an excellent fit for this position. My undergraduate majors of math and economics, as well as my intense quantitative graduate program, have strengthened my analytical abilities and my math aptitude. My actuarial internship last summer provided me with an in-depth understanding of the profession and reinforced my desire to become an actuary. I understand that it is a challenging career, as I have passed Exam P, and I am preparing to take Exam FM this fall. In addition, I have developed time management, leadership and communication skills as the captain of our Division 1 basketball team and as President of the Student-Athletic Advisory Committee. My internship experience coupled with my academic training would make me a great asset for Company X. I am looking forward to discussing this opportunity soon. If you need additional information, please feel free to contact me at owen.smith@owen.vanderbilt.edu or Thank you very much for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Owen Smith

63 6-10 Letters and s Thank-you Letters Thank-you letters are a fundamental part of networking and selling your brand and should not be neglected in the job search process. As with the cover letter, not sending a thank-you letter or sending a poorly written one can knock you out of consideration. The goal of the thank you is to re-establish rapport, reiterate your key selling points and reinforce your interest. Below are some guidelines to follow. When to send Should always follow any meetings, interviews and phone calls Within 24 hours after an interview, meeting or conversation Recruiters often are interviewing numerous candidates throughout the recruiting season and are inundated with thank-you notes. As a result, they might ask you not to send a thank-you. Always respect a recruiter s specific request for you to not send a thank-you note. Who should receive a thank-you note from you Individuals with whom you interviewed Your main point of contact at the company, even if you didn t interview with that person Any networking contacts who gave you information about the company or provided you with a referral or a reference Recruiters and other individuals whom you meet at a career fair or social event Anyone who provides you with assistance in the job search process What information should be included Include a thank-you statement and a simple reminder of the date and time of your meeting/interview/ conversation. Send a personalized comment based on your conversation or interaction with this person. After interviews re-state the match between your skills and the company s needs, how you can contribute to the company s goals and your interest in the position. State your intent to keep in touch. Thank the person again in the closing. How to send or handwritten note? In order to follow up promptly following an interview, we recommend that you send an thank you within 24 hours. However, it is appropriate to also follow that with a handwritten note, which will help you stand out and make a lasting impression. A handwritten note, either alone or in conjunction with an , is appropriate and valuable after all kinds of interactions including informational interviews, career fairs and other social events.

64 6-11 Letters and s Thank-you Letters Following an Interview (sent via ) To: Peter B. Doe (Senior Financial Analyst--Development Finance) Subject: Thank you for meeting with me Dear Peter: Thank you for taking the time to meet with me this morning. I enjoyed speaking with you about the Marriott Finance analyst opportunities. It was particularly interesting to hear about your experiences with Marriott and your excitement about its future. Our conversation reinforced my decision to pursue this position within the Lodging Finance team. As we discussed, the hotel industry is currently in a period of great change. In order for Marriott to continue to grow and succeed, it must have personnel who can recognize opportunities and meet the challenge of capitalizing on them. I believe my analytical and problem-solving skills, combined with my financial skills, will enable me to do just that. I am eager to learn more about Marriott s businesses, and I am excited about participating in its future growth. Thanks again for your time and consideration. If you have any questions or need any additional information, please do not hesitate to call me at (615) I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Owen Smith Thank-you Letter for Informational Interview (sent via ) To: Jane R. Doe (Manager, FP&A) Subject: Thank you for the interview Dear Ms. Doe: Mr. William Gaines was right when he said you would be most helpful in advising me on a career in finance. I appreciate your taking time from your busy schedule to meet with me. Your advice was extremely valuable, and I have incorporated your suggestions into my resume. Again, thanks so much for your assistance. As you suggested, I will contact Mr. Howard James next week in regard to a possible opening at XYZ Bank. Sincerely, Owen Smith

65 6-12 Letters and s Correspondence Requesting Informational Interviews and Networking Meetings Reaching out to individuals in your functional area of interest or at a target company is an important part of developing your network and positioning yourself for success in the job search process. This is easier said than done for some people. The prospect of doing this can instill fear for people who have not had much experience networking. Keep in mind that an initial request is for a meeting or information, not for a job. What to put in the subject line The recipient of your might not recognize your name, so what you put in the subject line is important. The best approach is to leverage your connection to the person and indicate the purpose of your . For suggestions refer to the sample s on the following pages and at GPS Online - Resumes, Cover Letters, s. What should you include Be brief. The person may be reading it on his or her smart phone. Explain your connection or how you found the person s contact information. Explain the purpose of your to set up a meeting or phone call, to learn more about the field. Tell contacts what you want so they will know if they can help. Give a little information about your history, background and current career pursuits. Ask for only minutes of the person s time. Mention how important the person s advice and insight are to you and express your appreciation. Make it as convenient for the contact as possible suggest dates and times as options rather than expecting your contact to find time on his or her calendar. Add a signature line under your name that contains your contact information. Things to avoid Do not send out mass s. Personalize every . Do not attach your resume before the contact asks for it. Cutting and pasting one into another can be a tempting practice, but it can be disastrous! The example below is an actual that was sent by an Owen student to an alum. Hello John, My name is Joe Smith. I am a first year MBA student at Vanderbilt University. I have your contact from Owen s Alumni Directory regarding MBA PWM Associate opportunity with Morgan Stanley. Prior to MBA, I worked as a Junior Acount Manager for PWM, Bank of the Far East. In addition, I have accumulated my strong sales and marketing experience from being engaged in the textile industry and also from the American apparel brand, the Gap in the summer. For further details about my qualification and experience, I would like to set up the informational interview to gain your insights and this industry at your convenient time. I appreciate your time and help very much. Best regards, Joe Even with the poor grammar and spelling mistakes, the biggest error in this correspondence is that the alum didn t work at Morgan Stanley but at Goldman Sachs. See the next page for a better example.

66 6-13 Letters and s s to Alumni Requesting an Informational Interview To: Patrick Jones (Managing Director at Goldman Sach s) Subject: Owen student requesting a meeting Dear Mr. Jones, I am a first year MBA student at Vanderbilt University, concentrating in Finance. I am interested in pursuing a career in Private Wealth Management, and given your work in PWM at Goldman Sachs, I thought you would be an excellent person to contact to gain some insights on the industry. Prior to my MBA, I acquired industry experience working as a Junior Account Manager for PWM, Bank of the Far East in Singapore. My goal right now is to gain a better understanding of the U.S. market and the recruiting process for PWM internships. I am particularly interested in Goldman s Summer Associate program. I would like to schedule a convenient time to talk for about 20 minutes sometime in the next two weeks. Please let me know of a time and date that might work best for you. I will greatly appreciate your help. Regards, Joe Smith To: James Averbuch Subject: Owen student seeking advice Hello Mr. Averbuch, I am currently a student at Owen in the Master of Science in Finance (MSF) program, and I obtained your name and contact information from the Owen alumni directory. I was hoping you might be able to provide additional insight on finance careers in Atlanta. As a brief introduction, I have two summers of experience in commercial banking, during which I worked for two of the top banks in the Southeast. I hope ultimately to return to Atlanta and am interested in determining what types of opportunities might be available there for a successful student. I will be in the Atlanta area for much of my Winter break, and I would like to schedule an informational interview with you if you are available. Recognizing that you are a busy professional, I would not take up much of your time, perhaps just 20 minutes, and I will be happy to meet you at your office or another convenient location. I will give you a call next week to try to arrange this. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking to you soon. Sincerely, Owen Smith

67 6-14 Letters and s Unsolicited for Internship Opportunity To: John Smith (President and Chief Executive Officer, Company X in Canada) Subject: Your quote in Financial Post would like to learn more Dear Mr. Smith: On Christmas Eve, you were quoted in the Financial Post as saying: We re going to fight like hell for our customers and (We will) invest in the future. My name is Owen Smith, and I found your words to be very compelling. I am an MSF student at Vanderbilt University and an alumnus of the Queen s Graduate School of Management at Queen s University. I am very interested in the telecom industry and would like to intern for your firm s finance department during the fall semester. As a former intern for a systems consulting firm in Toronto, Company X was my largest client. Working side-byside with some of the best finance minds in the industry, I gained valuable FP&A experience and discovered that telecom is definitely where I belong. Given my background, expertise and passion for telecom finance, I am confident that I can deliver significant value to your firm if given the opportunity to join as an intern this fall. Please let me know of a time and date that might work for you to speak further. Thank you very much for your time. Sincerely, Owen Smith to Follow Up with a Referral from Networking Meeting To: Fred Smith Subject: John Doe Referral Hello Mr. Smith. John Doe, a mutual acquaintance, recommended that I write you in regard to my interest in operations. He thought you would be a good person to provide me with advice about my job search strategy and career plans. As a brief introduction, I am an MSF student at Vanderbilt University and pursuing a career in corporate finance. Prior to business school, I had two years of experience as a systems engineer at ABC Company. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you for about 20 minutes, as I feel certain that your insights would be valuable as I research this field and the possible career opportunities. I recognize that you are a busy professional, so just let me know if and when you would be available to meet. Thank you in advance for your consideration, and I look forward to talking to you. Regards, Owen Smith

68 6-15 Letters and s Requesting an Extension NOTE: It is appropriate and encouraged to first call to discuss an extension over the phone; if you are not able to reach the recruiter on the phone, follow up with an . To: Peter B. Doe Subject: Follow Up to Offer Dear Peter: Thank you very much for offering me the opportunity to work for XYZ Company this coming summer. I remain extremely interested in becoming a part of the ABC department. As I mentioned in my voic message this morning, I am currently trying to evaluate thoroughly my options, and I would like to request that you please extend my decision date for this position to March _, Again, thank you for exploring this opportunity with me, and I look forward to speaking with you soon. Sincerely, Owen Smith Requesting an Update on Timing To: Jane B. Doe (Senior Recruiter) Subject: Follow-up Dear Jane: In follow up to our interview a few weeks ago, I want to let you know that I remain very interested in Company XYZ and your recent Analyst opening. After attending the breakfast at NSHMSF and interviewing with you and John Doe, I was impressed with the enthusiasm shown by all of the Company XYZ employees. Witnessing that shared commitment and family atmosphere only enhanced my already strong interest in the company. Without a doubt, Company XYZ is the best fit for me and stands at the top of my target companies. That said, I have an offer from another company that requires me to make a decision by November. I was hoping to have a clearer understanding of my application status at Company XYZ before I move on the other offer. Would it be possible to obtain this information in the near future? Again, I have enjoyed exploring this opportunity with you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. Best regards, Owen Smith

69 7-1 Interviewing Interviewing Process Selling Your Brand Interviewing is an essential part of presenting and selling the brand called YOU. You have already been introduced to the company through your resume, correspondence and any other personal interactions you have initiated (e.g., a conversation at an info session or contact with alumni). Despite all those things, the interview gives you the opportunity to best present yourself to the employer. Your goal is to: Gain a clear and accurate picture of the requirements of the position. Match your relevant skills, abilities and experience to the company s specific needs. Highlight the value that you will add to that particular company. Interview Rounds The interview process has multiple rounds of interviews and is generally the same for most companies. The First Interview (Screening Interview face-to-face or by phone) Purpose: To see if you meet the basic job requirements and assess you for cultural fit Your Goal: Marketing yourself effectively and get asked back for a second interview Key Aspects: Primarily used in on-campus recruiting May be conducted by phone Typically a short interview to see if the company should consider you more seriously Very few offers made after this interview, so don t discuss salary or benefits (See the Offers and Negotiations chapter BEFORE you interview.) Enables you to collect information about job/company and begin evaluating position Enables you to begin presenting yourself in relation to the position Will definitely involve behavioral types of questions; may also include case or functional questions, depending on company and interviewer The Second and Subsequent Interviews Purpose: Further examining your skills and checking your compatibility with the company Your Goals: Directly showing how you will add value to the position; getting a job offer Key Aspects: You may be interviewed by more than one person or a group of people at once. Subsequent interviews on one day may have different themes (e.g., one stressing leadership skills, one stressing functional skills, one stressing team skills, approval interviews, etc.). Try to avoid discussing salary and benefits until after an offer is made. (See Offers and Negotiations chapter BEFORE you interview.) This may involve a stressful situation (e.g., interviewer asking sensitive questions or trying to contradict your answers). Use information gathered in previous interviews or discussions to develop a concise strategy of how you are the right person for the job.

70 7-2 Interviewing Interviewing at Owen The Career Management Center will post all job opportunities in GPS Recruiting. The Vanderbilt Career Center will post all job opportunities in DoreWays. Students may apply to any job posting where they meet the position requirements, and the application must be submitted by the deadline listed. The CMC will not accept any applications after the resume submission deadline. The Career Management Center and the Vanderbilt Career Center offer companies several options to recruit and interview our students. On-campus interviewing Companies make decisions on which candidates to interview and send us their lists of selected students. If you are invited to interview on campus, you will be notified via , and an alert will appear on your homepage of GPS Recruiting and/or DoreWays. You have the option to decline or accept the interview. You will be able to select an interview time; however, the slots are filled on a first-come basis. On the day of your interview you will need to arrive at the CMC or VCC 10 minutes prior to your interview time to check in and verify the location of your interview in case there have been any lastminute changes. On-campus interviews can vary in length from a 30-minute to 1.5-hour back-to-back interviews. When scheduling your interview, please pay attention to the length of time required and make certain you have adequate time between your scheduled interviews. Resume drops Companies may post a position and elect not to interview on campus. We will send all the resumes of students who submit their applications by the deadline. Keep in mind that the CMC is usually not notified of interview decisions for a resume drop if the interviews are not scheduled on campus. If you have not been contacted by the recruiter within two weeks of the application deadline, please follow up with the contact person listed on the job posting. Off-campus interviewing events The CMC hosts several off-campus interview events that are coordinated like on-campus interviewing meaning you will attend if you have been invited to interview. This allows companies in specific geographic areas that typically don t come to Owen to access students. For some of the events, we are partnering with peer business schools. Students are responsible for the cost of travel to these events. Information sessions will be scheduled prior to each event to provide details and answer questions. Additional details regarding these events will be found in GPS Recruiting. Videoconference interviewing The CMC has the technology to set up a videoconference interview. If a company has invited you to interview and would like this option, contact the Assistant Director of Recruiting and Operations to make these arrangements. Please be aware of the CMC policy regarding interviewing: A student must give the Assistant Director of Recruiting and Operations at least 48 hours notice if he or she will withdraw from a scheduled on-campus interview. The only exceptions are acceptance of an offer or emergencies such as death of a family member, an accident or extreme illness. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in the following: First Offense: Student must meet one-on-one with the Executive Director of the CMC and write an apology note to the company within 24 hours of the missed interview. Second Offense: Student will lose CMC privileges. The extent of the privileges lost will be determined at the Executive Director s discretion, up to and including 100% loss of CMC services.

71 7-3 Interviewing Office Visits: Off-campus Interviewing If your first round interview is successful, in many cases the company will ask you to visit the corporate office for further evaluation. The actual agenda and atmosphere of each office visit will vary from company to company and industry to industry. The following guidelines will help you prepare for a fairly typical visit. Structure In general, you can expect to spend half to three quarters of the day in the company office, spending that time in multiple interviews. Each interviewer may have specific information to convey as well as trying to evaluate you as a candidate. At some point in the visit, you likely will be asked to join staff members in a more casual setting meals, usually. And even though formal testing during the office visit is becoming rarer, you can certainly expect that there will be subtle tests of your stamina, logic, academic strengths, poise and leadership ability. On the opposite side, prepare to answer questions more in depth than the on-campus interview allowed. Often the questions will be the same as those covered in the first interview, but in the office visit the interviews may be longer, and you must be prepared to discuss yourself and your goals at length. Prepare for Your Visit Every company has a different policy about setting up the visit. Don t be afraid to ask questions regarding hotel and flight reservations, reimbursement for other expenses, what clothes you will need, what your schedule will be like the day of the visit, etc. Have the company s expectations about visit logistics clear in your mind before you go. The organization will usually provide you with an agenda of the day s interviews and give the name, title and areas of responsibility of each person with whom you will be talking. If you are not provided with this information, ask for it and take notes. Try to understand how each person on your schedule relates to the others and to the position for which you are interviewing. Make Sure You are Clear on the Following Areas: Arrangements fly, drive, hotel, taxi, parking, meals, credit cards, reimbursement (before/after), alternative dates, car pooling with other students, office location, maps, etc. Agenda how long, starting/ending times, how many interviews, simultaneous panel interviews vs. consecutive interviews, required tests or presentation, titles or departments involved in the interview, any Vanderbilt alumni to meet, tours, etc. Materials folder, extra resumes on quality paper, business cards, reference sheets, transcripts, copies of application forms, calendar for scheduling additional interviews, company literature/research/ notes, etc. Personal appropriate clothes for the trip with backup essentials (carry-on luggage if at all possible), phone numbers of company contact, newspaper of city (to brush up on current events), umbrella The Day of Your Office Visit Arrive on time with extra resumes, copies of any forms sent to the company in advance and receipts requested. A word on note taking: Try to avoid taking too many notes during the individual interviews. It distracts both you and the employer. Jot down the important information and your comments between meetings. You can use the back of the business card for notes about the interviewer. It is very important that you ask questions throughout the day. Questions will demonstrate your interest in the organization, exercise your self-confidence and give you a chance to direct the focus of a conversation. You are also in an ideal position to learn more about your area of interest. Naturally,

72 7-4 Interviewing there are some questions that are not as appropriate as others. Focus on your contribution to the company rather than vice versa. Remember, in this aspect an office visit is just like a resume or initial interview you are marketing your talents and skills to a prospective employer. The meal or casual setting you will most likely find yourself in at some point is not as casual as it may seem. The interviewer is trying to judge how you will fit in with the organization and how you will represent it when you are on your own. Remain polite and responsive at all times. You should be prepared for the employer to bring up the salary issue. You should know in advance what your range is. The annual Employment Report published by the CMC is a great resource of this type of information. If your salary expectations are different, know how you want to approach negotiations; a session with someone from the CMC may be helpful. Though it is not particularly common, some companies will be ready to make you an offer at the end of an office visit. (Do not mistake a hypothetical remark for an offer for example, when you are working, we expect ). Give yourself some time to think over an offer before giving the company your decision. Make sure you have the terms of the offer in writing before accepting anything. See the Offers and Negotiations chapter. Last but not least, get names, correctly spelled, of the people with whom you interview and write prompt, articulate thank-you letters. (See sample correspondence in the Letters and s chapter of this handbook and more samples at GPS Online - Resumes, Cover Letters, s.) When competition is close, this attention to courtesy is another thing that may distinguish you from the other candidates. Always get a business card from everyone who interviews you.

73 7-5 Interviewing What Interviewers Are Looking For Interviewing Fundamentals The interviewer is evaluating you for two things: competency (Can you do the job?) and compatibility (Can you relate to and work well with current employees; is there a good fit?). While different companies and interviewers use varying styles and types of interviews (behavioral, case, functional, etc.), all recruiters tell us that they are looking for: Smart students who are well-prepared Good, relevant backgrounds Strong behavioral answers using STAR format (setting, task, actions, results) Strong case preparation; the ability to frame a problem and solution The ability to identify relevant experiences and skills and link them to the position Students who listen well and answer the questions being asked High energy and enthusiasm for the position Interviewer Evaluations Questions may vary for different positions, but they are designed to aid the interviewer in evaluating each candidate s overall fit with the job. The evaluation is sometimes in the form of a numerical rating scale based on predetermined criteria. Examples of some characteristics often rated are the following: Experience: quality, extent, how recent, stability, past record of achievement Education and Training: grades, honors, GMAT, extra-curricular, applicable training Appearance: dress, grooming, posture Attitude and Manner: poise, alertness, positive attitude, personality, presence Self Expression: voice, fluency, comprehension, persuasiveness, conciseness, written and oral communication skills Job Knowledge: duties, responsibilities (general, specific, complete) Motivation: goals, drive, initiative, sense of responsibility Judgment: tact, logic, soundness of reasoning Supervision and Planning: plan, organize, direct, coordinate, inspire confidence Enthusiasm: interest, sincerity, knowledge of company/industry Career Maturity: realistic, clearly defined goals, knowledge of strengths and weaknesses Making a Good Impression During Your Interview LISTEN carefully; wait for the full question to be asked. Be alert and make eye contact. Avoid awkward leg positions. Sit toward front of chair with a frontal orientation. Keep hands above the table. Ask for clarification of questions, if necessary. Assess the interviewer s style and adjust accordingly. Make sure you ANSWER THE QUESTION. Ask good, RELEVANT questions, not fancy ones. Constantly stress strengths/skills and use a strong close. Biggest mistake in interviewing Assuming that you don t need to do any special preparation for interviews because you have always done well interviewing in the past.

74 7-6 Interviewing The Interview Potential Stages and Topics Covered First Impression Intro and greeting; breaking the ice with small talk (e.g., weather, sports, etc.) Firm handshake, eye contact Appropriate appearance and dress Ease in social situations, manners Your Record Education Reasons for choice of degree, school and concentration Grades effort required; toughest problems Courses enjoyed most/least; special achievements/honors Areas of special interest Work Experience Nature of jobs; why undertaken Level of responsibility reached; duties liked most/least Supervisory experience; relations with others Activities and Interests Role in extra-curricular, athletic, community and social service Personal interests such as hobbies, sports, cultural interests Intellectual Abilities Breadth and depth of knowledge Relevance of course work to career interests Value placed on achievement; willingness to work hard Reaction to authority; ability to cope with problems Sensible use of resources (time, energy, money) Your Career Goals Type of work desired Immediate objectives; long-term objectives Attitude toward relocation/mobility Realistic knowledge of strengths and weaknesses Preparation for employment; interests in line with talents The Company Company opportunities where you might fit Current and future projects Major divisions and departments Industry position; trends and issues Informed and relevant questions; indication of interest in answers Conclusion Further steps you should take (application form, transcript, etc.) Further steps company will take (timetable, next steps, etc.) Solid close; asking for the job; cordial farewell

75 7-7 Interviewing Types of Interviews Different companies and interviewers will use a variety of interviews. It s important to be familiar with them and practice answering the various types of questions. Behavioral Interviews These are the most common type of interviews, and all interviews typically include some behavioral component. Behavioral interviews are based on the premise that past performance (behaviors) is an indicator of future performance. The technique involves asking a series of questions designed to examine a set of desired competencies for the position such as leadership, initiative or critical thinking by having the candidate relate an example based on a previous experience. For example, if a company has a high-stress environment, the interviewer might ask a candidate to describe a stressful situation he or she has encountered and how it was handled to meet a performance expectation. Sometimes, after you have provided one example, you will be asked for another, just to test the depth of your experience. Sample Behavioral Interview Questions (See additional questions at GPS Online - Prepare for Interviews.) Tell me about one of your past projects you have worked on that had a very tight deadline. Give me an example of an instance in which you had to get cooperation from a person or group of people in order to achieve a goal or accomplish a task. Tell me about a time where you had to use creativity (initiative, strategic thinking, quantitative skills, etc.) in your most recent job. Functional Interviews Functional questions are often combined with behavioral questions in an interview. Functional questions are designed to test the candidate s knowledge, as opposed to a competency such as teamwork or problem solving. They focus on industry or functional areas such as finance, marketing, operations or strategy. Marketing Give me an example of a good commercial and why. Which of our products is your favorite? Why? Give me an example of a good new product introduction. What are the attributes of a successful marketing campaign? HOP What are the most significant challenges facing the HR function in the next five years? Describe a change effort you have undertaken. If you were responsible for picking your successor, what would you look for in that person? What skills should he or she have? How would you evaluate the value of HR to a business? Corporate Finance What is the current long-bond? Explain DCF analysis. What is our current stock price? Market value? Our division is thinking about introducing a new widget product. How would you determine if this is a good idea? I-Banking / Capital Markets Why investment banking? Why this bank? What is a precedent transaction analysis? What was the close yesterday of the Dow, NASDAQ and S&P? What stocks do you follow and why? Where is the industry going?

76 7-8 Interviewing Case Interview A case analysis interview is used to assess your analytical skills. You may be asked somewhat informally during an interview to figure out your approach to a problem (e.g., Our profit margin has been decreasing at a steady rate the past three quarters. Why? or We want to start offering this new service. What are your thoughts? ). You may also be given a case to prepare ahead of time or work on with a group of applicants. The focus is on your thought process more than on your actual knowledge of the subject, so ask questions and take your time! Group (or Panel) Interview In these interviews, you are interviewed by more than one person. Tips for managing a group interview: Adopt more of a presentation style to your answers and questions. Give each person some attention both verbally and nonverbally. Maintain good eye contact with each member of the group when answering questions. Telephone Interview These interviews are typically used for initial screening; however, there are times when flying a candidate to the company site is not feasible and a phone interview is conducted. A face-to-face interview is best, but a candidate should not assume a lack of interest from the company if he or she only interviews over the phone. To make the most of this type of interview: Have your resume and the job description available. You are relying on your voice to convey qualities exhibit enthusiasm and emotion in your voice. Make sure you remove background noise or distractions. Make sure you enunciate and talk clearly. It is best to use a landline rather than a cell phone. (You can contact the CMC to make arrangements.) Videoconference Interview Companies may opt for this type of interview to extend their recruiting budgets. Tips include: When you answer a question, look at the video camera, not at the monitor. Keep expressive gestures to a minimum; avoid rocking in your chair or fidgety movements. Be careful of how you dress; wear solid colors, not patterns. Unlike a personal webcam, the interviewer will be able to see you completely, so don t try to wear a suit jacket and tie with jeans. Try to reduce your uh-hmm and yes responses while the interviewer is speaking. The microphone can easily pick these up, and they may break up the transmission and prevent you from hearing everything the interviewer has said. There can be a transmission delay due to the type of connection used; make certain the interviewer has finished speaking before you start. Speak clearly and enunciate your words to ensure that the interviewer can hear you think broadcast voice. But be careful; overdoing it and being too conscious of your voice can lead to unnatural or awkward speech. If you have never had a video conference interview before, it is recommended that you stop by the CMC and see the system before your interview so you know what to expect. Interviewing Styles In addition to the various interview types, some recruiters will have different styles or approaches in an interview. The following are examples of common interview styles that you may encounter: A structured interview with standard questions: There is little eye contact because the interviewer is writing down your answers to the questions. In this interview, the content of your answers is important. However, do not neglect the affective side: interviewers will still note your friendliness and attitude, and they will hear a smile even when they don t see it.

77 7-9 Interviewing An unstructured, open-ended interview that may seem to have little direction: It is important that you go into the interview knowing what you need to get across to the interviewer in order for him or her to want to take it to the next step. Sometimes this may mean saying, Is this a good time for me to tell you a bit about myself? or Do you want to know why I am particularly interested in this position? Do not walk out of the interview thinking that you never had an opportunity to tell the person important things about you: politely take charge and make it happen. Have a game plan for this type of interview just in case it happens. A stress interview that can take different formats: The questions are designed to put you on the defensive and to evaluate your maturity in difficult situations. ( Well you re here. Why should I hire you? What do you have that a student from Harvard doesn t have? ) Another approach would be for the interviewer to sit back and ask no questions. Remain professional and polite while explaining exactly why you should be hired! Getting Ready to Interview How the CMC Helps You Prepare for Interviews In addition to the resources found in the GPS Handbook, there are a number of programs the Career Management Center offers to assist students with interview skills: Online Interview Workshops. There are five online workshops in GPS Online that you can access at any time. The online workshops include: Answering Walk Me Through Your Resume Understanding and highlighting your relevant competencies in an interview Using frameworks to answer behavioral interview questions Research before the interview How to effectively close the interview Selling Myself in an Interview Workshop. This workshop will be held live multiple times during the fall semester focusing on interviewing basics and helping you develop an interview strategy. Attending this workshop is required prior to interviewing with companies on campus. Case Interviewing Workshops. These workshops are scheduled during the fall and will cover such things as Marketing Interviews and Case Interviews. Whenever possible, the CMC will bring companies to campus to help deliver the workshops and to provide real world expertise. Cracking the Case presented by David Ohrvall Case Prep presented by Marc Cosentino Mock Interview Program. Getting constructive feedback prior to your interview is a valuable means of interview preparation for both the experienced and inexperienced student, since an interview for an MSF position is quite different from an undergraduate interview. You need to have at least one mock interview from one of the programs listed below prior to interviewing with companies on campus. Peer Coach Mock Interviews: Mock interviews with Peer Coaches can be scheduled on your own as needed. CMC Coach Mock Interviews: There is no formal process for mock interviews with CMC Coaches. You can schedule an appointment at any time. To set up an appointment you can either the CMC Coach directly or ask the CMC Administrative Assistant to schedule a mock interview appointment. Alumni Mock Interviews: The CMC hosts mock interview events and invites alumni to campus to conduct mock interviews.

78 7-10 Interviewing Recruiter Feedback. Typically, CMC staff perform exit interviews to debrief with recruiters when they interview on campus, asking for feedback on students who may need improvement. Our objective is to gather useful feedback and to identify ways that students might develop stronger interviewing skills. Feedback on specific students will be given to them individually as necessary by a member of the CMC staff. Interview Feedback Database. After each interview, students are asked to fill out an online form regarding interview format, style and key questions given during the interview. The feedback database is available online at GPS Online - Interview Feedback Database. You can filter by company name, position type, job function or industry and interview format to get information from previous interviews that can help you prepare. GPS Online - Prepare for Interviews. You will find additional interview resources including function-specific interview questions. Preparing for Interviews Preparation enhances your self-confidence, reduces anxiety and provides the substance for focusing on how your qualifications match the organization s needs. Practice interviewing how you present yourself and your responses to answers before an actual interview to polish your ability to impress the interviewer and differentiate yourself from others vying for the position. Follow this checklist of general tips to be as prepared as you can be for every interview: KNOW the Company/Industry Know how to speak the company s and the interviewer s language. Keep abreast of any recent news affecting the company or industry. Know the people involved in the interview process (name, title, division, line of authority). Know the specific qualifications for the position. Know the corporate attitudes/characteristics/culture. Know what citizenship or visa requirements exist. Know the company s locations. Know whether the company has shown substantial and consistent growth. Know the company s financial and competitive position in its industry and know its competitors. Know the breadth of the company s products, programs or services. KNOW Your Resume Know the details of stories related to the accomplishment bullets listed on the resume you used to apply for the position. Know which bullets on your resume are most relevant to the position for which you are interviewing. Be prepared to answer very specific questions about your experiences and skills. KNOW Yourself Know how you can contribute to the organization. Know why you want the position and why you want to work for this particular company. Know your interviewing themes based on strengths, skills, values and career interests/goals. Know how your knowledge, skills, attributes and interests relate to the organization s needs. Be prepared with at least three specific examples/stories in the STAR format for each theme/skill. PREPARE Specific Questions Have several insightful questions (4 to 5) that you want to ask during the interview.

79 7-11 Interviewing Best Walker Library Resources for Conducting Company Research: Business Source Premier Factiva Hoover s OneSource General Interview Tips What approach can you take to be most effective? Think like a recruiter. Assume everyone else you are competing with has similar qualifications to yours or even better. What about your skill sets and interests would make you valuable for this position? Understand the position requirements and be able to articulate how you stand out and why. Be focused. Know what you want and why. It s very important that the company understands why you specifically are interested in this company, industry and the job. Remember, it s a multi-tiered decision consisting of what you want to do, where and for whom. Convey enthusiasm and energy. This is done with both verbal (your voice and choice of descriptive words) and non-verbal communications (use of hands, leaning forward, facial expressions). Students can also demonstrate this by asking insightful questions about the company and industry showing you have done your research, contacting alumni at the company before the interview for more insights and finally asking for the job. Listen attentively. Make sure you answer the question asked, not the question you want to answer. React to ideas, not to the person. Ask for clarification if it s needed. Keep good eye contact and good posture; these are prerequisites to good listening and to conveying interest. Don t forget to smile. It is amazing how a smile lights up your face and affects impressions of you. Research the company and industry. Do more than read the literature from the info session. Conduct Internet searches, perform research in the library and talk with people who work at the company. Be prepared with questions. Show the recruiter intellectual curiosity and knowledge. If you have done your homework, you won t be asking very basic questions. Interviewers enjoy talking with a person who seems like a professional peer. Prepare for tell me about yourself. Definitely make it conversational. Practice until you are comfortable with your answer, but not so much that it is memorized or feels canned. This answer will be slightly different for every company with which you interview. Know your strengths (strategy/themes). Have between three and five strengths identified. Figure out how to work them into the conversation. This is your differentiation! Be prepared with brief, specific examples to illustrate these strengths. Know how you have made an impact in jobs, schools, activities and formal or informal roles/situations. Use quantifiable or measurable results whenever possible. Highlight strengths that match the skills needed for the job.

80 7-12 Interviewing Be prepared with two weaknesses. Avoid canned responses. The key is to focus on skills (not personal attributes) and explain how you ve overcome your weaknesses and what you learned from the process. They do not need to be work-related. Ask for the job! Tell the interviewer if you would like to receive an offer, ask what the process is and when the company will let you know the results. Practice all this in a mock interview. Developing Your Strategy and Stories for the Interview The most important step in preparing for interviews is knowing yourself and your strengths relative to the position and creating a strategy to convey them. Your strategy should include: What is your goal? (hypothesis) Specific job? Job at a specific company? I want to be a Brand Manager in the consumer packaged goods industry Why are you qualified to achieve this goal? (supporting reasons proving hypothesis) What three or four strengths / skills do you possess? I know I will be a good Brand Manager because my strengths are X, Y and Z. What stories do you have to clearly describe these strengths? (supporting evidence proving hypothesis) How do they relate to the job for which you are interviewing? A time where I demonstrated my skill in X is.(using STAR format). The strengths, transferable skills and values you identified through your self-assessment will form the basis for your interview themes. Make sure you do your investigation and read the job description so you will know which strengths and skills are most relevant for the position for which you will be interviewing. Themes can come from: Any work experience, even if it is not related to the job Owen experiences, undergraduate experiences, personal experiences Themes can feature: Explicit job knowledge Related job knowledge General skills (presenting, writing, communications) Technical or specific skills for the job (web analytics, DCF analysis, global sourcing) Personal and motivational characteristics Your set of themes needs to answer the question: What can this person contribute to our organization? Once you have decided on your themes, you need to develop stories that will support those themes and answer the interviewer s questions. Your stories should follow the STAR format. The STAR format allows you to tell the interviewer: Setting Set the scene by providing some background and context related to the job or situation. Task Describe the problem or assignment you needed to accomplish. Actions Detail the actions you took to complete your project or solve the problem. Results Highlight the results you created and how they impacted the organization.

81 7-13 Interviewing Think up multiple stories for each strength/skill that companies are seeking in candidates: Leadership Quantitative or analytical skills Teamwork Creativity/problem solving Initiative Etc., etc., etc. Interviewing Stories Grid When preparing for interviews, it is important to document and practice many stories that you can tell in response to behavioral interview questions. By using a grid such as the one below to map out your stories, you will ensure that you follow the STAR format while also identifying a variety of skills each story highlights enabling you to answer questions that revolve around those skills. Setting Task Actions Results (Impact) Skills used Develop a new strategic plan for the unit. As the Central Office Manager involved in a merger and an expanded product line, all business unit leaders needed to reevaluate the unit s overall direction. Volunteered as Logistic Chair with March of Dimes WalkAmerica 2007 in Nashville, TN. Anticipating record participation, excitement was balanced with an unprecedented sense of challenge. 100% Owen facilitates community services. Witnessed low participation in past years, so volunteered to be Publicity Chairperson. Develop logistics plan for 2007 March of Dimes WalkAmerica. Set goal for signing up 30 new volunteers. Facilitated leadership team through conception and establishment of plan; performed research, conducted training on strategy development, coordinated meetings and deliverables. Had position of Logistics Chair; coordinated all aspects of plan: walk route, start/finish, pre- and post-party, emergency planning, foul weather plan, etc. Developed advertising and marketing for all events; came up with creative ways to get volunteers (such as ). Completed and implemented plan; drove the planning and decision making for the entire business unit. Flawless event that raised more than $250,000. Signed up more than 50 new volunteers, helping 5 charities. Working in cross-functional teams Leadership Problem solving Initiative Strategy development Leadership Creativity Problem solving Priority setting Marketing Creativity Initiative

82 7-14 Interviewing Developing Questions to Ask in an Interview Interviewing is a two-way communication process. Asking questions demonstrates your interest in the company and helps you learn more about the company and position. Remember one of your goals of the interview is to gather information on the specific needs of the company and the desired qualifications of the position. This information helps you to market yourself later in the interview process. Also, asking appropriate questions gives you valuable information to help you evaluate whether the position is a good fit for you. Prepare questions that focus on these areas: Responsibilities What qualifications does your ideal candidate possess? What are expectations beyond the job description? Resources How big is the department? Does it have its own budget? How much? What training programs are provided? Authority What are the reporting relationships? What are the major areas of accountability for this position? Performance What are the projected goals for this position? What are the opportunities for advancement within this organization? What metrics are used to evaluate my performance? Culture and Work Environment I have heard the culture of the organization is. Would you agree that accurately describes the culture of the organization? Do employees socialize outside of work? Decision Making What are the next steps in the interview process? When do you anticipate making a final decision? When preparing questions, keep in mind that different levels of interviewers (staff, manager, executive, etc.) will demand a different focus and that your questions should reflect this. For example, at the staff level, you might ask whether the training program held any surprises, what the daily routine of the position is, whether the job is what was expected, etc. At the manager level, you want to address a broader scope: What type of employee does the manager look for, how does one position relate to the other? At the executive level, appropriate questions might range from the future of the company and the industry to who represents the company s greatest competition and why. The more you have learned in advance about the company, the better your questions will be. Also, listen attentively during the interview for opportunities to ask a follow-up question to something the recruiter stated earlier in the conversation. Use this space below to write down some questions you could ask in an interview:

83 7-15 Interviewing A Strong Close to the Interview Demonstrating professionalism and appreciation is important in closing the interview. Follow these tips: Thank the interviewer by name. Reiterate your interest in the position ASK FOR THE JOB! Reiterate your key strengths/skills, how they relate to the position and how you will add value. Establish a follow-up plan. Leave additional materials with the interviewer. After the interview: Follow up (that day!) on any promises made. Create your own set of notes while the impressions are fresh. Write a solid thank-you note personalize it by reinforcing themes, your interest and skills that the interviewer seemed to focus on. Review and practice for future interviews. Sample closing statement: Bob, thank you for talking with me today. I enjoyed our conversation. The more I hear about this position with XYZ Company I know that my project management experience combined with my knowledge of the retail industry would allow me to add value as you launch your new product line. I am really excited about this opportunity and would love to get an offer. You can reach me at the number listed on my resume if you have any additional questions. I know you are extremely busy, so if I don t hear from in the next week as you indicated, I will contact you. Sample Interview Questions and Potential Answers The following are examples of questions that are very popular in interviews, grouped by common categories of questions. You will not be asked all of these in an interview, but you will likely see some of them in every interview. Anticipating the types of questions you will be asked in an interview and sketching out answers prior to the interview will help you feel more confident. Remember that the best answer to any question is a concise and impactful one do not let your answer to any question go on for more than two to three minutes!! First impression, icebreaker, overview The interviewer may lead with some small talk to break the ice and establish rapport. It is important to remain very positive regardless of the topic of this crucial introductory conversation. For example, do not complain about the rain, heat/cold, parking or the class you just left. The interviewer will quickly follow with a question as an overview to your background, such as tell me about yourself or walk me through your resume. These questions are very similar and the responses are very similar. Q: Tell me about yourself. This question gives you the liberty to add more personal information to your story. Stay focused on unique information about yourself or information that would be particularly interesting and relevant to the company and the position for which you are interviewing. If the interviewer does not ask you this question, you can conveniently lift out portions of your prepared response to answer other questions. If this question is not used, then the interviewer probably will start with Walk me through your resume.

84 7-16 Interviewing Your response to this question should: Tell your story. Tell the truth. Highlight what makes you unique, and focus on your KEY THEMES, but do not simply restate your resume. Explain why you are interested in the company and how your goals and background can be of benefit. Mention aspects of your education and work life that you have decided will be of the most interest to the employer. Spend the greatest amount of time in the areas that sell knowledge, skills and attributes. Be interesting. Tell just enough information so that the interviewer will want to hear more, NOT give a date-by-date chronological listing of your life. Avoid anything that would be potentially biasing or negative. Be cognizant of what the company needs. Give accomplishments, not duties. Be conversational. Here is one way to break down this question: 1. Education 15 Seconds If significant and especially relevant to the position, elaborate more here Degree(s), honors, major awards to demonstrate work ethic and intelligence Significant leadership, interests or community activity while in school because that indicates leadership, time management and ability to prioritize 2. Work Life 45 Seconds Overview: How did interests lead in this direction? Key accomplishments: remember action verbs and accomplishment statements Projects you were enthusiastic about and/or proudest moment, emphasize Note job titles, dates and duties What skills you gained that are relevant to the position 3. Current Status 45 Seconds What do you have to offer and why? Key interests, activities and internships, academic achievement, leadership and interpersonal relationships What you want to apply from what you have learned (i.e., key skills you want to use) I want to work for (or I am considering) your company because... Key traits and skills that make the fit Q: Walk me through your resume. This question is very similar to and can be adapted from Tell me about yourself and needs to be answered very concisely. Avoid giving a restatement of what is exactly on your resume that the interviewer can read for himself or herself. Rather, provide a brief two- to three-minute statement that: Explains why you are interested in this position (state your hypothesis). Starts with your undergraduate education and why you took your first job and subsequent jobs. Briefly hits the highlights of your jobs up to business school (and your summer internship when you are a 2nd Year).

85 7-17 Interviewing Reveal information not necessarily found in your resume highlight what makes you unique (your strengths/your skills and make sure they are ones valued by the company). When talking about your jobs, discuss key responsibilities, but more importantly talk about the applicable skills, knowledge and abilities that you gained there (highlighting your KEY THEMES). Stress your accomplishments, results and benefits to your employers don t give a summary of your job description. State why you changed jobs what were you planning to gain/improve in your new position. Explain why you decided to leave the workforce and go back to business school. Draw similarities between what you did before and what you would be doing in the job for which you are interviewing. When walking an interviewer through your resume, don t just deliver a canned pitch about your background. Instead, pay attention to the signals from your interviewer. Make sure it is conversational and pause at the career transitions to give the interviewer a chance to ask a probing question. Example answer: For my first job after college, I took an analyst position with Accenture because I was eager to learn about solving business problems in a client setting. I have always been fascinated with understanding the needs of customers and what can be done to help them. While at Accenture I gained quite a bit of skill in performing data analysis, but I was constantly staffed on internal projects. I decided to take a job with Booz Allen Hamilton, because it was going to provide me the opportunity to get more customer experience, and they also promoted me to consultant. As a consultant, I was able to lead small client teams, specifically at the EPA. In this role I gained great leadership experience learning how to set goals for and motivate teams. I also got my first exposure to marketing, because I was heavily involved in marketing our services to customers. I learned that the best way to convince customers to buy your services was to show them that you understood their needs and problems. After being at Booz for nearly two years, I decided that my true passion was marketing. In order to make a switch into that career, I knew I needed an MSF, so I came back to school. I am now concentrating in marketing and plan to use my passion for marketing and understanding customer needs to become a Brand Manager at a company just like yours. Why you Q: What are your strengths? Briefly outline your three or four key strengths relevant to the company s needs. These strengths should be incorporated into your KEY THEMES. Q: What can you offer us? Be sure you know something about the position before you answer this. Relate some of your past experience in solving problems similar to those you may encounter. Highlight your KEY THEMES that most closely match the skills/strengths they are looking for. Q: How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution? Be realistic; only in very rare instances will someone come into a new job and make a meaningful impact right away. Speak in terms of six months or so. Your style, in relation to the job requirements Q: Describe what you believe would be an ideal working environment? This is a situation where you can bring up some of your rewards and values from your self-assessment. But do not make the description sound too impractical. Q: What did you like most, and least, about your last position? Be careful; emphasize the positive. Do not carry on at length about the negatives and try to frame them in a positive light because you were able to learn from them.

86 7-18 Interviewing Q: What is your biggest weakness? Be honest with this question. When you identify your weakness, focus on a skill and not on a personal attribute or characteristic. Make sure you spend most of your time describing the steps you have taken to overcome it and what you ve learned from it. Obviously, don t describe a weakness that would come across as overly negative, e.g., My quality of work isn t very good. Also, try to avoid calling it a weakness. Refer to it as something you are working on or you are still developing. Some people when answering this question take a strength and try to turn it into a weakness. For example, My desire to get the job done sometimes causes me to press a little too hard on my organization. I m now aware of this problem and believe that I have it under control. Many recruiters will see through this and ask the question again. Example response: When I came to business school I know I lacked true marketing experience. Therefore, I have made it a point to learn as much as I can since coming to Owen. I have done this in several ways. First, I have increased my marketing experience in completing a non-paid project during Mod 2 for a local non-profit organization. In this project, I had to do a considerable amount of research on the educational books market and then take that analysis to develop a strategic marketing plan for a new software product being rolled out. I was able to identify key markets for them to target and the consumers they should target. The company implemented my plan and so far is beating its revenue expectations. I have also used my elective course options to take as many marketing classes I can prior to my internship. I think you will find that I am more than ready now to make a difference for you in a brand management internship. Q: Describe a situation in which your work was criticized. Be specific and brief; avoid getting emotional, defensive or bitter about the situation. This can be an opportunity to talk about your proven ability to use criticism as an opportunity to improve. Q: Are you a leader? Yes. Always give specific examples using the STAR format. Think of your best examples of leadership, and they don t have to come from previous work experience. Q: How do you think that your subordinates perceive you? Don t attempt to give a well-rounded answer to this question, since addressing negative perceptions will not help you. Only describe positive perceptions, but be honest. Use this answer to outline your management style, particularly your strengths. Your career future Q: Where do you see yourself in your career over the next 5 to 10 years? The interviewer is usually looking to see if your aspirations fit the realities of the organization. This can also be a way of gauging your ambition. Some companies want you to say that you ll be their president in 10 years; others would immediately screen you out for that answer. A better approach is to mention career paths that you know are realistic and reasonable for the organization. Indicate your desire to concentrate on doing the immediate job well and your confidence that the future will follow from that as you take on new responsibilities. Salary Q: How much are you worth? BEFORE interviewing, read the Offers and Negotiations chapter. Try to delay answering questions about salary requirements until you actually have an offer. You may ask what is the typical range for similar jobs in the company. If none is stated, give the range that you had in mind, but qualify it by saying you hope to learn more about the responsibilities and scope of the job.

87 7-19 Interviewing Why us and why this job Q: Why do you want to work for us? Indicate that from your research on the company, many of the activities and problems are the sort that would give you a clear chance to contribute to the company through past experience, education and skills. Explain your admiration for the company and what it is that appeals to you. Q: Why do you want this job? Describe your interest and enthusiasm in terms of a mutually beneficial relationship. Offer details on the compatibility of the position with your knowledge, skills and career goals and how you foresee your unique contributions advancing towards those goals, as well as those of the company. Having performed your research on the company s values and environment, you will also be able to speak specifically to cultural fit. Q: Please give your definition of a (the position for which you are being interviewed). Keep your answer brief and task-oriented and focus on the responsibilities and accountabilities. Demonstrate your knowledge of the job, why you are interested in it and how you are a good fit for it. Why this industry Q: What important trends do you see coming in our industry? Questions like this are why spending time on research is so important. If you haven t researched the company, this type of question will likely get you eliminated from consideration. Pick two or three things that you see coming down the road. This is your chance to show that you have thought about the future, the economics, the markets and the technology of the industry and that you have kept informed through journals, newspapers and magazines. For more examples of interview questions and a list of function-specific questions, go to GPS Online - Prepare for Interviews, and check out the Vault and WetFeet guides to Interviews. Function-Specific Interviews and Resources Delivering your personal value proposition through interviews requires being prepared for the different types of interviews you may encounter. While the interview process may be similar for most companies, the type of interview can vary depending on the company, the position for which you are vying or the interviewer. Anticipating these specific kinds of interviews will allow you to be better prepared. Finance Interviews Finance career opportunities can be broadly divided into several categories: Investment Banking Commercial/Corporate Banking Private Wealth Management Portfolio/Asset Management Equity/Fixed Income Research Venture Capital and Private Equity Finance positions at a corporation or corporate finance When you interview for finance positions, firms will use the interview to determine your interest and understanding of the role you are interviewing for and to test your knowledge of finance, accounting and financial markets. They also may use the interview to determine your tolerance for the work environment, as some of these roles (e.g., an associate in investment banking) can be quite demanding.

88 7-20 Interviewing There are generally two parts to a finance interview where prospective employers are evaluating: Personal presence, maturity and fit The firm is trying to determine how you will survive in its culture and how you will present to its clients (internally or externally). Technical knowledge and analytical skills The firm is trying to determine if you are analytically oriented and if you learn quickly. The Fit Interview This is a behavioral interview. The interviewer tries to determine how well you would fit in with the personalities and work culture at the company. Three key questions to prepare for this part of the interview are: 1. Why banking (asset management, corporate finance)? 2. Why you? 3. Why our firm? The goal of your interviewer is to evaluate many of the following: Are you a hard worker? The firm will be trying to assess if you are a hard worker, particularly in banking where you will work very long hours. The interviewer will be looking for evidence from your past that you are capable of taking on a lot of work and if you know what this means. Example: If you played football and had to do two-a-days in the summer heat of Texas, or if you worked three jobs to put yourself through college, tell your interviewer. Are you reliable? The interviewer will also want to determine if you can be trusted with the considerable responsibility of a finance job. This is called the concept of safe hands. You need to demonstrate that when given an analysis to do, you will execute it promptly and correctly. Provide examples from your experience of taking responsibility and getting complex, detail-oriented jobs done right. Are you mature? The company is assessing your general comfort and composure in a stressful situation and your approach to meeting new people, as well as how you build rapport with co-workers and/or clients. To judge this, the interviewer will be evaluating: Are you excessively nervous? You will need to be able to make conversation and appear at ease, but not seem too laid back. You should not project a style of conversation that is overly youthful or informal. You need to appear to be easy to work with, and you should be able to talk through examples of both teamwork and leadership. Do you demonstrate a healthy sense of pride in your accomplishments and skills, but not superiority and cockiness? For example, you should have a cohesive story of why you want to pursue investment banking and one that makes sense to a banker. Through the story you should be able to demonstrate that you understand the required attributes for investment banking and highlight them. Your goal is to know your relevant accomplishments and be able to present them with self-assurance. Do you demonstrate self-awareness and can you show you are adaptable and reasonably risk-tolerant? Are you capable of making deliberate and thoughtful decisions which have allowed you to be successful in your past endeavors? These firms are looking for people who demonstrate these traits because the probability that you will continue to act this way is pretty high. Therefore, prepare stories that highlight these traits. Are you genuinely interested in this career path? Can you demonstrate your interest based on the research you have done, and are you able to ask intelligent questions? Anyone interested in pursuing a path in capital markets and a role in research has to be able to demonstrate an aptitude for conducting research. Going into an interview without being conversant on the market and macro-economic trends as well as being able to talk about a specific security is unacceptable. You should be reading business press daily, following the market trends, have opinions on what is currently in the news and be up on relevant transactions.

89 7-21 Interviewing Are you analytical and a logical problem solver? Finance involves a lot of number crunching and detailed analysis. Financial interviewers will want to assess if you have a logical, mathematical mind. Make sure you have examples of your problem-solving and analytical strengths, particularly any that involved quantitative analysis. If you don t pass the fit interview, it won t matter how well prepared you are for the technical interview. Don t neglect preparation for the fit interview. The Technical Interview Some of the financial topics you may be asked about in the interview include: Accounting Structure of the three financial statements Relationships among the financial statements Levers for improving return on equity (ROE) Key balance sheet ratios Inventory valuation Lease accounting Deferred taxes Pooling and purchase accounting Valuation Commonly used valuation techniques Familiarity with financial models (Discounted cash flow) Public comparables Precedent transactions LBO valuation Capital structure Tradeoff Theory of capital structure Equity offerings Typical IPO timeline Credit rating tiers High yield bonds Mergers and Acquisitions Key issues in an M&A transaction Acquisition structuring (tax strategies, acquisition currency, accretive vs. dilutive mergers) Miscellaneous Pitching a stock Bond terminology Derivative securities Option pricing Black Scholes Key economic indicators Strategic factors involved in transactions Resources to Help You Prepare for Finance Interviews: Join the Finance Club, attend the boot camps and use the information compiled in the Finance Club Blackboard site. Read the Vault and WetFeet Guides for Finance. Participate in Wall Street Week. Meet with a CMC Coach assigned to work with finance students. Conduct informational interviews. Consider purchasing practice guides from and Participate in Finance Club and CMC mock interview sessions.

90 7-22 Interviewing Case Interviews Case interviews are commonly used when you are seeking consulting, operations and marketing positions. The interviewer is trying to observe your approach to the problem, evaluate your analytical abilities and appraise the conclusions you will draw from the facts chosen to consider. While there are typically no right answers for a case, you will need to be able to: Frame the problem and identify key issues. Break the problem into workable components. Identify a solution and communicate it concisely. Generate thoughtful questions and clarification of case data. Many people find case interviews to be more fun than general resume questions or behavioral interviews. Having a case interview is like solving a problem, and it enables you to show your imagination and creativity. Keys to Doing Well in Case Interviews Prepare This cannot be emphasized enough. Do not limit preparation to reading through some sample cases. You must practice, practice and practice some more. You should do mock case interviews with a CMC Coach and your Peer Coach. Case preparation events are also a great resource and are available through the year. Listen Interviewers will guide you through a case. If they tell you to avoid or skip a topic, do it. Do not dwell on issues or discussions just to prove you are smart and/or knowledgeable. Focus on the thought process, not answers Except in rare situations, interviewers are assessing how you approach a problem rather than if you reached the right answer. A candidate can get the answer wrong in a case interview, but still receive an offer because he or she followed a logically structured framework to get there. Start broad, then quickly narrow After receiving the first case information, describe your perceptions of the big picture and list two or three key issues that you believe are most important to solving this problem. Then, start to delve into each issue in detail in an exhaustive approach. For example, run out of things to say on that issue before you move on to the next one. One caveat: sometimes the interviewer will give you information during your discussion that makes one issue stand out. If that happens, go right to that issue. Do not make this painful for the interviewer Remember that the interviewer has to repeat the same case many, many times. You do not want to be one of the boring times. Try to engage him or her in a dialogue and let your personality shine throughout the interview. Humor, if tasteful, is perfectly appropriate and useful. Antagonism is not always what it seems Sometimes the interviewer will act as if you are asking dumb questions or are wasting his or her time. Do not let this phase you this is most likely just a test to see how you hold up under pressure. Remain polite and focused on the case. Do not become rude or verbally abusive; instead, think of the person as a client who is forced to work with consultants despite his or her protests. That type of client is, unfortunately, fairly common.

91 7-23 Interviewing Always articulate your assumptions By telling the interviewer what you are assuming, you accomplish two things. First, you clear up any potential misunderstandings. The interviewer will tell you if you are making an assumption that will hurt your analysis. Second, you are helping the interviewer understand your thought process behind any conclusions you eventually make. Remember that X should mark the spot Just like a good treasure map, your progression during a case should lead you somewhere. Make sure that you can wrap up the case in a few sentences that tell the interviewer how you see all of the pieces fitting together. Criteria for Evaluating Case Interviews One of the fundamental elements to performing well in a case interview is to understand the criteria that interviewers likely are using to evaluate you. The following list applies to case interviews in general. Some companies may rate the criteria differently in terms of importance to the firm, and some do not use all of the criteria. Analytical Skills Consulting is about problem solving, and analytical skills are the minimum basic requirements to creating solutions. Frameworks such as NPV and the 3Cs and 4Ps can help you decide on the right questions to ask. Avoid relying solely on models (such as Porter s Five Forces) as an approach to every case you receive. This can make you seem too rigid. Remember: When you use these models, do not announce that you are using them. Creativity No one is looking for creativity to match Van Gogh. Just show that you can look beyond obvious issues and solutions. Of course, you do not want to sound off-the-wall, but you do need to display creative abilities. Intellectual Curiosity The firms want to see that you genuinely seem interested in tackling challenging problems. You can demonstrate this curiosity by taking the initiative and asking probing questions about the interviewers of the companies even when they are asking you questions about your resume. This approach also makes you appear enthusiastic, but make sure that your questions are well thought out. Of course, answer all questions asked of you and never interrupt. People Skills Clients and other consultants will work closely with you during consulting projects. At times, you will be the sole representative of your firm during client interactions. As such, the interviewer must be certain that you will work well with both clients and other associates. Sometimes referred to as The Airport Test or Stuck in Toledo Test, interviewers also want to leave the interview feeling that you would be a fun person with whom to spend several hours a day. Thus, be personable or you probably will not make it past round one. Structured Thinking This quality is very important to demonstrate during the case interview. Do you present your thoughts in a clear, organized manner? Can someone follow your train of thought by listening to both your analysis, as well as the questions you ask? If your questions appear to come out of left field, then the interviewer might answer no, which is not the answer you want.

92 7-24 Interviewing Quantitative Skills Being able to think analytically is different from being comfortable with numbers. Many firms will want to see that you are at ease with numbers and equations; they may ask you to perform simple financial or business calculations to prove it. Numbers can also tell stories, and people who can see those stories by looking at the numbers will demonstrate solid quantitative skills. Therefore, never ignore numbers if an interviewer provides them to you, but do not dwell on them if they do not tell you anything about the problem. Resources to Help You Prepare for Case Interviews Join the Owen Consulting Club. Use the resources in the Case Interviews section of GPS Online - Prepare for Interviews. Read the WetFeet guides Ace Your Case. Conduct informational interviews with consultants. Consider purchasing several books or guides on case prep: Crack the Case by David Ohrvall Case in Point by Marc Cosentino Schedule a mock case interview with a CMC Coach or a Peer Coach. Attend the case interviewing workshops on campus.

93 8-1 Offers and Negotiations Yes, Offers will be Forthcoming! Offers and Negotiations Overview Your hard work at researching companies, targeting the right positions, mapping your resume to each position and being prepared to interview well should ultimately result in one or more job offers. Evaluating these offers carefully will help you choose the position that s best for you one where you can experience job satisfaction and growth. With careful analysis, you can determine whether it s time to negotiate, accept the offer as presented or move on to other opportunities. Time spent learning to be a good negotiator will help both now and with future job changes. Negotiations An opportunity to negotiate exists when two parties come together to exchange services. Neither party might get exactly what he or she wants, but through discussion and compromise, the two parties come to an agreement on the terms and conditions under which they will do business. It involves open and honest dialogue, flexibility and the ability to avoid making quick judgment about the other party s intentions. In negotiating a job offer, you will work with the company to reach an agreement on the compensation package and other attributes of the offer, with the basis being what the company is willing to reward you for your skills, knowledge and experience. This should not be an antagonistic situation because it is in the best interest for both you and the company to come to a mutually beneficial agreement. The goal is a win-win for both you and the company. Rules to Remember When Negotiating Sell when you re selling (during the interview process); negotiate when you re negotiating (with the offer in hand). If you can t or aren t willing to walk away from the deal, you re not negotiating you are begging. Don t negotiate for the sake of negotiating negotiate from a position of strength. Why should they offer you more money? Be specific and have data to back you up. Personal reasons, such as needing more salary to help support your family, do not create a position of strength. Don t take the process or obstacles personally and don t bring emotion into the negotiations as it will derail the process. Your success is dependent on: Your preparation Improving your negotiating skills The market conditions

94 8-2 Offers and Negotiations Offer and Negotiations Process The process starts before you even begin interviewing. This chapter will explain in detail the following steps in the offer and negotiations process to help you be successful. Prepare Before Receiving Offers Know Your Goals. The preparation that you do before beginning to interview and thus receiving offers will pay off when you receive the offer and decide to negotiate. Knowing your goals and actually writing them down before receiving the offers will allow you to evaluate offers more rationally than emotionally. Very often, the situation becomes emotional once an individual receives an offer, and all reason can fly out the window. There are both tangible aspects to your future job (salary, benefits, job responsibilities), intangible aspects (work environment, company values) and a blend of tangible/intangible (location, flexible work schedule, co-workers). Identify what is important to you in your future job and create as long a list as is appropriate for you. Go back to the chapter on Self-Assessment and your CareerLeader report to remember your values. What do you want to incorporate into your list? Here s an sample table that you might use. As you list your criteria, rank your importance for each as high, medium or low. Criteria High Medium Low Criteria High Medium Low Autonomy Manager/ Supervisor Benefits Managing Others Challenge Company Values Co-workers Flexibility Helping Others Independence Job Responsibilities Lifestyle Location Low Stress Level Making Decisions Mental Stimulation Opportunities to Advance Personal Growth Physical Work Environment Prestige Public Contact Recognition Salary Security Teamwork Variety

95 8-3 Offers and Negotiations Now, look at your list. Depending on the number you marked high or medium, you might have to go back and prioritize even further. The more honest you are in analyzing this list, the better you will be positioned to decide on offers once you begin to receive them. Keep tomorrow in mind. Remember that some positions will pay off in the future due to the experience you are gaining or the prestige of having the company s name on your resume. While these alone are not deciding factors for accepting an offer, you should keep them in mind as they relate to your long-term career goals. Know Your Salary Requirements Now Salary does not necessarily correlate to the value you add to the company or the contribution you make to society. It is simply the amount the market will bear to pay for your services, which include your skills, knowledge, attributes and experience. Before learning what the market will bear, you need to know two key points for your salary consideration. Your target point, which is your ideal salary, and your resistance point, which is your minimum salary that you are willing to accept. Resistance Point Calculate your future budget requirements including taxes, loan repayment and savings and decide on the minimum salary that will support your budget. As well, decide on the minimum salary that will make you feel fairly compensated. Make sure it is realistic with the type of job and the location (cost of living); recognize that you might have to pay your dues based on the type of career transition you are making or the future career moves you might want to make. From both your budget and minimum fair compensation calculations, decide what to establish as your resistance point. If an employer is unable to meet or exceed this amount, you might want to keep looking for other offers. There is no point in accepting an offer if you think you will not be able to afford living with that salary or will be unsatisfied with the compensation. Target Point Calculating your ideal salary involves knowing what is considered typical compensation and benefits for this level position in the industry. Your research should include: Identifying salary averages for your industry and your geographic area of interest. Knowing what average salaries your peers received by looking at employment data such as Owen s Employment Report, asking Owen alums or working with your CMC Coach to determine what you might expect from those positions you have targeted. Check out employment reports for other MSF programs where your offer will be. Salary, Cost of Living and Budgeting Resources See more on GPS Online - Plan Your Job/Internship Search section.

96 8-4 Offers and Negotiations Know the Job Requirements Things to Know Before Interviewing Before going into an interview, review the specific requirements for the job. Consider: a. Skills, especially hard skills or technical skills b. Knowledge or subject matter expertise c. Years of experience d. Other measurable qualifications Evaluate how you match these requirements and where you might fall on a scale ranging from minimum to average to maximum. See below on the employer s approach to salaries. Understand the Employer s Approach Remember, the salary is based on the amount the market will pay for your services. Most companies establish salary ranges for positions based on standards for the industry and location. The company wants to hire and retain good employees, so it is in its best interest to hire you at the fair market value and not pay you less than other employers. Companies determine where an employee falls in the salary range based on experience and any special knowledge and skills. They determine where you fall in relation to the midpoint, moving you closer to the minimum for less experienced individuals or closer to the midpoint for more experienced individuals who will hit the ground running and who need little training. Also understand that some companies will be less likely to negotiate than others. Examples include: Companies with a formal MSF hiring program may have very little room for salary negotiation. They want to bring all new hires in at the exact same salary and will not negotiate. Some companies may tier their offers, based on things such as which MSF program was attended or when the offers were extended. Handling Questions During the Interview Desired Salary Avoiding the mine field of giving salary figures to your potential future employer is difficult. Below are some practical conversations to help you. 1st Deflection Company: What kind of salary are you looking for? You: Salary is not really my first concern. I m really more interested in the people, the opportunity and the job itself. 2nd Deflection Answer a question with a question Company: What range did you have in mind? You: What does a job like this typically pay within your organization? Then you say: Well, I really had in mind a little more than that, but as long as you can offer the market rate, I m sure this won t be a problem for us.

97 8-5 Offers and Negotiations 3rd Deflection Company: No, really, what will it take to bring you on board? You: It seems a little early to be negotiating the terms. We ve discussed that my interests lie in the position itself and being fairly compensated for my experience level. Can we come back to this when you are ready to make me an offer? Use ranges Ranges de-personalize and de-fuse You can use ranges to get around naming a specific number. Depending on where I was assigned, I guess I d expect to make somewhere between $80,000 and $90,000 based on the average salaries within this function or industry. You could then also answer a question with a question: Do you think your offer would fall within those parameters? From my research, it seems to me that logistics managers earn somewhere between $75,000 and $90,000, depending on size of company, scope of responsibility and geographic location. I d be happy with a competitive offer within industry norms. I m sure this won t be a problem for us. Start Dates Before the interview, think about your availability to start. It should be realistic for you (place to live, moving, establish local services) as well as realistic for the needs of the employer (when does school end, when is the start date for the company s new hire group, how late is too late to start). Be prepared to talk about the start date if it is discussed. Some Signs of an Offer During the Interviewing Process The interview lasts longer than planned or additional people are added to the schedule that day a sign that you are seen as a serious candidate. You receive a second or third round interview that involves more people, especially senior-level individuals or key decision makers. You are interviewed by the work group that you will work with. You have to complete assessments or tests for the company, often online. The interviewers seem to start selling the company and the position to you more than the typical interview. The company starts talking specifically about the compensation package and may begin asking you serious questions about your expectations. They ask for references or want you to take a drug test. Remember Your CMC Coach. We will help you review offers and coach you on the negotiation process.

98 8-6 Offers and Negotiations I Just Received an Offer, Now What? Don t accept the offer immediately. Receiving the Offer Even if you feel certain that you will ultimately accept the offer, take the time to review the offer in its entirety first. Company calls and makes an offer: Thank the person for the offer and mention that you are grateful and flattered to have been selected. Explain that you are interested but as this is an important decision you d like to have an opportunity to review the total compensation package and ask questions. Then, ask for the company s timeline. Now is a good time to negotiate an extension if you know you need more time. (See below.) Ask for the offer in writing as well as information regarding the benefits. Tell the person you ll get back to him or her once you ve had a chance to review the information. Get it in Writing Try never to negotiate without a written offer. Don t discuss a salary prior to receiving a verbal or written offer if at all possible often the first person to name an exact figure has already lost the advantage! Asking for More Time We state guidelines for recruiters concerning jobs offers and the timing on decisions. Keep in mind these are guidelines only: MSF students should be given at least four weeks to consider an offer, but up to 60 days is recommended. See more about our guidelines for recruiters on Owen s website at Do not let an employer pressure you into making a decision with which you are not comfortable. You know what is best for you and should make your decision accordingly. It is important that you maintain open lines of communication with the employers throughout your decision-making process. Do not avoid or ignore an employer s call or . Remember, it is your responsibility to be honest with an employer throughout your search. If you choose to withdraw from consideration, you must notify the organization. Dishonest communication with an employer leaves an unfavorable impression that may affect you or your fellow Owen students job searches in the future, as it is a reflection on the Owen community. If you are scheduled for other interviews, inform the company and try to give an accurate assessment of when you will make your decision. Most employers will see your request for more time to decide about an offer in a positive light and respect your wish to make a careful and informed decision. Depending on the time of year and the industry, some companies will allow you a few extra weeks to make your decision. When asking for more time, it is important to provide a specific date by which you will have your final decision; you cannot ask for a second extension, so choose wisely. Here are two examples of a request for more time, which should be customized for your own approach: Thank you for the offer, and I am very interested in the possibility of working for (company). I am waiting to hear back from a few other companies, which I expect over the next few weeks. With this, I would like to

99 8-7 Offers and Negotiations ask for more time because I want to make sure I have as many facts as I can have in order to make the right decision for both for myself and my future employer. I am wondering if you would allow me to respond to you by (date). Thank you for the opportunity to work with (company). I do appreciate the offer; however, I have several commitments for second-round interviews, and I would like to see the process through to completion. I would like to delay my decision to you until (date), as I will be more confident once I have collected all of the information to help me reach this important decision. One final note: When asking for more time, you also have to take into consideration the company s situation. For a variety of reasons, the company may not be able to follow the Owen guidelines or extend an offer deadline to meet your needs. So remember, not only can you ask for an extension, but the company can also say no. If this happens, you will need to make your best decision possible based on your job search situation. Meeting with a CMC Coach can certainly help you work through a strategy. Review your Goals Evaluating the Offer Return to earlier in this chapter to review your goals for your post-owen career. As you compare individual job offers, how does each job offer compare to your overall goals? Revisit the ranking/priorities for your criteria to see if there are any changes or new considerations. Analyzing Offers In addition to your personal goals, thoroughly consider other aspects of the position and the company, such as: Needs and problems of the organization Decision-making patterns Advancement and promotion opportunities Wage structure and salary range Staff morale Education and training opportunities Political environment Impact of employment in the organization on your family Develop a list of pros and cons for each offer and compare them. Work with your CMC Coach to help you analyze all considerations. Once you decide on the offer that you want, it is time to negotiate or accept the offer. Set up a decision matrix to evaluate your offer or offers. Look at your priority list and rate the opportunity against that list. Know the must haves versus the nice to haves and negotiate accordingly. Review all aspects of the total compensation package, including flexibility in start date, vacation, performance evaluation system, etc. Keep in mind your long-term goals and how this opportunity fits within those goals. There is no one right job don t put added pressure on yourself. You will never have all of the facts necessary to make a decision!

100 8-8 Offers and Negotiations Comparing Job Offers Use the chart below as a starting point to help you analyze and compare offers. + List your criteria or factors from the offer that are important to your decision. (Below is only a sample outline). + One approach is to put checks in the column if the offer meets that criteria. Another approach is to weigh how well the offer fulfills that criteria, on a scale of 1 to 5. Criteria or Offer Factor Offer/Option 1 Offer/Option 2 Offer/Option 3 Salary Location Company Values Flexibility Future career moves Boss Job & responsibilities Variety Accepting the Offer as Presented Negotiations Every situation is different, and you might be inclined to accept the offer as it was presented for various reasons, some of which might be: You are very happy with the offer and it meets your requirements. The economy or job market might be such that this is your best option, given your research and advice received. Time is running out based on your career action plan (need for income, loans coming due, time to move forward on a decision). Remember: There is absolutely nothing wrong with accepting an offer as presented. Companies do not expect you to negotiate.

101 8-9 Offers and Negotiations Why and When to Negotiate You negotiate an offer to get fair market value for your skills, knowledge and experience or to address other elements of the offer that are important to you. For starting salary, negotiating is important for future earnings because future raises are based on your starting salary. However, it is unwise to negotiate purely for negotiation s sake. Sometimes job seekers think a hiring manager expects them to negotiate or that salaries should be negotiated as a general principle. Although companies respect employees who can articulate the value that they bring, you can quickly alienate hiring managers if you are inappropriate or overzealous in your approach to negotiating. When should you negotiate? When you really want the job and the initial offer falls short of your pre-established acceptable range, put a realistic counterproposal on the table and support it with sound reasoning. You should always negotiate an offer if you know you would not accept the original offer if the company holds firm. Some points on this: a. There is only ONE time to negotiate: between the time the company presents a formal offer, preferably in writing, and when you say yes or no. b. Negotiate only when you are seriously considering the offer. c. Begin negotiating after you have taken time to review the offer in writing and have researched what the market will pay for your services in the position sooner rather than later near the deadline. When not to negotiate. Not every offer should be negotiated. If it is an acceptable offer, don t negotiate for more money. You might risk losing the offer altogether. When NOT to negotiate: If you plan on saying no regardless of what is negotiated. Negotiating is not a way to drag out the process and give you more time to make a decision. If you want an extension, then negotiate that in advance. Don t wait until the last day before your offer expires to negotiate. If you are trying to offset shortcomings in other areas such as job content, location, culture, etc. No amount of salary will buy satisfaction in these other areas. If you are unwilling to take the ultimate risk that the company might say no or might revoke the offer. If the offer falls within or above your predefined acceptable range and meets all your must haves. It is unethical to negotiate a higher salary with a company you do not want to work for in order to leverage another company s offer. Ask yourself: Will I accept the negotiated offer? Do not negotiate an offer that you have no intention of accepting. If you negotiate and the company meets your requests, there may be a valid assumption on their part that you will accept. You ve told them how much you want the job. They ve met your needs. Why wouldn t you accept? If you have multiple offers, pick the job you want, and, if needed, negotiate the offer to get it to where you want it. Few things upset a company more than when they meet the negotiation requests of a student, and then the student needs time to decide and/or turns down the offer.

102 8-10 Offers and Negotiations What to Negotiate Typical aspects to an offer include: Income related Base salary Signing bonus Relocation costs Bonuses based on performance and/or profit sharing Stock or stock options Benefits related 401(K) or retirement type plans Medical, dental and vision benefits Life insurance, accidental death insurance and disability benefits Vacation time Extras such as car allowance or company car, health club membership, pretax dollars for child or elder care Dates Response date Starting dates Negotiable aspects of the offer The starting salary is just one item that can be negotiated, although a company s Human Resources policies may dictate what else can and cannot be negotiated. A rule of thumb is that income-related items and dates are negotiable; benefits are not typically negotiable as they are often fixed by company policy. Here are some things to consider: Response date Start date Salary level, bonuses and additional compensation (e.g., stock options) Expedited performance review (if the starting salary cannot be negotiated) Relocation expenses House hunting expenses Job duties Job title Location and office space Vacations, holidays, sick leave (typically only for more experienced individuals being recruited into higher level positions or for smaller companies without fixed HR policies) Travel Overtime work Flexibility of working hours Medical, life and other forms of insurance (typically not negotiable for larger companies) Maternity/Paternity leave Educational participation programs Company expectations for performance in the first year Car allowance (typically within jobs that require travel) Be realistic about your negotiations. For internships and entry-level management positions, many of these areas should not be negotiated. Generally speaking, companies are less likely to negotiate internship offers.

103 8-11 Offers and Negotiations With Whom to Negotiate The person you negotiate with is situational, so here are some suggestions: Negotiate with whoever sent you the offer or any person the company designates but keep everyone in the loop. Negotiate in person or over the phone NOT by (unless asked to do so). Remember that you will have to work with the people you are negotiating with and that you may be negotiating with someone for a higher salary than he or she receives so BE THOUGHTFUL! Plan your Negotiation Plan out your negotiation before doing it and make your notes about the key issues to discuss. Every situation will be different, but follow the suggestions here to start. Arrange a call or meeting to discuss the aspects of the offer. On the call or in the meeting, you start the negotiating process: Always start by stating the things you like about the offer and the company. Start on a positive note! Acknowledge the total compensation package not just the base salary when negotiating. Use questions and avoid statements that might be seen as demands. Always begin with base salary negotiations then proceed throughout your list of priorities. Order of Negotiations: 1. Base Salary 2. Additional Compensation (performance bonus, share options and grants) 3. Signing Bonus 4. Relocation 5. Start Date 6. Vacation Leave 7. Special Circumstances (wedding or other special occasion to impact your first six months on the job) The exception to this rule would be if your priorities don t match this ranked order e.g., if a special circumstance is more important to you than base. But always remember that future increases will be based on your starting salary. Win-Win Language and Techniques + Maintain a positive attitude and focus on the positive results you are trying to achieve. + Keep it congenial because you plan to work there and possibly for this very person. + You re solving the problem together: I really had in mind more than that. What can we do? How can we bring these numbers closer together? I was really hoping that the base salary would be higher based on the market value for this position; are you aware of any wiggle room? + Don t overestimate the power of silence! I really had in mind more than that. Wait 20 seconds and see what happens. Listen more than you talk. + Try to keep the conversation short and to the point as most mistakes are made when the conversation draws out and we try to fill silence. Get in and get out! + Don t use rigid language or bluff.

104 8-12 Offers and Negotiations + Don t try to get everything or you may lose your honeymoon period with the company. + Don t appeal to your personal need; appeal to objective standards only. + If you have options, don t overplay them as it can create a hostile environment and the company may tell you to take the other offer. Here are some sample live conversation lead-ins (NOT voice mail messages): Hello, I am calling to follow up on your employment offer that we discussed last week. As I mentioned to you then, XXX is one of the companies that I have been interested in since the start of my program at Owen, and after learning more about the position during my site visit, I am confident that my knowledge and experience will allow me to make some immediate contributions to XXX. I would like to discuss the compensation package that I have been offered. While it s a very generous offer in many respects, I have collected information from various surveys and sources that indicate the starting salary for this type of position is $XXXX. I m very excited about the prospects of working with your company, and I d really like to work something out with you. Hello, I am calling to follow up on your job offer that we discussed last week. This position at XXX fits well with my career plans and I can see making many contributions there. Everyone has been helpful during the process which only solidifies what a great environment that exists there. As I look at the aspects of the offer, I have created a table with two columns, positives and things to improve. Most everything is in the positives column, but I do have a few things that I would like to discuss with you to see how we might be able to work together to move everything to that one column and thus make my decision a little easier. Follow Up Write everything down! Send summaries after each negotiation to document changes in the offer package. Thank the person for his or her assistance in the negotiating process. Stay in touch between now and the decision date. Don t discuss the specifics of your negotiations with other employees or students. Do not make a spontaneous decision during the meeting. Do not accept or reject the offer or the new conditions decided upon during the negotiations. Wait for follow-up. If You are Declining Accepting or Declining an Offer You may inform the employer by phone or in person, then formally decline in writing, remembering to keep your correspondence professional and relationship friendly. You may look for future jobs with this company. Know why you are declining and be prepared to explain; the company may ask! Please do not use a poor excuse, especially if it is a condition of which you were well aware (e.g., geographic location). Turning down a job because it is located in Atlanta is a poor reason from the company s perspective. You knew it was in Atlanta throughout the process; if that was a problem, why did you proceed that far in the process with them?

105 8-13 Offers and Negotiations If You are Accepting You may inform the employer by phone or in person, then formally accept in writing, confirming any new terms to the offer. Withdrawing from Consideration with Other Companies Once you have accepted a position, notify all companies of your status and ask to be removed from further consideration. Express your appreciation for the opportunity to discuss available positions with the organization. Let the CMC know; we will notify companies to which we have sent your resume or those to which you have applied through GPS Recruiting. Never Renege Never renege on job offers! Reneging on an offer is a direct violation of the CMC Policies and can result in a loss of privileges. A verbal acceptance is just as binding as a written one. Additionally, reneging can seriously damage your professional reputation and harm your chances for future employment with that company. It also negatively reflects on the Owen community, especially your fellow students and alumni. Rescinded Offers When an employer recruits for anticipated positions during the fall or spring and knows you will not be available to start work until May, there is some degree of speculation that is part of that process. While employers are generally very cautious about how they recruit, the hiring needs and economic situation in a company can change while you re completing your classes at Owen. Occasionally, an employer finds it necessary to rescind an offer that was made to you months before. The best advice if this happens is to contact your CMC Coach to think through the next steps for both interacting with the employer and for restarting your job search. Follow Up with Network Contacts and References It is very important to follow up and thank the individuals who have assisted in your job search. Notify them of your plans and express gratitude for their assistance in serving as a reference and providing leads, advice or other contacts. It is a professional gesture and will be appreciated and remembered should you need to contact these individuals for your next job search or career move. Identify those contacts that you would like to maintain in the future and create your plan to stay in touch with them. Company Expectations After you accept the job offer and before your first day on the job, make sure you are aware of the needs of the company. Some companies expect you to provide them with a final official transcript, health or other tests, a current passport or a security clearance. If relocation is being covered, make sure you have these details. By asking the right questions and communicating with your new employer, you will transition smoothly to your new job.

106 9-1 International Students Role of ISSS, CMC and Owen Guide for International Students Moving to a new country, far from family and friends, can be both an exciting and challenging moment in your life. Learning new customs, finding places to shop and, in general, figuring things out are difficult enough to accomplish. Add to this the complexities and anxiety of doing a job search, and you can feel completely overwhelmed. The Career Management Center (CMC), Owen and the Vanderbilt Office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) are here to support your success. Graduate business school is very rigorous and demanding, especially during the first year; therefore, use all your resources. The most successful MSF students in the United States are those who 1) understand that asking for help is appropriate and expected, and 2) take the initiative to seek assistance from faculty and staff. Office of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) Located at th Avenue South, Student Life Center, Suite 103, Phone: , Vanderbilt is sponsoring your F-I visa, and ISSS is the office that provides advice, counseling and advocacy to international (non-immigrant) students and scholars regarding immigration, cross-cultural areas and personal matters. In addition, ISSS maintains a comprehensive website that addresses most of the questions you may have regarding your status and other issues that international students uniquely face. ISSS is the first place to go after arriving in Nashville. You need to notify the office of your arrival in the United States (U.S.) and to confirm your visa status. You can get information and advice about general employment issues; status changes; dependent concerns; your Visa/Immigration information including student visas, I-20, CPT and OPT; and information about SSN and health insurance. Contact ISSS directly first if you are traveling outside of the U.S. ISSS must sign your I-20 so you can re-enter the U.S. ISSS approves and processes your Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for internships. ISSS approves your Optional Practical Training (OPT) for full-time jobs and sends it to CIS for processing. ISSS has Advisors to meet with you to answer the questions you have, either as a scheduled appointment or during their walk-in hours. Advising Walk-In Hours (No Appointment Needed): Monday Friday 10:00 12:00 and 1:30 3:30 Acceptable walk-in advising includes: General Employment questions Submit OPT Application and materials and pick up complete OPT Packet Submit J-2 Application General Travel questions General Dependent (spouse or child under age 21) questions General Changing of program level and/or major questions Make Appointment* with International Student or Scholar Services for the following: Change of Status Reinstatement Transfers *Appointments can be made by contacting isss@vanderbilt.edu. Career Management Center (CMC) Our role is to support your career goals and provide guidance through the job search process. Please be advised that we do not place students in positions. This can be very different from what you have experienced from universities in your own country. What you can expect from us:

107 9-2 International Students Provide individual coaching and specialized workshops to help you develop a job search strategy. Conduct mock interviews to help you practice and strengthen your interviewing skills. Provide you with resources to help you understand work authorization, including CPT/OPT workshops, an immigration attorney guest speaker and additional online resources. Review your CPT and OPT application and provide the academic advisor signature before you submit to ISSS. Offer a class that allows you to meet the curriculum requirement for CPT. Educate employers on the value and process of hiring international students. Develop and support programs that promote your success. We are NOT qualified to provide tax or legal advice regarding immigration matters. Company sponsored students MUST provide authorization documentation from their companies to pursue internship opportunities posted in GPS Recruiting. See the CMC for guidance. Owen Graduate School Every student is an integral and important part of the Owen community, and we want you to feel comfortable here. Owen has always supported the international student population by creating programs to help integrate international students into the community and to facilitate your success. Remember that we are all here to help you. For additional resources for international students go to: GPS Online - International Students section Job Search Strategies for International Students Being Successful in a Limited Market Now more than ever, international students who seek employment in the United States should carefully plan their job search strategies. International students must have company sponsorship to continue to work in the U.S. long-term. Current economic conditions and regulations around the H-1B Visa make your work authorization and career development issues more complex than in the past. Companies who have hired international students in the past are more cautious now in recruiting international candidates. As a result, even the most qualified international student who is competing for U.S.-based positions needs to have a job search plan for his or her home country or another international option referred to as a Plan B or Plan C. We suggest that you maintain contacts and relationships with professionals in your home country to help you identify possible opportunities there or in other international locations. Another option to help you develop job leads is to check on employment services in your home country. Are there opportunities for international students in the United States? Yes. However, international students must understand that the current economic situation has limited the availability of opportunities for them, especially in the banking industry. International students should have realistic expectations and be flexible on their career choices. Some industries, companies and functional areas require specific previous work experience; if you don t have it, it is likely they can find another candidate who does. Therefore, they don t need to make exceptions. International students will be most successful if they focus on career options that leverage their past experience.

108 9-3 International Students Will international students work harder in their job searches than domestic students? Absolutely! Success in the U.S. job market depends on YOU! Your effort in developing and executing your job search plan Your commitment to partnering with the CMC staff, faculty and other Owen community members Your becoming familiar with the cultural differences in the U.S. recruiting process Your having realistic expectations on your career and employment options What are the biggest challenges for international students in the job search process and how can international students overcome these obstacles? The biggest challenges are poor English language skills, lack of established relationships with professionals in the U.S., lack of understanding of the U.S. market and culture and long-term work authorization issues. Your best strategy is to focus on the areas that you can control. 1. Build your English language skills. Speak and think in English. Ask for help. Participate in Owen Bridges, which pairs incoming international students with current U.S.-based students to help improve cross-cultural understanding and communication skills. Attend English language courses as needed. Talk in class. Get involved in activities outside the classroom. Attend Thursday night socials. Become friends with native English speakers. Watch television (with closed captions if you don t understand the words) and listen to music in English. 2. Improve your network of established contacts by building new relationships with professionals in the U.S. Join student clubs in your area of interest. Identify alumni in your area of interest (company, function, industry). See the Networking chapter. Talk to other students (1 st year and 2 nd year) about where they have previously worked and their career goals. Meet recruiters at Information Sessions. Attend U.S. and international job fairs. 3. Build your understanding of the U.S. business market and culture. Learn more about social conventions and personal etiquette. Recognize that a handshake is a standard form of greeting for both men and women. Remember that punctuality is valued. Leverage your network to learn of cultural differences in business and social interactions. Understanding the Differences in the Job Search Process Resumes Recruiters in the U.S. market expect you to provide a resume, not a CV, that gives the results you have achieved in previous work, not just a description of the job or position. Be concise and save some compelling information for the interview. Do not include these in your resume: Photo Marital status Birth date Gender Religion National origin or ethnicity

109 9-4 International Students Interviews Recruiters in the U.S. are looking for candidates who fit into the company culture as much as they are looking for candidates who meet the qualifications. Therefore, socializing and learning about you as a person is a big part of the interview process. Remember that every time you are in front of a prospective employer is an opportunity to market yourself and interview informally for the position. For interviews, keep in mind these guidelines that are important for all job seekers both international and domestic: Proper Appearance Clothes should be neat and freshly laundered, and shoes should be shined. Do not wear loud colors or wild patterns. Avoid strong perfume, cologne or body odors. Do not eat foods with strong smells (onions, garlic or sausage) and do not smoke just prior to the interview. Shave, shower and use deodorant daily. Proper Presentation Shake hands firmly, smile, look the interviewer in the eye, speak clearly and be positive and enthusiastic. Be Prepared Know your resume and the position for which you are applying. Know the company and have specific examples and questions ready. Advice from Alumni Know Yourself Knowing what you want, where you want to work and what you can offer a company is always the most effective place to start. This will help you to articulate your strengths and make a stronger case as to why you are a good fit for the company. Ask for Help Asking for help in the U.S. is not viewed as weakness or incompetence. Instead, requesting assistance and using available resources displays your initiative and resourcefulness, both of which are marketable qualities in the U.S. job market. So, use all of the resources available to you: Alumni, CMC, Walker Library, classmates, friends, family, professors, Owen staff or anyone who can help. Make Your Job Search a Priority Carve out time (1 2 hours a day) to spend on your job search. You will never find the time, so be sure to make the time. Have a Focus Setting clear objectives on the steps/tasks you need to accomplish to reach your goals helps you feel productive during the times when you are not seeing the end result. Identify your list of A companies, as well as your B and C lists. This goes back to #1 Know Yourself. It is vital that international students identify their career paths as early as possible so they can progress in the process and remain competitive with domestic students. Create Your Network International students can be at a disadvantage because they do not always have established contacts in the United States. However, all students start the process with a network. Build on your own contacts whether here in the U.S. or in your home country. Then make a conscious effort to develop relationships with recruiters, professors and classmates as well as through professional organizations. Another good tip is to get to know key managers or other top executives and develop strong relationships during your internship.

110 9-5 International Students Join Professional Organizations Professional organizations have always been valuable resources for career information. You will be able to find information about job descriptions, skill requirements, salary, opportunities for professional development and, of course, job leads. Attending conferences, conventions or chapter meetings is an excellent way to develop industry contacts. Do Your Research This is another one that may seem obvious, but it means going beyond the company website and encourages you to be creative. Read analyst reports, touch the product, experience the service or get to know the employees. Jose Amden (MSF 02) had a perfect example. To prepare for his interview with Best Buy he visited a store and a competitor s store. Another option is to attend Information Sessions of companies within your targeted industry to make comparisons. Tenacious Attitude Be persistent, patient and positive. Don t get discouraged if you aren t getting interviews or if alums are not responding to you. Demonstrate a commitment to a strong work ethic (meet deadlines, learn from your mistakes, be willing to work hard and treat everyone with respect) in all of your endeavors. A classmate today could be a job reference later. Challenge Yourself Attending business school is a perfect time to go outside your comfort zone. For example, join a case competition, initiate new projects, actively participate in class discussions and initiate conversations with people different from yourself. Keep reminding yourself you didn t come all this way and spend all this money to only stay with friends from your home country. Seek Continuous Improvement Don t accept mediocrity; strive for mastery. Keep up with industry literature and other current events. In addition, seek opportunities to develop your skills or learn new ones. For example, plan to attend industry or functional training sessions such as Training the Street or Crack the Case. Leverage Your International Status View it as a positive. Focus on companies that emphasize diversity or global perspective and then highlight your international experience. Understand the Etiquette of Communication Learn the rules for successful social interactions. Networking and the U.S. interview process often involve socializing. To ensure that you will have something to say in these more informal conversations learn more about American culture: sports, politics, etc.

111 9-6 International Students Explaining Work Authorization to Employers It is your responsibility to understand your work authorization eligibility and be able to explain it to potential employers. Even though information such as what is listed below can be very helpful, always check with your ISSS advisor to make sure that you are working with the most up-to-date information. United States law provides several ways for employers to hire international candidates. The three most common mechanisms for hiring international graduates are: I. CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING (CPT): For students on F-1 visa doing a paid or unpaid internship. Employer Obligations: Provide the international student with an offer letter on official letterhead that includes the following: a. Employer name and address of the location where the student will work b. Employment start and end date c. Number of hours expected to work per week (full-time or part-time) d. Position title and description e. Statement of how the position is relevant to student s major area of study (preferred, but optional) f. Name of immediate supervisor if known Timing: F-1 students can begin working once they receive authorization from ISSS and after the employment start date listed on page 3 of the student s Cost: No cost to employer. II. OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT): For graduates on an F-1 visa, OPT allows up to 12 months of employment after graduation. The student must obtain permission from ISSS and receive an employment authorization card (EAD) from the CIS (formerly INS). Employer Obligations: Treat employees on practical training just like other U.S. employees in terms of pay, discipline, termination, etc. Timing: F-1 graduates can begin working once they physically receive an employment authorization card and after the start date indicated on the EAD card. Cost: No cost to employer. Student pays a nominal filing fee to CIS to get card. III. H-1B VISAS: This is an extremely popular work visa. It is available to foreign nationals who (a) have at least a U.S. Bachelor s Degree or foreign equivalent and (b) will be working in a job that requires at least a Bachelor s Degree. The employer must submit a visa petition to the CIS. The visa is valid for three years with the option to renew for an additional three years. Employer Obligations: The employer must: Post a notice for 10 days at the worksite stating that you are hiring an H-1B worker, providing information about the job. Maintain public access file. Pay the same wage and benefits provided to U.S. workers in similar jobs. Pay return transportation in some circumstances. There is no need to advertise the position and no need to determine if U.S. workers are available to fill the position. Timing: Normal processing times can vary depending on the work location. However, CIS has special premium processing that guarantees processing in 15 days. Premium Processing requires an extra $1,000 filing fee. Applications are due by April 1 for a start date of October 1. Cost: The CIS normal filing fee for private employers is $320, plus a $1,500 training fee, plus a fraud prevention fee of $500. (NOTE: University employers, primary/secondary schools and certain governmental and non-profit research organizations do not pay the training fee. Employers with 25 or fewer employees pay only a $750 training fee. ) Premium processing (15-day processing) carries an additional $1,000 filing fee to CIS.

112 9-7 International Students Note the H-1B Cap: CIS issues 65,000 new H-1B approvals each year (CIS year October 1 through September 30). CIS accepts cases beginning April 1 for October 1 H-1Bs. Exceptions to the cap: University jobs; non-profits affiliated with universities; non-profit research organizations; H-1B extension with same employer; and H-1B transfer to new employer. Graduates with U.S. advanced degrees have special allocation of 20,000 H-1Bs above the 65,000 general applicant pool. Citizens of Chile and Singapore have a special allocation of H-1Bs. Other visa options may be available (for example, TN for Canadians or Mexicans working in certain jobs; E-3 visa for Australians in professional positions and other possible options). If potential employers have additional questions regarding work authorization, they can contact the CMC at The CMC suggests that you find an immigration attorney to help you better answer any questions and concerns that you might have regarding your unique situation. What Are the Rules on Working in the U.S. with an F-1 Visa? The F-1 Visa gives you the right to STUDY in the U.S. You are not authorized to work. On-campus Employment: Must be enrolled full-time in classes at Vanderbilt University Employer is Vanderbilt University or Vanderbilt University Medical Center Can start working immediately Can work 20 hours per week MAXIMUM during school year (includes fellowship and/or research) Can work full-time (20 hours or more per week) ONLY during official school breaks Off-campus Employment (including internships): Only possible after completing 9 months of full-time study Authorization from ISSS and/or USCIS is REQUIRED Two options: CPT Curricular Practical Training (used for internships typically) OPT Optional Practical Training (used after graduation) DO NOT WORK OFF CAMPUS WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION! You will lose your student status and privileges.

113 9-8 International Students Other Important Employment Information Social Security Number (SSN) A Social Security Number (SSN) is an identification number. It is used to trace your credit and work history, and you will need it once you start working in the U.S. However, you have to prove that you have an employment offer to apply for a SSN. For more information go to If you receive an offer to work in the U.S., one of the first things you want to do is apply for your SSN. It takes about one month to receive the SSN by mail. The local Social Security Administration office is not within walking distance from Owen. (See directions below.) You will need to bring several items with you so don t go unprepared. Note: The regulations and procedures are subject to change. Things to bring Passport Visa I-20 Letter from ISSS Your home address in Nashville Offer letter Social Security Office 120 Athens Way, Nashville, TN Directions: Follow I-40 west to I-65 north and exit at Exit 85 (Rosa Parks Blvd.). Follow Rosa Parks Blvd. north approximately 1 mile. Turn right onto Athens Way. Office is the last building on the right. KEEP YOUR SSN IN A SAFE PLACE. Do not give it out to anyone except those who absolutely require it (e.g., doctor s office or your bank). Unscrupulous people who obtain your SSN can steal your identity. United States Federal Income Tax Filing International students with income earned in the U.S. must file United States federal income tax documents each year. The deadline to submit these documents is April 15 following the year of the taxable income. In other words, the deadline to file your tax forms for income earned during 2012 is April 15, The taxation arm of the federal government is the Internal Revenue Service, commonly called the IRS ( Students who worked for a U.S.-based employer, including Vanderbilt University, will receive a form W-2 during the month of January for work done (income earned) during the previous calendar year. The form will show the total of wages, tips and other compensation, as well as any money withheld from your pay in advance. Employers must provide this form W-2 by no later than January 31 of the tax-filing year. Keep this form in a safe place. It is absolutely essential for filing taxes. Students who received money from a scholarship or graduate assistantship will receive a form 1042S. This form usually shows the amount (if any) subject to tax. Students who had NO U.S.-source income (no work, investment income or scholarships/assistantships, grants or fellowships, no wages, tips or other compensation from sources within the U.S.) must complete and file a form 8843 with the IRS. Form 8843 is not an income tax return. Form 8843 is merely an informational statement required by the United States Government for certain nonresident aliens (including the spouses or dependents of nonresident aliens). Please consult the IRS for details.

114 9-9 International Students Walker Management Library Resources Like many libraries, much of what Walker Management Library provides is online and in fee-based databases. This list is only a small part of what s available, so let one of the librarians know if you don t find what you need. They are there to help! Databases These are just some of the Library s databases which cover U.S. and international companies, industry and career information. Also see the Library s Research Guides for additional ideas on where to do company research. Going Global: Worldwide job and internship listings, industry, country and city guides, countryspecific career information, work permit/visa regulations, cultural/interviewing advice and company profiles for major companies. Also has H-1B records information from the United States Department of Labor. OneSource: Best place to begin company research; gives company financials, history, executives, analyst reports, market research reports and more. Can use Build a List to export company lists by country, state, city, line of business, size, etc. UniWorld: Find U.S. corporations with operations in other countries and firms from other countries with U.S. locations. You can export results by region, country, state, keyword, industry type, revenue, number of employees and zip code. Vault and WetFeet: These two databases have Employer and Career profiles and more. Reference Books The following are some of the printed Reference Books in the Library that may be useful to you: Directory of Corporate Affiliations (who owns whom for U.S. and international companies) HG 4057.A217 Culturegrams (has 200 country reports about customs and lifestyles) GT 1.C847 Foreign Representatives in the U.S. (who s who in U.S. offices of non-u.s. companies) E F67

115 10-1 Tools Career Web Resources and Tools GPS Online You will have access to many tools while at Owen to help you evaluate your career options and carry out a successful job search. Two applications are particularly valuable, and you should plan to use them regularly. The first is GPS Online. GPS stands for Guiding Professional Success, and GPS Online was developed as an online extension of the GPS Handbook. You can access GPS Online directly through this link: or through the link under the Career Management heading in Owen Central (the landing page for the Owen Intranet). From GPS Online you can access: Announcements and upcoming events sponsored by the CMC, such as workshops, company Information Sessions, speakers and trips Online CMC workshops on topics such as Resumes, Interviewing and Job Search Placement Database of where Owen students interned and accepted full-time positions. The database is searchable and filterable by company name, class year, job type, job function and industry Interview Question Database of questions asked in past Owen interviews. You can filter questions by company, job function and industry. Information and Resources specifically for International Students studying at Owen Company Leadership Development Programs lists and links for further information Resources to help you write your resume, cover letters and s Information, resources and guidance on building a list of companies to target in your job search Ideas on creating and maintaining connections or a network to help you evaluate career options and plan a successful job search.

116 10-2 Tools GPS Recruiting Another key resource is GPS Recruiting your source for company Information Sessions, events and employer contacts. Some MSF job postings will be listed in GPS Recruiting; however, most postings for MSFs will be made through DoreWays. You can access GPS Recruiting through the link above or by navigating from the Owen Central intranet page. The link is under the Career Management Center heading. From GPS Recruiting you can access: Job and Internship Postings On-campus Interview Schedules Company Information Session Sign-up CMC Workshop and Event Sign-up Employer Contact Information Job and Internship Offer Surveys While the CMC hopes that navigating in GPS Recruiting will be easy, training is available and there are online tutorials in the Online Workshop section of GPS Online. You may initially may find it confusing with career information spread across multiple platforms, but hopefully you will quickly learn where to go for information. As a basic rule, if you want to sign up for career-related events such as workshops, company Information Sessions, job postings and interviews go to DoreWays and GPS Recruiting. Career exploration and career development resources and information will be in GPS Online. DoreWays The vast majority of MSF job postings will be made through DoreWays, so check this site routinely for new opportunities. The website is managed by the Vanderbilt Career Center.

117 10-3 Tools Frequently Asked Questions Question: Where do I sign up for the CMC workshop on resume writing? Answer: Search in CMC & Recruiter Events in GPS Recruiting. Question: Where can I find out which recent Owen students worked for Goldman Sachs? Answer: Search in Where Students Went to Work in GPS Online. Question: I want to search for jobs in finance that are posted for MSFs; where do I look? Answer: Search in Jobs in DoreWays and GPS Recruiting. Question: I want to find recruiting contacts for Nissan North America; where do I look? Answer: Search Nissan in Employers in GPS Recruiting. Question: I want to find a list of interview questions that I might be asked in a brand management interview; where do I look? Answer: Search Interview Feedback Database in GPS Online. Question: Where can I find a list of companies that have MSF Leadership Development Programs? Answer: Look in GPS Online. Other Suggested Tools through Walker Library You will have access to a tremendous number of resources within proprietary databases through the Walker Library website. Here are a few suggestions on where to begin your exploration. Going Global: Worldwide job & internship listings Vault Online Career Library: Industry and career guides including employer profiles Wetfeet: Reports on leading companies and industries and career advice