CareerHub_GraduateHandbook

Connecting with Faculty

Your O’Neill faculty are not only experts in their fields, they are also really wonderful
people who are excited to help you find success in your chosen field after you
graduate. They are among the best people who can help you articulate what you’re
learning in your academic program. That ability will prove invaluable when you are
looking for an internship and full-time job.
Schedule a time to meet with your faculty or plan to attend their office hours.
Prepare for this meeting as you would for any other professional meeting. The
following steps will help you make the best impression on your faculty and set the
foundation for a long relationship that will last beyond your years at the O’Neill
School.

Step 1: Do your research. Know what the faculty member’s research area is and
read some of their published work. Review the learning outcomes listed in your
course syllabus and for your degree program. Through your research, answer
these questions for yourself:

• What are the main learning objectives of the class and/or the degree
program?

• What are the major themes/theories/concepts that I will learn by the time
I complete the program? What have I already learned?

• What skills will I learn as a result of the projects/tests/service that is part
of the degree?

• What career path(s) am I most interested in? What do I already know
about this path? How did I learn this information?

Step 2: Arrive on time and be prepared. Your faculty know you as a student, this
meeting help him/her/they get to know you better. Be prepared to deliver your
elevator pitch, and to tell them what you hope to learn during the conversation.
Step 3: Review the questions you began researching yourself. Ask for your
faculty member’s insight and thoughts about your responses. Ask additional
questions you prepared for this meeting. Make sure you take notes so that your
faculty member knows you see this conversation as valuable.
Step 4: Send a thank you message the same day as your meeting. Your faculty
are a very important part of your network, and you want them to know how much
you appreciate their insight.

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How to Be Successful at a Conference

How do you meet speakers and other attendees? What’s the right etiquette when
walking into a session? What should you wear? What should you do during break
time?

Pre-Conference

□ Know what the conference is about, where it is, who will be speaking, and
what sessions you want to attend.

□ Find out what the dress code is – look for past conference photos on the
website or email the organizers and ask. If you really can’t get any answers,
err on the side of professional dress – you could offend the organizers or
speakers if you are underdressed.

□ Pack your supplies for the day(s): a notebook and a couple of pens, your
business cards, a small snack, a bottle of water, mints, your conference
registration information, and a phone and/or computer charger.

□ Check the conference hashtag on social media to see who will be attending –
reach out and interact with them before you go.

□ Download a business card scanner app to your phone. There are many
available, some of the more popular include ABBYY Business Card Reader,
CamCard, and ScanBizCards.

□ Prepare your micro-pitch so you are ready to introduce yourself to people you
meet.

Morning Logistics

Check-In
□ Be friendly and kind to everyone when you approach the check-in table. You
never know will be working at the table, greeting guests, or waiting in line, and
you don’t want to make a bad impression.
□ Find and thank the organizers for creating the day – if they are available! If
they are clearly busy do not stop them; wait for a better time.

Meals
□ Even if the event covers meals, consider eating something beforehand in case
you don’t like what’s offered.

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□ Sit with someone you don’t know. Ask the person if the seats at their table are
available before you sit down, just in case they are holding them for someone
else.

□ Stay off your phone, and talk to people instead!

Presentations and Sessions

Attending Sessions
□ If there are multiple sessions to choose from in one time block, choose one
that will have the greatest ROI for you. Consider the topic, the speakers, the
moderator, etc. when deciding.
□ Introduce yourself to the people you sit down next to, get their contact
information before you leave, and continue to talk to them whenever you see
them the rest of the conference.
□ Connect with them on LinkedIn.
□ Take good notes. Use the “question/evidence/conclusion” format that Cal
Newport developed – the question is the idea being presented, the conclusion
is how the speaker answers the question, and the evidence is the argument
presented to get to the conclusion. You can learn more on his Study Hacks
Blog.
□ Tweet out slides or quotes from the sessions using the conference hashtag.

Talking to Speakers and Panelists
□ Making these connections is one of the most valuable aspects of a
conference! “I attended your panel at Conference X” is a great way to start
communication with them after the conference.
□ Don’t be intimidated; sit toward the front and look interested during the panel
or presentation; write down some interesting points you can ask that person
about later.
□ After the session, introduce yourself, ask your questions, make whatever
connections you wanted to make. Meet your objectives, but be respectful of
the line of people behind you.
□ Connect with them on LinkedIn.

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Networking

In-Person
□ “Break” at a conference means it’s time to meet people! Introduce yourself
and don’t be afraid to ask for business cards.
□ Start conversations by asking questions about the conference – you can ask
people about the sessions they attended, which one they plan to attend next,
and even why they decided to come to the conference. That will usually start
a conversation that naturally leads into talking about what they do for a living.
□ Take pictures with people and post to social media with the conference
hashtag.

Social Media
□ This is a great space to network in at a conference – you can meet speakers
and attendees there and meet up with them later.

Post-Conference

Following Up
□ Follow-up with new contacts within 24 hours. There are lots of people at a
conference, if you wait longer they may forget who you are.

Talk About It
□ Write a blog post about the conference and what you learned for the Career
Hub and your LinkedIn profile.
□ Use what you learned to keep in touch with those you met. If you heard a
speaker talk about sustainable energy and then you read an article that
relates to that talk, tweet the article, use the conference hashtag, and tag the
speaker or conference organizer.

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Networking Social Media Tips

Put Your Profiles to Work (from our friends at Princeton University)

LinkedIn

• Round out your image by including all of the experience on your resume, relevant
keywords and skills, accomplishments and Web links. When finished, meet with us
for a profile critique.

• Follow organizations you are interested in and stay current on news,
announcements and opportunities.

• Join groups relevant to your field and follow discussions and thought leaders to
learn about current trends.

• Update your profile with posts related to your field and work so employers can see
how serious you are about your career.

• Leverage features such as the Job Search and Alumni Search tools.
• Search for alumni who work at your target organizations and reach out to see if

they would be willing to provide advice.
• Reach out to established connections periodically and personalize each

message.

Twitter

• Create a Twitter handle using your name or a combination of your name and
profession.

• Upload a headshot photo that projects a professional image.
• Create a professional profile that highlights your top skills. Briefly describe the

type of opportunity you are looking for, and add links to your website and/or
LinkedIn profile, if appropriate.
• Show knowledge and interest in your field by tweeting links to relevant articles or
samples of your work.
• Follow organizations and lists and look for interesting Tweetchats or Tweetups to
join.
• Re-tweet, reply and direct message to establish connections.
• Search and follow hashtags relevant to your industry and your search. For
example, #HireTigers is Princeton Career Services' hashtag and you can also search
broad hashtags such as #internships.
• Search for jobs by location, job titles, hashtags or social recruiting resources.

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Facebook

• Professionalize your profile and use privacy settings and “friend” lists to manage
who can view personal versus professional content.

• Build your network by “liking” Facebook professional and alumni organizational
pages, and request to join relevant groups.

• Start discussions with people and organizations by answering questions,
commenting, messaging and linking to informative content through wall posts or
status updates. Always be professional.

• Apply for positions through the Facebook Marketplace job board and other job
search apps such as BeKnown or BranchOut.

Pinterest

• Draft a headline that includes your career goals and 2-3 top skills.
• Create an infographic resume using charts, graphs and other visual images to

"illustrate" your work history, skills and accomplishments. (Note that you will still
need a traditional resume.) If you are not a graphic designer, try using applications
like Easelly(link is external), Re.vu(link is external) or Kinzaa(link is external).
• Develop boards featuring career or professional information that inspires you
or reflects your goals.
• Add links to videos, images and other projects.

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Networking and Social Media for Federal Internship and Job Search

The application process for federal positions is very rigid and doesn’t allow for the
referral process you can leverage in other sectors. It is still very good however to
know people who work in federal positions, especially in the agencies you are
interested in, to help you develop a true sense of what the work and culture are like.
And even though they may not be able to refer you for a position, they can still alert
you to potential openings and draw attention to your application after you apply.
Consider using the following platforms to help you expand your network and learn
more about the agencies you are interested in.

1. LinkedIn Use LinkedIn to find and connect with people in federal positions.
Join groups affiliated to the agencies you are interested in. Use the Alumni
tool to find O’Neill School and Indiana University alumni to contact.

2. Twitter The following Twitter feeds can help you find current information that
will help you in your job search as well as connect with people doing the work
you want to do.

@USAJobs You’ll find links to open jobs and information that will help
you be competitive in your application.
@USOPM Tweets from the US Office of Personnel Management will
provide information that will give you a good idea of what working in
the federal government is like.
@GovExec Government Executive will keep you updated on topics of
biggest discussions at the federal level in real time.
@gogovernment Go Government is an initiative from the Partnership
for Public Service. It provides very practical advice for applying to
federal positions and is directed toward new professionals.
@GovernmentJobs This account advertises government jobs from
around the nation.
@careersingov You will get information about local government jobs if
you follow this account.
@vacareers This feed from the US Department of Veterans Affairs
posts information about job fairs, positions at the VA, and stories about
how it is helping veterans.

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3. Instagram Many agencies are using Instagram to educate the public – and
job seekers – about the work they do. The following is a list of some of the
more popular accounts. Search for the agencies you are most interested in
and follow them to stay current.

usinterior Interior Department
smithsonianzoo Smithsonian’s National Zoo
usgsa General Services Administration
dhsgov Homeland Security Department
nasa NASA
marines US Marine Corps
usfws US Fish and Wildlife Service
usdagov US Department of Agriculture
nsfgov National Science Foundation
noaa NOAA

4. Snapchat Many government agencies are using Snapchat to reach a wider
demographic. The following agencies actively share information. Search for
your agencies of interest and follow them.

americas_navy America’s Navy
nationalservice Corporation for National and Community Service
statedept Department of State
housegop House Republicans
usinterior US Department of the Interior
whitehouse The White House

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Explore Your Career Pathways

The Internship and Job Search

The 2-Hour Job Search Guide

This is a summary of the technique from Steve Dalton’s book The Two Hour Job
Search.

Step 1: Prioritize
Brainstorm
1. Create an excel document with four column headings: List, Alumni,
Motivation, Posting

2. Your goal is to develop a list of at least 40 employers using the following
approaches. (40 minutes; 4 approaches x 10 minutes each)
a. Dream Employers
i. List any “dream employers” in the List column of your
spreadsheet.
ii. Consider common traits the employers who immediately
come to mind share, log other employers with similar traits.
b. Alumni
i. Search the alumni page on LinkedIn to find organizations of
interest. Search for both Indiana University and your
undergraduate institution if it was different.
c. Posting Approach

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i. Search indeed.com using keywords that relate to the work
you want to do.

d. Trend-following Approach

i. Google trends in industries or functions of interest for
employer ideas. (You can start as easily as “sustainability
trends.”)

3. Alumni Column (10 minutes)

a. Search the alumni page on LinkedIn for alumni in each organization
you listed.

b. Note only “Y” for yes and “N” for no in the Alumni column. Do not
copy contact information.

4. Motivation Column (5 minutes)

a. Assign employers a score of 1 – 5 assessing your motivation to
approach each.

i. 5: employers you find most motivating (dream employers)

ii. 2: employers you are familiar with but find less motivating

iii. 1: employers you are unfamiliar with

5. Posting Column (15 minutes)

a. Use Indeed.com to search for current postings by employer. Assign
a score to each employer 1 -3 based on your findings.

i. 3: Results are found when you search employer name + job
keyword

ii. 2: Results are found when you search the employer’s name
only

iii. 1: No results are found for the employer

6. Sort the List

a. Change the motivation score based on alumni and posting
information.

b. Sort your list by

i. Motivation (largest to smallest)

ii. Posting (largest to smallest)

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iii. Alumni (reverse alphabetically)
7. Identify the employers you consider to be your Top 5.

Step 2: Contact
Find Contact Information (20 minutes)
1. If any of your Top 5 have an “N” in the Alumni column, find a contact with
the following methods (once a contact is found, note the source):
a. LinkedIn
1. Group connections
2. 2nd or 3rd degree connections
b. Social Media
c. Fan Mail
d. Cold Calls
2. Utilize emails4corporations.com and Full Contact (a Chrome add-in) to
find email information for contacts as needed.
a. Make an educated guess for your target’s email
([email protected]” or “[email protected]”)
b. If you enter the correct email, Full Contact will display that person's
LinkedIn profile. If the email is wrong, it will display nothing.

Email (20 minutes)
1. Send an email to the contacts.

a. Emailing an alum/LI Group contact
SUBJECT: IU O’Neill School MPA student seeking your advice
Dear Ms. Jones,
My name is John Smith, and I am a first-year MPA student who found your
information on LinkedIn. May I have 20 minutes to ask you about your experience
with ORGANIZATION NAME? I am trying to learn more about AREA OF
INTEREST/TYPE OF ORGANIZATION careers at in Denver, and your insight would
be very helpful.

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I recognize this may be a busy time for you, so if we are unable to connect by email
I’ll try to reach you next week to see whether that is a more convenient time.
Thank you very much,
John

b. Emailing an alum/LI Group contact– planning to apply to
specific job in organization

SUBJECT: IU O’Neill School MPA student seeking your advice

Dear Ms. Jones,
My name is John Smith, and I am a first-year MPA student who found your
information on LinkedIn. May I set up a phone conversation with you to discuss your
experience with ORGANIZATION NAME? Your insights would be greatly
appreciated, as I am currently in the process of applying for an open POSITION
there.
I recognize this may be a busy time for you, so if we are unable to connect by email
I’ll try to reach you next week to see whether that is a more convenient time.
Thank you very much,
John

c. Fan Mail

SUBJECT: Your interview in last month’s Science magazine

Dear Ms. Jones,
My name is John Smith, and I am a first-year MPA at Indiana University School of
Public and Environmental Affairs. I found your thoughts on TOPIC OF INTERVIEW
very interesting.
Would you mind discussing your work further with me in a brief phone
conversation? I have some follow-up questions, and your insights would be
invaluable

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I recognize this may be a busy time for you, so if we are unable to connect by email
I’ll try to reach you next week to see whether that is a more convenient time.

Thank you very much,

John

2. Track using the 3B7 Routine.

a. Set 2 reminders in your calendar for each contact you email.
1. Reminder #1: 3 business days later
2. Reminder #2: 7 business days later

b. If you receive a response before Reminder #1, you have probably
found an Advocate in the organization. Schedule an informational
interview.

c. If no response is received before Reminder #1, initiate outreach to
another contact in the organization and set both reminders for that
contact.

d. If no response is received before Reminder #2 appears, send a
follow-up message to the original contact.

3. Initiate contact with new organizations as you identify Advocates and
begin a conversation, you rule an organization out, or as time permits.

Step 3: Informational Interviews

Informational Meetings/Interviews:

1. Research
a. External Research
i. Recent headlines
ii. Website
iii. Google individual and organization
b. Personal Preparation
i. “Tell me about yourself.”
ii. “Why are you interested in our organization?”
iii. “Why are you interested in our industry and/or function?”

2. The Interview (30 minutes)
a. Small Talk

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i. “How are you?” “ What are you currently working on?” “What
path did you follow to join this employer?”

b. Use TIARA as guide for Q&A
i. Trends
ii. Insights
iii. Advice

iv. Resources
v. Assignments
c. Next Steps
i. If referral is offered, follow up immediately.
ii. If no referral is offered transition to Two-Part Informational

Closing.

3. Follow-up
a. Set monthly reminders to update those with whom you’ve
conducted informational interviews.
i. First update: recap advice given and benefits gained, end with
request for additional suggestions.
ii. Subsequent updates serve to update on your progress and
request any additional information.
b. Prepare for time you spend developing relationships with contacts
to increase as you progress, but continue to focus on outreach to
new contacts.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until they lead to interviews and a job.

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Organization Research Guide

The experts at the Business/O’Neill Information Commons can help you with your
research through the Hire Ed program. Visit their website to schedule your
consultation and access research and compensation guides to assist you in your
individual research.

Organization Name:

Industry
1. What is the line of business of organizations in this industry? (Do they provide a
service, create, distribute a product, etc.) How do they make money to support their
organization, are they supported by grants?

Resources you might use: Vault Guide, Informational Interviews

2. What are the significant trends in this industry?

Resources you might use: Informational Interviews, Vault, Professional Association website,
Professional Journals

3. Who are the major organizations (key players) in this industry?

Resources you might use: Vault, Glassdoor, Professional Association websites

4. What are the key professional associations and journals for the industry?

Resources you might use: Vault, Google

Organization
1. Organization Type (public, private, nonprofit)

Resources you might use: Organization website, LinkedIn

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2. Product/Services Offered (Complete current product/service line and potential
new products/services)

Resources you might use: Organization website

3. Organization size, parent company (if any), subsidiaries (if any), location of
headquarters, geographic presence Resources you might use: Organization website

4. Organization’s competitors (other major players in the industry)

Resources you might use: Vault, Glassdoor

5. Mission/Vision/Organization direction within the past year and future plans

Resources you might use: Organization website, Professional Journals, Press Releases

6. Key People (CEO, VP, Pres.), SPEA/IU Alums
Resources you might use: Organization website, LinkedIn; Google key people, read
interviews/articles, watch videos

7. Annual Report (annual gross, ranking, stock price)

Resources you might use: Organization website, Annualreports.com

8. What are the “buzz words” in the organization?

Resources you might use: Informational Interviews, Organization website

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9. What is the “culture” of the organization? (Is it conservative, liberal, relaxed, etc)
How diverse is the team?

Resources you might use: Informational Interviews, Organization website, Glassdoor

10. How has the organization been in the news in the last year? How does it interact
with the community?

Resources you might use: LinkedIn, Google

Function (position applying to)
1. What department/division is the position housed? Who does it report to?

Resources you might use: Organization website, LinkedIn

2. What is the career path for this position?

Resources you might use: Organization website, LinkedIn

3. What are the skills and personal qualities that successful professionals in this
industry share?

Resources you might use: Informational Interviews, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Vault

4. What additional education/licensure/certifications will you need to be promoted
in this area?

Resources you might use: Informational Interviews, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Vault

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15 Questions to Ask in an Informational Interview

BY CAREER CONTESSA
April 08, 2019, careercontessa.com

• Question 1: Can you tell me a bit about your career path and what led you to the
role you're in today? An informational interview is about them, not you, so this is
always the best place to start.

• Question 2: What were some of your early roles in the field? You'll also want to
include the follow-up question: what did you learn there that helps you today?
This question is meant to help you get an idea of where you'll need to start if
you're new to the field, but it's also a good way to learn more about how linear
(or not) this person's career path was.

• Question 3: What does a work day look like for you? This is the best chance
you'll have to see what every day is like for the role you're interested in. If she
says she's working 14 hour days and you're not interested, you can start
looking into other roles.

• Question 4: What are some big projects you’re working on now or that you’ve
finished up in the last few months? Projects are likely what will keep the job
interesting, so you want to know what he or she has been working on. Plus, it
gives you a good sense of the priorities of the role and company.

• Question 5: What do you enjoy most about the work you do? / What are you
most excited about right now? While this question is similar to #4, the
answers may not be. What this person enjoys about her work could be
completely unexpected. It's a great way to get her to open up more.

• Question 6: What do you enjoy the least? Or, is there something that surprised
you about the role when you first started? Sometimes, you'll get someone who
is willing to get candid about the downsides of their job. An informational
interview is, after all, a fairly informal conversation. Still, if the person starts
to balk about talking about their least favorite element ("I really like
everything I do"), you can shift the question to what surprised them instead.
Most people have an answer for this.

• Question 7: What skills do you think are most important for someone interested
in a job like yours? Take careful note of these, especially the ones you don't

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technically have. You'll want to use this information to fill gaps in your skill set
before applying for similar jobs.

• Question 8: Do you think there’s a personality type that’s not well-suited for
this kind of career? As he or she is answering, try to be honest with yourself. If
the role requires an "absolutely Type A" personality and you're a dreamer
with a capital D, it might not be the right role for you.

• Question 9: What are some of the biggest challenges you face day-to-day? As
you listen, do these challenges excite you? Or do they sound horrible?

• Question 10: What about the biggest rewards? The answer here might vary from
emotional to monetary—so listen carefully and see if the answer gives you a "feel good"
vibe.

• Question 11: What do you wish you’d known when you were starting out in this
career/role? Yeah, you want to know this.

• Question 12: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years? You know how people say
something like "if you can't see yourself in your boss's role, you should quit"? You want
this answer to align with your own goals. If you're hoping to stay long-term at a big
company, you'll want to hear that they have the same plan. If you'd like to wind up
working for yourself someday, it would be good to hear if that's something that they can
see themselves doing as well.

• Question 13: Do you have any recommendations for other people I should talk
to or other resources I should explore? If you're lucky, they'll introduce you to
another contact. But it's also great to just hear what sites you should be reading or
newsletters you should subscribe to. The goal is to have some ideas of what to
read/do/try next.

• Question 14: Are there any questions I'm not asking that I should be? Love this
question. Sometimes you've missed a big element of the work simply because you didn't
ask in quite the right way. See what they say here.

• Question 15: Would it be alright for us to stay in touch? Whether that's through
LinkedIn or through an occasional email, it's always nice to turn an informational
interview into an ongoing networking connection or (ideal scenario) a potential mentor.

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How to Apply for a Federal Job

The federal job search process varies considerably from private and non-profit
searches. The time-to-hire for federal positions can be anywhere from 6 – 18 months
depending on the position and the degree of security clearance required.

If you have already developed your STAR stories, qualified and quantified your
accomplishments, and can show value-add to employers for your 1 – 2 page resume,
you have a great start for your federal resume. In addition, you will need to add: start
and end dates (month and year), the number of hours you worked each week, the
level and amount of experience (project manager vs team member) to demonstrate
your responsibilities. You will also need to tailor your accomplishment statements to
address every required qualification in the job vacancy. Because of the required
details, it is not uncommon for a federal resume to be 4 – 6 pages long.

Work with the team in the Career Studio when you develop your federal resume. Also
attend labs hosted by the Policy, Service, and Advocacy Career Community. There
are opportunities to learn more about the federal resume and job search from alumni
and employer partners who guest host sessions in the Hub.

Getting Started on USAJOBS
1. Create your USAJOBS account (applicants MUST apply through USAJOBS).

• Create your USAJOBS account (USAJOBS.gov). You must have a complete,
accurate, and thorough profile to apply to any job on USAJOBS.

• Use these resources to help you develop your federal resume:
• USAJOBS What to Include on My Federal Resume
• Writing Your Federal Resume
• After your profile is set up, you will be able to:
• Save jobs to apply to later.
• Create automated job searches.
• Use the USAJOBS resume builder to create your federal resume.
• Upload and save required documents.
• Apply to job announcements.
• Track your application status.
Look at USAJOBS every day so you do not miss opportunities.
2. Search for jobs.
• Search by keywords, location, pay grade, salary, job series, agency, and more.

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• Carefully review the announcement to see if you are eligible and meet all the
qualifications. Read the “Who May Apply” section to determine whether you
are eligible to apply for the job.

3. Sign up for daily emails to receive updates on your automated job searches.
Some jobs may only accept applications for a few days, so you need to check the
site daily to see if there are any new opportunities for you.
4. Apply immediately.

• Apply immediately when you find a position that you are qualified for. Allow
yourself at least an hour to complete your application.

• After you submit your application, verify that your application has been
received by the agency. The application status field should
display “received” if the application submitted correctly.

5. Check to see if you have been "referred."
• Applicants typically will then be placed into qualification categories: Qualified,
Highly qualified, Best qualified. (These quality categories can be thought of as
bronze, silver, and gold.)
• The highest qualified applicants will be sent to the hiring official, and those
applicants may see their application status updated to "referred." Applicants
not being considered further will see a “not referred” status.

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State and Local Government Job Search

Many choose to work at the state and local levels because they feel like they see an
immediate impact of their efforts on the lives of people in their community. Each state
has its own central website for job postings in all the state agencies. If you know where
you want to live after you graduate, find that state’s website and create an application
that you can modify for each position you apply to.

Local government positions are posted on the official municipality’s website. Review
the website for the area you’re interested in and gather the information required for
applications. When a position you are interested in becomes available, apply as soon
as you can.

Use the following resources as you begin and manage your search:

• State by State Search State & Local Government provides personnel
websites for all 50 states. You can sort by department, skills, agency, etc.

• Municipal League Websites Each state (except Hawaii) has a league that
cities and towns can join. The advantage in using the league’s website is that
you will see opportunities throughout the state, not just in one city. Visit the
National League of Cities website to find the state or states you are interested
in.

• Professional Association Websites Recruiters post with professional
associations when they are searching for a specific skill set. You can begin
your search for public sector professional associations with this list.

• The International City-County Management Association (ICMA) ICMA
provides listings of fellowships and internships by state. It has local
government management fellowships for graduate students and an
undergraduate internship program where students can learn about local
government in a specific host city.

• Emerging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) This organization lists jobs for
cities and counties across the nation. It also provides a great way to connect

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with other leaders and build your network. Visit the site regularly to keep up-
to-date on offerings.

• Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration
(NASPAA) This website provides a job board and a listing of state and local
internship and fellowship programs.

• PublicServiceCareers.org You will great advice for your internship and job
search as well as information about continued education and training to
consider.

• State and Local Associations You can find postings on the National League
of Cities, National Urban League, and the National Association of Counties
websites.

Explore Your Career Pathways

Maximize Your Job Search Productivity

It can be difficult to stay productive during the job search – especially when the
stress of keeping up with your classes feels like more than a full-time job already.
Your graduate program will go by quickly, you must develop a plan to capitalize on
the time you have to devote to your search.

Develop a Schedule
Analyze your daily schedule and block out times to devote to the job search. Even as
little as 30 minutes before breakfast will keep you moving forward in the process.
Designate time for each of the following:
Reaching out to new networking contacts, following up with your existing contacts
Researching new organizations, finding contacts
Writing cover letters and tailoring resumes
Submitting applications
Checking the status of submitted applications
Updating LinkedIn
Set weekly goals for organizations to research, applications to submit, contacts to
reach out to, etc.
Consider assigning activities to days of the week to stay efficient. For example:
Monday – Searching for organizations; Tuesday – Researching organizations on
your list; Wednesday – Tailor your resumes and cover letters for positions you will
apply to; Thursday – Submit applications; Friday – Reach out to new and existing
network contacts

Stay Organized
Update your Professional Development Tracking Form to monitor your progress,
track communications, and organize your outreach.
Keep files of the resume and cover letter you used for each organization you applied
to. You will be able to easily review them when you prepare to interview so you will
know exactly what the hiring committee has looked at.

Use LinkedIn
Ask for recommendations from previous bosses/coaches/supervisors, coworkers,
classmates who served on group projects with you, etc.
Conduct detailed searches to find organizations you are interested in and people you
would like to talk to.
Keep your profile updated with latest skills, projects, images, writing samples,
presentations, etc. so your profile shows up at the top of searches.
Post regular updates, join groups, and comment on industry-related topics and
articles.

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High-Impact Applications

Resumes

General Resumes

Your resume is your personal marketing piece that provides an overview of your
education, experiences, and skills to potential employers. There are several types of
resumes the Career Hub team will refer to:

General Resume: This document is a compilation of all your work, volunteer,
campus, and academic experiences. It is usually divided into two different
general sections – “Experience” and “Activities.” Your general resume should
never be used as an application for a position; it is instead a repository that
you will pull from to develop your tailored resumes.
Tailored Resume: You will tailor your general resume for every position you
apply to. Deconstruct the job posting, and then incorporate keywords and
language into your accomplishment statements. Write your statements to
highlight the accomplishments the employer is looking for in the job posting.
Industry Resume: As you create tailored resumes for positions, you should
update your general resume with the language employers in that field use. For
example, if you are considering both sustainability work and social service
roles, you should develop a resume with your accomplishments written to
reflect competencies sustainability employers seek, and one that reflects
social services competencies. When you apply to future positions, you can
more easily tailor from an already focused document.
Federal Resume: Federal resumes are unique and are addressed in a
separate section.

A curriculum vitae or CV is a very comprehensive document used to apply to
academic and research positions. It includes all teaching positions and/or research
positions, publications, presentations, etc. It is not used very often at the
undergraduate level but may be used at the graduate level if the student is applying
for grants, scholarships, and research opportunities.

High-Impact Applications

Formatting Checklist

□ Length: 1 page for undergraduates; 2 pages for graduate students
□ Font Size: 10 – 12-point font for the body of your resume; 14 – 24 font for

your name (your name should be the largest font on your resume)
□ Fonts: Use fonts that are easy-to-read on screens and in print. Some

common choices include: Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, Georgia, and
Helvetica.
□ Margins: Keep margins to .5 – 1”
□ Spacing: Double-space between sections, single-space within sections
□ Alignment: Use left alignment; right-justify the dates; section headings can
be centered
□ Format Experiences: Bold the organization’s name, italicize your job title
□ Accomplishment Statements: Have a goal of 2 – 5 statements for each
experience you include
□ Numbers: Use numerals for all numbers – they catch the eye of the person
scanning your document. (5 not five; 50% not fifty percent)
□ Order: In each section, list your most recent experience first (this is called
reverse chronological order)
□ Language: Do not use complete sentences or include personal pronouns (I,
we, my, our, etc)

Develop Your Resume
Regardless of where you are in your academic career, you have experiences to
include on a resume! Complete the following exercise to help brainstorm
experiences to include on your resume. Work in the Career Studio to get some
assistance.

1. List every experience you have had, include: part-time jobs, volunteer
positions, student organizations, athletics, etc. List the organization and the
title you held. Example: The Longhorn Grill, server

2. Consider your responsibilities on an average day, and list 3 – 5 action verbs
from the list included in this book for each that show the skills you used.

3. For each verb, ask yourself what you did and how you did it.
Example: coordinated dinner service; trained 6 new hires

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4. Think about the impact you made for the organization or the customer – the
“so what” of what you did. Include those results in your statements. Use
numbers anywhere you can to communicate the scope of your work.

Your accomplishment statements should be 1 – 3 lines long. It’s hard to
communicate impact in only 1 line, and employers aren’t interested in a task
list. They want to know what you accomplished.

Example: Coordinated dinner service for restaurant that served up to 500
customers/night with 5 other servers; Trained 6 new hires in policies and
procedures and customer-service strategies; all 6 successfully completed
training and began working independently in 2 weeks

Organize Your Resume

Now that you have a list of your experiences with some accomplishment
statements, you can begin organizing your resume in the following categories.

Heading (Contact Information)
This includes your full name, permanent and/or school address, Indiana University
email, phone number for a phone you answer (be sure your voicemail is a
professional-sounding message), personal LinkedIn URL. You will use this heading
for your cover letters, references sheet, thank you letters, and any other written
correspondence.

Education
Indiana University will be the first school listed. Include school name (The O’Neill
School for Public and Environmental Affairs), location, degree (spell out
completely), graduation date (month and year – do not include “anticipated”), GPA,
major(s), and minor(s). You may include coursework and any honors. Freshman can
include high school information, but that should go away by sophomore year.

Experience
For your general resume, this section includes any work you were paid to do. Include
organization name, location, your title, the dates you were employed (month and
year only, you do not need to include the day). Each position you list should have 2 –
5 accomplishment statements. When you create tailored resumes, you will create

High-Impact Applications

section headings that will market specific competencies you wish to highlight. For
example, “Research Experience,” “Project Management Experience,” “Human
Resources Experience,” etc.

Activities
This section is formatted just like the Experience section but includes volunteer
work and positions you were not paid to do (for example, leading a student
organization). When you create your tailored resume, these positions will be
combined with your paid experiences to provide a full view of your demonstrated
experience with a specific competency. For example, you can manage a budget for a
student organization and help manage a budget in a part-time job. Both of those
experiences can show an employer your level of performance and accomplishment
with that skill.

Interests
This section is completely optional. The purpose of this section is to provide a more
well-rounded view of yourself to an employer. If you choose to include it, don’t
provide generic information. Many students will include things like: hiking, reading,
basketball. That doesn’t provide much for the employer to ask you about. Instead,
consider something like: Hiking the Appalachian Trail (through-hike summer 2019),
science fiction novels, Hoosier basketball.

Saving Your Document
Always save your resume as a pdf file with your first and last name in the file name.
If you submit a Word document to an employer, there is a good chance it will be
distorted when they open it on their computer.

VMock, a 24/7 virtual resume assistant,

Provides instant tailored feedback based on the O’Neill School standards and
employer criteria. VMock can even identify careers that fit you best and provide
actionable recommendations that strengthen your candidacy.

Now that you have your first draft ready, visit the Career Hub website to access
VMock and make your draft even better.

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Accomplishment (STAR) Stories and High Impact Resumes

Brainstorm accomplishments from your academic and professional experiences. Consider
the questions below to help you pinpoint accomplishments from your responsibilities. Ask
yourself these questions for each experience on your resume:
What are you most proud of in this job? How has the organization benefited from your
performance? How did you/will you leave this employer better off than before you worked
there? Did you take the initiative? How did you go above and beyond what was asked of you
in your job description? How did you do the job better than anyone else did or than anyone
else could have done? Were you promoted? Did you win any awards?

What tangible evidence do you have of accomplishments -- publications you've produced,
products you've developed, software applications you've written?

How did you contribute to this employer's profitability, such as through sales increase
percentages? How have you helped your employer to make money? How did you contribute
to operational efficiency in this job? How did you help this employer or a part of the
organization to save money, save time, or make work easier? How did you contribute to
productivity, such as through successfully motivating your team?

How did you build relationships or image with internal and/or external constituencies? How
did you attract new customers or retain existing ones?

How did you help the organization fulfill its mission statement? How did you solve one or more
specific problems in this job? What were the problems or challenges that you or the
organization faced? What did you do to overcome the problems?

Telling Your Story

Relating your accomplishments in a concise way is important throughout the job search
process. A framework called STAR will help you be succinct and impactful when you tell your
story, providing a result each time.
S stands for the situation. This is where you provide a very high-level overview of the scenario.
T stands for the task you were assigned or took the initiative to solve. In other words, describe
in one sentence what made the situation a challenge.
A stands for the actions you took. Focus on what you did, rather than general “we” or “the
team” or “my group” statements.
R stands for results. This would be the quantifiable outcomes (the “so what?”) of the steps
you took to resolve the situation and challenge.

High-Impact Applications

An example of a STAR response is:

While working on a time-sensitive client project, I found the printer was jammed. I
first reloaded the paper bins and followed the printer’s error instructions and
within minutes the printer was back online. Not only was my report in the queue
but so were several other jobs. The final client report was proofed and delivered
ahead of schedule and I was able to deliver the other print jobs to their owners to
keep their workflow on track as well.

Use the following space to write down some of your accomplishments and practice
turning them into STAR stories.

1. Accomplishment:
ST

A

R

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2. Accomplishment:
ST
A
R

3. Accomplishment:
ST
A
R

High-Impact Applications

High Impact Resumes

You must tailor your resume for each employer and position you apply to. Take the
accomplishment STAR stories you created, and incorporate language from the job
posting where you can. By using the employer’s own language, you will help them
see you as “the candidate” for their open position.

How to Deconstruct a Job Description

An important part of the internship/job search process is being able to interpret the
description. The best way to fully understand a position description is to take
several minutes to deconstruct and analyze it.

Step 1: Position Title
• The position title can sometimes give you a sense of what the internship/job
will entail. For example: Software Engineer, Social Media Coordinator, or
Health Educator.
• If the title is ambiguous or unclear, do some further investigating to get a
better idea of the position. You do not want to judge or be discouraged by a
position solely on its title.

Step 2: Responsibilities/Duties
• These include the daily functions and projects associated with the position.
For example: coordinate monthly meetings, analyze laboratory samples, or
provide operational support of databases.
• Carefully read over the responsibilities of the position and highlight/circle the
important details.

Step 3: Skills and Abilities
• These often refer to the skill set an employer is looking for in an ideal
candidate. For example: the ability to work both independently and with a
team, excellent written and communication skills, or being detail-oriented.
• Think about your past work experiences, as well as class projects, clubs and
organizations you belong to, and any volunteer experience you may have. It is
likely you have gained applicable skills through your experiences that align
with the position.

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Step 4: Qualifications
• Qualifications usually include the specific educational requirements (e.g.,
Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree) and the number of years of experience
in the related field (e.g., one to three years of marketing experience,
knowledge in a classroom setting). Specific licenses and courses can also be
included in the qualifications section.
• Pay close attention to the first few qualifications listed in the description.
Employers often list the most important first.

Step 5: Analyzing the Internship/Job Description
• Now that you have carefully reviewed the position description, think about
how your experiences and education match up.
• On sheet of paper, make two columns. In one column, list the position’s
responsibilities, skills, and qualifications. In the other column, detail how you
meet each of the three components. Keep in mind that not all positions will
have the same sections.
• Do not panic if you do not have experience in every area. Remember years of
experience can include internships, academic work, etc. If you meet at least
75% of what the employer is looking for, you are a competitive
candidate!

High-Impact Applications

Writing High Impact Resumes

The trick to writing a high impact resume is using the employer’s own language so
that they see their needs reflected in what you have already accomplished. Never,
ever lie about what you have accomplished; you are simply exchanging your words
for the employer’s language on your resume where it fits. If you don’t, you will be
submitting a generic resume (one that you could send to any employer) instead of a
high impact one.

High Impact Accomplishment Statements
Resume statements need to explain the “so what” of your work for the employer –
why is what you listed important for them to know? To answer the “so what”, take
your accomplishment STAR stories and rewrite them into accomplishment
statements with the following formula:

ACTION + SITUATION/TASK + RESULT
1. For each accomplishment statement, replace the “ACTION” with an action

verb from the job posting.
2. Use at least 1 keyword from the job posting in the SITUATION/TASK portion

of the statement.
3. End with a strong, verifiable result that is relevant to the

position/organization. Verifiable results are achievement-oriented, contain
numbers whenever you can provide them, and demonstrate impact.

Job Posting Example:
Contribute to the articulation of product and technical strategy to key business
partners during product development and requirement sessions. Work
effectively across business areas by building and leveraging strong
relationships. Identify and mobilize cross-functional support required to
achieve business objectives, including areas of tactical and strategic support.
Create and manage detailed project plans to track product development and
commercialization. Manage multiple competing products/projects with
effective prioritization and eye for detail. Product management responsibilities
may include management of exception process, execution of product
refreshes or product compliance, updating and review of marketing materials,
fielding of product questions, pulling of product data, and being SMEs on
product support systems and flows. Take full accountability for end result,
serve as product expert, and leverage all resources available to achieve
objectives.

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Original Statements:
• Interfaced with other departments to ensure proper data collection,
information dissemination, and financial management activities
• Develop and implement quarterly and annual strategic plans that support
business plans

High Impact Statements
• Mobilized cross-functional teams to ensure tactical and strategic support of
business objectives were met; achieved 28% increase in patient satisfaction
scores
• Articulated quarterly and annual project strategy to key business partners,
successfully converting strategy into implementation plans; notably
improved quality and productivity through detailed project plans and training,
prioritized goal setting, and incentives as project SME

High-Impact Applications

High-Impact Resume Preparation Worksheet

Organization Name: Position Title:

Organization Facts/Research:
•
•
•
•
•

Key Words:

Desired Skills from Job Posting Your Relevant Experiences
1. •
•
2. •

3. •
•
4. •

•
•
•

•
•
•

Tailored Experience Header Ideas (example: Project Management Experience;
Financial Management Experience, etc.):

•
•
•
•
•

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Resume Action Verbs • Streamlined
• Strengthened
Source: Muse.com • Updated
• Upgraded
You Led a Project • Transformed
If you were in charge of a project or initiative
from start to finish, skip “led” and instead try: You Manage a Team
Show what an inspirational leader you were,
• Chaired with terms like:
• Controlled
• Coordinated • Aligned
• Executed • Cultivated
• Headed • Directed
• Operated • Enabled
• Orchestrated • Facilitated
• Organized • Fostered
• Oversaw • Guided
• Planned • Hired
• Produced • Inspired
• Programmed • Mentored
• Mobilized
You Envisioned and Brought a Project to • Motivated
Life • Recruited
And if you actually developed, created, or • Regulated
introduced that project into your company? • Shaped
Try: • Supervised
• Taught
• Administered • Trained
• Built • Unified
• Charted • United
• Created
• Designed You Brought in Partners, Funding, or
• Developed Resources
• Devised Were you “responsible for” a great new
• Founded partner, sponsor, or source of funding? Try:
• Engineered
• Established • Acquired
• Formalized • Forged
• Formed • Navigated
• Formulated • Negotiated
• Implemented
• Incorporated
• Initiated
• Instituted

High-Impact Applications

• Partnered • Amplified
• Secured • Boosted
• Capitalized
You Achieved Something • Delivered
Did you hit your goals? Win a coveted • Enhanced
department award? Don’t forget to include • Expanded
that on your resume, with words like: • Expedited
• Furthered
• Attained • Gained
• Awarded • Generated
• Completed • Improved
• Demonstrated • Lifted
• Earned • Maximized
• Exceeded • Outpaced
• Outperformed • Stimulated
• Reached • Sustained
• Showcased
• Succeeded You Changed or Improved Something
• Surpassed Talk about the amazing changes you made at
• Targeted your office with these words:

You Saved the Company Time or Money • Clarified
Hiring managers love candidates who’ve • Converted
helped a team operate more efficiently or • Customized
cost-effectively. • Influenced
• Integrated
• Conserved • Merged
• Consolidated • Modified
• Decreased • Overhauled
• Deducted • Redesigned
• Diagnosed • Refined
• Lessened • Refocused
• Reconciled • Rehabilitated
• Reduced • Remodeled
• Yielded • Reorganized
You Increased Efficiency, Sales, Revenue, • Replaced
or Customer Satisfaction • Restructured
If you can show that your work boosted the • Revamped
company’s numbers in some way, you’re • Revitalized
bound to impress. In these cases, consider: • Simplified
• Standardized
• Accelerated
• Achieved
• Advanced

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You Supported Customers You Wrote or Communicated
Because manning the phones or answering Was writing, speaking, lobbying, or otherwise
questions really means you’re advising communicating part of your gig:
customers and meeting their needs, use:
• Authored
• Advised • Briefed
• Advocated • Campaigned
• Arbitrated • Co-authored
• Coached • Composed
• Consulted • Conveyed
• Educated • Convinced
• Fielded • Corresponded
• Informed • Counseled
• Resolved • Critiqued
• Defined
You Were a Research Machine • Documented
Did your job include research, analysis, or • Edited
fact-finding? Mix up your verbiage with these • Illustrated
words: • Lobbied
• Persuaded
• Analyzed • Promoted
• Assembled • Publicized
• Assessed • Reviewed
• Audited
• Calculated •
• Discovered You Oversaw or Regulated
• Evaluated Whether you enforced protocol or managed
• Examined your department’s requests, describe what
• Explored you really did, better, with these words:
• Forecasted
• Identified • Authorized
• Interpreted • Blocked
• Investigated • Delegated
• Mapped • Dispatched
• Measured • Enforced
• Qualified • Ensured
• Quantified • Inspected
• Surveyed • Itemized
• Tested • Monitored

High-Impact Applications

Cover Letters

High-Impact Cover Letters Overview

Write a tailored cover letter for each and every opportunity you apply to – whether
one is required or not. Not only is it a great exercise for you to articulate how you are
relevant to the position and organization, but it is not uncommon for hiring
committees to go back to the cover letters when they are trying to make decision
between their final two candidates. The effort you put into demonstrating your
mission alignment, what you can accomplish for them, and the impact you can make
together will serve you well throughout the hiring process.
Each letter must be tailored to the position and align with the organization’s culture
and requirements for the role. Use the organization’s language by incorporating key
words and expressions you identified when you deconstructed the job posting and in
your research.

Visit the Career Studio for assistance developing your letter. Always get feedback
on your letter and tailored resume before you send it.

Keep your cover letter to 1 page, using a left-justified, business letter format.
Include the following sections:

Heading
Use your resume header so that your materials are branded. Put the date
underneath the header.

Employer’s Address
Include the name, title, organization and address of the person you’re writing.

Salutation/Greeting
Always address your letter to a specific person. Ask your contact inside the
organization who would be appropriate or use LinkedIn searches or the
organization website to find a proper name. If you absolutely cannot find a

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name, use “Dear Hiring Committee” or “Dear Hiring Manager” – do not use
“To whom it may concern.”

Introductory Paragraph (1st paragraph)
Use this paragraph to introduce yourself and state the position you are
applying for, and why this position/organization is exciting to you.
Immediately show the readers your mission alignment to grab their attention
and encourage them to continue reading. Include the name of your contact
inside the organization here or mention the name of the recruiter you spoke
with on campus.

Body Paragraphs (2nd and 3rd paragraphs)
This section is all about what you can do for them – DO NOT TELL THEM
HOW THE POSITION WOULD BE GREAT FOR YOU. They know that, and the
same is true for every applicant. Your focus is on how you can help them with
their pain points (the problems the person in this position will manage).

• Describe what you offer the employer in terms of experience, past
accomplishments, and work you’ve already done that aligns you with
their mission.

• Provide specific examples of how you when you’ve demonstrated the
skills the position requires.

• Identify common ground between you and the employer – values and
traits that you both share.

• Show your research by incorporating one of their current projects, a
recent news article about them, any developments or trends in the
industry, etc. in your letter.

• Even though this is a formal letter, you can use bullet points, bolding, or
indentation to make your points easier for the readers to scan.

• Consider using the 2nd paragraph to demonstrate your fit with the
functional role (the position) and the 3rd paragraph to show your fit
with the organization.

Final Paragraph (Closing)
Thank the employer for their consideration of your application. Restate your
interest in the organization and position, remind them of how you are
mission-aligned, and state how you would be able to help them make a
greater impact toward that mission. Request an opportunity to discuss the

High-Impact Applications

position in an interview (Example: I hope to further discuss the contributions
I would make to your team in an interview). If the organization isn’t in your
immediate area, let them know if you have upcoming plans to visit the area.

High-Impact Cover Letters: Practice

Develop a draft of a cover letter for a position you want to apply to – even if one is
not required as part of the application. Highlight your strengths and demonstrate
your fit with the organization.
Your cover letters must:

• Focus on how you will serve the employer and address their pain points; NOT
how the opportunity will be good for you

• Use the header from your resume to create a branded look
• Be concise: 1-page, 3 – 5 paragraphs of about 4 sentences each
• Introduce you in the context of the role you are applying for
• Be written in a respectful tone, allowing your personal professional voice to

come through
• Demonstrate your enthusiasm, high level of interest, and knowledge of the

role and organization
• Serve as initial preparation for the interview

Position: Organization:

Key Words and Expressions to Include:

I. Introductory Paragraph – Mission Alignment
• Clearly state the position you are applying for.
• Demonstrate why you are ideally suited for this role in this organization – how
you are already working toward the same mission as the organization?
• Why do you want to work for this particular organization? Why should they
hire you?

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II. Paragraphs 2 – 3 – What Can You Do For Them?
• Organizations hire because they need something done; how will you address
their pain points?
• Illustrate achievements relevant to those pain points.

III. Final Paragraph – The Impact You Will Make
• Tell them again (but do not repeat the same language from opening) why you
are the person they need in this role – you will help make a greater impact in
their work.
• Thank them for their consideration.
• Provide your contact information (we want them to find it easily)

High-Impact Applications

IV. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread
Bring your tailored resume and cover letter to the Career Studio so a team member
can read both to gauge consistency between the documents, authenticity of your
voice, and check for any errors or lack of clarity.

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Interviewing

The STAR Format for Behavior Based Interview Questions

Use the STAR framework to make sure you answer interview questions completely
and in a way that shows your value-add to the employer.

Situation:
Think of a situation that will help you demonstrate your answer. Don’t spend a
lot of time with this part of your answer, quickly establish the
who, what, where, when and how for the story you are about to tell.

Task:
Describe what needed to happen in the situation. Again, be brief with this, but
be sure to highlight any specifics that will be meaningful to the outcome, and
especially note any challenges associated with the task.

Action:
The interviewer is interested in hearing what you did. Acknowledge if you
were part of a team, but your answer should focus on how you completed the
task you were assigned.

Result:
The result is arguably the most important part of your STAR response but is
often the part people forget to include. Be sure you share what the outcome
of the situation was – even if it was not necessarily what you hoped for – and
how you specifically contributed to that outcome. If it was not what you
expected or planned, what did you learn from it? What will you do differently
next time? What did you accomplish?

Before every interview, sit down with 30 – 50 behavior based interview questions
and develop STARs that are relevant to the organization and the position. As you
develop your STARs consider the questions behind the questions – what are the
interviewers really trying to learn about you? Address those questions in your
answer too. If you do this, you will go into the interview confident, prepared, and
ready to have a conversation with the interviewers.

Interviewing

I. Some Common Behavior Based Questions

1. "Tell me about the toughest decision you've had to make in the past six
months."

Interviewers want to evaluate your ability to reason, your judgement, and problem-
solving abilities.

Common Mistake: Not having an answer. Everyone makes decisions, and not all of
them are easy. The STAR you share could be making the decision to pursue your
graduate degree to managing a difficult client at your internship.

Competitive Answer: Demonstrate how you used data to make a decision for a
professional or class project. Every organization needs people who can make data-
based decisions. If you are able to balance the organization or group outcome with
interpersonal considerations (how the decision would affect other team members
for example), it is even stronger.

2. "Tell me about a major mistake you made, and what you did to correct it."
Everyone makes mistakes, how you manage them after is what is interesting to the
interviewers.

Common Mistake: "I really can't think of anything." or "I do everything I can to
double-check my work and ensure I don't make mistakes." Either of these types of
answers shows the interviewer that you will not be an effective team member. If you
don’t take responsibility for yourself, your team is going to have to carry you and
any mistakes you make.

Competitive Answer: Share an honest example of a mistake you made, take
responsibility for it (do not say it happened because of someone else), tell them how
you worked to correct it, and then took steps to make sure it didn’t happen again.

3. "Tell me about the last time a customer or co-worker got upset with you."
This question is obviously asked to gauge your interpersonal skills and how you
manage conflict. It also assesses your empathy – do you understand why they were

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upset, your ability to negotiate a satisfactory resolution with the person, and/or
demonstrate your ability to know when to escalate a situation to your supervisor.

Common Mistake: The interviewee describes how unreasonable the person or
situation was and does not take any responsibility for correcting the situation. They
put their feelings about how they were treated before the well-being of the
organization or project.

Competitive Answer: The interviewee focuses on how they addressed and fixed the
problem, not on who was to blame. Organizations want to hire solutions-oriented
team members and leaders who put the well-being of the organization first. It’s not
that you should expect to be mistreated by anyone when you are working, but you
should be able to prioritize a positive outcome for the organization in most
situations.

II. Practice

Develop STARs for the following questions. Remember to think about the hidden
questions interviewers are asking with each one.

1. Have you ever gone above and beyond to help a customer? What did you do?

Hidden Questions:

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2. Tell me about a time when you had to fight for an idea at work.

Hidden Questions:

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Interviewing

3. Talk about a time where you had to make an important decision quickly. What
did you decide? What were the results?

Hidden Questions:

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4. Have you ever been in a business situation that was ethically questionable?
What did you do?

Hidden Questions:

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5. Have you ever had a project that had to change drastically while it was in
progress? Why? How did you do it?

Hidden Questions:

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6. Tell me about a major setback you’ve had. How did you deal with it?

Hidden Questions:

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7. What have you done when colleagues have been stressed out by a project?

Hidden Questions:

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8. Have you ever had to defend a customer’s point of view to your manager?
What did you do? Why?

Hidden Questions:

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Interviewing

9. Talk about a time when you’ve had to sell an idea to your colleagues.

Hidden Questions:

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10. Tell me about a problem you solved in a creative way.

Hidden Questions:

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