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C-Legs Mentored Summer Internship Program

Webinar #3:

Meeting your Prospective Employer

PRINT THIS PRESENTATION OUT, PUT IT IN YOUR BINDER, AND USE IT TO PREPARE

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Opening Prayer

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Current Status on Assignment emails – we are almost done!

20 assignment emails sent
3 to go (Maria de la paz Salazar, Emma Figuerias, and Joseph Descher)…but expecting them soon

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Life is about setting and following priorities….so let’s discuss where C-Legs should stand in your priority list

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Let’s rate your mentor interactions…please answer this question in the chat box

#	Quality of engagement	Results
2	2+ interactions and they have begun to help me with LinkedIn, or research prep on my company, or other ways	12
1	1-2 interactions but no help offered or discussed yet	8
0	no contact at all	0

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You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression

We need to dedicate a full webinar to the topic of interviewing because you must meet the company sponsor to get a job offer
Also, some of our assignments are “hard-wired” and others are hotly competitive and in between

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There are 10 Steps you need to take to ensure Interview Success

Mike D to send you the opportunity details
Research the Company
Mike D contacts the business
Initiate contact through custom text and e-mail
Confirm the Interview
Prepare for the Interview
Conduct a Mock Interview with your mentor
Look the Part
Win the Day once you enter the place of business
Follow-up soon

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Step 1: Receive your Opportunity in a rich and detailed email with many steps to follow

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Step 2: Research the Company/Org

Familiarize yourself with the company website, their customers, solutions/services, and partners

Use a search engine to collect what info you can on the market space and competitors

Check the company’s official platforms – their Facebook and LinkedIn sites

Check them out on www.glassdoor.com as well

Find answers to these questions, document them, and then share them with your mentor

What is the Company History?
What is their Mission?
Where are they located?
What do they do or make?
Who are their customers?

Who are their competitors?
What are their biggest challenges?
What does the CEO say about the future?
What is their organizational structure?

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Step 3: Mike D will contact the business to give them a “heads up” that you will be reaching out to set up on interview

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Step 4: Initiate contact through custom text and e-mail initial prior to the interview

Start with the custom LinkedIn connect request
Then text him/her
Refer to the C-Legs program and that you understand that the assignment is tentative
Summarize your preparations to date
Ask what next steps they suggest
Indicate your availability for remote and face-to-face interaction
Have your mentor review your words if you have any doubts

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Step 5: Confirm the Interview

Follow-up with the company sponsor to suggest possible interview days/times
Ask how many people you will meet in the interview and what their roles are
Get time, date, and details down clearly
Ask if there is anything, in their mind, that you can do additionally to prepare

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Step 6: Prepare for the Interview

Develop specific examples that highlight your skills

Be prepared to support your strengths with accomplishments
Share with them how you are a Self-Starter, Quick Learner, Coachable

Prepare quality questions that show you did research…and then review them with your mentor

Send interviewers (in addition to the sponsor who you are already connected to) a custom LinkedIn invite

Predict Difficult Questions

Why do you think you can do this job?
Why is your GPA so low?
Why did you major in xxx?
Why do you want to work here?

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Step 7: Conduct a Mock Interview with your mentor

Take 30-45 minutes to do the interview using Zoom (so you can capture video feedback)

Make sure to be “in character”… Don’t be nervous, but also take the mock interview seriously

Attempt to answer the questions concisely…remember to SMILE!!

Ask your mentor to give you written feedback on improvements you can make in your style, tone, answers, and so on

Make sure that you do NOT:

Think-talk
Insert “word spacers” in your dialogue (like, ya know, ummmm)

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Step 8: Look the Part

Aim for a professional appearance

Get a haircut…no 5 o’clock shadow…teeth brushed…Mouthwash ready…Minimal cologne/perfume

There are many different work environments – (1) formal, (2) business professional; (3) Business casual, (4) casual, (5) grunge …
Ensure your clothes reflect that environment BUT that you dress “one notch above” the norm…dress “appropriately” without trying to make a fashion statement

GQ’s 10 Commandments of Style (for men)
http://howclothesshouldfit.com/ (for women)

Final Preps on the way out the door

Empty your pockets (no noisy coins, keys etc.)
No gum or candy
Bring a notepad and pen with you (and use them!)
Bring multiple copies of your resume and the role description

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Step 9: Win the Day once you enter the place of business

Pray!!
Get there early
Turn off your phone when you arrive (not vibrate)
Make a great first impression through good eye contact, a firm handshake, high energy and frequent smile

While in the interview:

Ask for the business card of each interviewer
Get the interviewer to share their experiences
DO not badmouth a previous position or employer
Confirm details on the position (duties, outputs, skills, value to the company, reporting requirements, challenges, success definition)
Recap any follow-up activities and timing
Ask for ‘next steps’ but do NOT ask “so, do I have the job?”

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Step 10: Follow-up soon

Rate your performance… write down questions you feel you could have answered better…share these with your mentor

Do a formal “debrief” with your mentor

Send a brief email the next day to everyone you met

Include any relevant detail that came up in the interview
Ask for feedback from your sponsor at the company – be ready to accept both negative and positive comments

If you do not hear from the employer by the date they specified, call your mentor and develop a Plan B and then inform Mike D

When an offer is formally extended, send a formal ‘acceptance’ e-mail and let Mike D know via e-mail or text

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This actual company interviewer feedback is offered to show you all how important it is for you to prepare and follow the C-Legs Program guidelines

Did well

Articulate – “you have a gift for communicating clearly. This is a very important skill and will help you with anything you do in life”
Showed clear understanding- “you are well beyond your years in understanding where you want to go with your life. I was very impressed with this”
Come with Challenging Questions – “the questions you asked were pretty good. I could tell you thought through them when preparing for the discussion”

Could improve

Do not delay your follow-ups. “you responded to me two weeks after we talked.I had to review my notes to remember the details of our conversation. Don’t underestimate the optics related to urgency. I would have sent this note within 24 hours of our discussion”
Think with the end in mind. “I asked you about how you would determine success after your internship. I don’t believe this was something you had thought through. Whenever you are making a decision to allocate your precious time to something, define success at the end and work backwards to determine if your time is worth the effort. You never get time back”
Take action quickly on any recommendations the interviewer gives and show them progress. “Nothing can sway an employer more than initiative and coachability. I gave you a book to read. Did you read it? If you sent me a note a week after our discussion and told me you had purchased the book and read the first few chapters and provided a few learnings I would have been very impressed.”

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Program info

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