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2024 - 2025 School Year

Reid Grawe, Director of IS Placement

Materials compiled by:�IS Career Specialists

20-Minute Interview Prep

iscareers.byu.edu

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What’s Your Title?

The value of an internship | The Recruiting Cycle | Résumés | Cover Letters | Wrap up

Servant

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President Nelson Counsel

No identifier should displace, replace, or take priority over these three enduring designations:

- Child of God

- Child of the covenant

- Disciple of Jesus Christ

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Overview

Know Resume and “Me in 30 Seconds”
Be ready for Behavior-Based Questions
First 5 minutes: See Employer’s Website -- Do the homework

- Absorb/digest the landing/home page -- This is how they want to impress

- Take notes – Brand yourself – Can you wear their logo??

Next 5 minutes: Download the job description (and application form)

- Place side by side with your resume

- Circle strengths and box weaknesses – Think through responses

Next 5 minutes: Go Back to Website

- Drill down where the position fits into the organization

- Absorb/Digest how your position fits in with the overall mission

Last 5 minutes: Find your Inside Contact

- See LinkedIn, Alumni Site, or Call the Recruiter

- Call contact and ask: Can you tell me what it’s like to work for XYZ??

- Ask: How can I impress someone in the interview?? + others

Interviewer questions – Ask them for advice
Pray Always and Be Believing (send Thank You Notes)

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3 Things an Employer Needs to Know to Hire You

Competence (Resume)
Cultural Fit (LinkedIn)
Like-ability (LinkedIn)

So Why Do We Interview?

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#1 Know Resume/Me in 30 Seconds

Your Resume

Contact Information

Education

Experience

Skills and Achievements

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Cover Letters

The value of an internship | The Recruiting Cycle | Résumés | Cover Letters | Wrap up

First Paragraph

Exhibit excitement about the position

Explain how you heard about the position

Mention why the company is so great

Highlight two skill that their team could benefit from

Second and Third Paragraphs

Briefly discuss your two strongest skills from intro

Last Paragraph

Thank them for this opportunity

Proactive comment about contacting them within the next ten days to ensure they have all they need to make their decision.

Provide contact information should they have questions

Sincerely,

Leave “objectives” out of the resume and express them here.

Format

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#1 Closing Your “Me in 30 Seconds”

Full Name (First or Preferred First and Last Name)
Where you’re from

If you’re international student, also say how long you have been in the US for.

Deliver your passion in this format: “I do _______ because I love _______.”

“I am studying IS because_________.”
“In my last internship, I created __ that solved __ and saved the company $100,000.”

Connect the company with your passion.

“I believe this position fits me because _______.”

5. Express your interest (In a controlled way, of course)

“Who do you know that I should talk to about this?”
“I’m excited for this interview; I really want to join your team!”
“I would love to work for your company!”

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#2 Behavior-Based Questions

Already understand how to answer

Behavior-Based Interview Questions

Must know STAR

Situation Task Actions Results

pattern of response!

(S + T = P for Problem)

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#3 First five minutes: Go to Employer’s Website

Do the homework -- What is their Me in 30 seconds??
Absorb & digest the landing/home page -- This is how they want to impress
Take notes
Brand yourself – After only 5 minutes -- Can you wear their logo??

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#4 Next five minutes: Download the job description (and application form)

Place it side by side with your resume

Circle strengths and box weaknesses

Think through your responses -- If you

have no experience,

how will you answer

a question about it?

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#5 Next five minutes: Go Back to Website

Drill down to where the position fits into the organization
Absorb/Digest how your position fits in with the overall mission
Will you be a big team player or play a supporting role to the main mission?

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#6 Next five minutes: Find Inside Contact

Go to LinkedIn, Alumni Site, or Call the Recruiter to ask 5 questions
Calling will take you beyond 20 minutes --

“I want to be the best candidate”

Ask: Can you tell me what it’s like to work for XYZ??
Ask: How can I impress someone in the interview?? Do/Don’t

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#6 Stay On Target: Query your Inside Contact

Ask: What was your toughest interview question??
Ask: Is the position everything it is advertised to be??

(If you have a weakness – ask how much work is done??)

Ask: Do they really care about you and your success??

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#7 Interviewer questions – Ask them for advice

They ask you for questions at the end of the interview ?

Prepare at least two – and the first two should be in the form of asking advice

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#8 Pray Always & Be Believing

Pray Always and Be Believing

(Send Thank You Notes --

email within 24 hours)

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What is ?

Challenging, virtual mock interviews for all experience levels and dozens of industries

A comprehensive video training curriculum covering all aspects of landing a job

A database of thousands of interview questions with tips on how to answer them

The ability to rate and share your interview answers for feedback

A step-by-step interview Answer Builder for crafting answers to behavioral questions

For access visit iscareers.byu.edu -> Resources -> Interviewing

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What is ?

For access visit iscareers.byu.edu -> Resources -> Interviewing

To login, go to: https://marriottschool-byu.biginterview.com and click "Register”

USE CODE

TRUEBLUE

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Your Team

Brendan Bundy

Ella Neumarker

Traeden Overly

Tate Matley

Lily Tait

Jeff Yates