information architecture report · information architecture a proposal for design and revision...

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CPDC Success Guides and Information Architecture

A proposal for design and revision

Amanda Hicks | Caroline Liu | Alli Russell | Lindsay Westervelt

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Contents

Executive Summary 3

Website Architecture

Data Analysis 4

User Personas 4 Card Sort 9 Think-Aloud Protocol 10

Revision Plan 12

Success Guides 14

Conclusion 15

Appendix

Mock Layout Figures 16 Success Guides 19

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Executive Summary In#September#2015,#the#Career#and#Professional#Development#Center#(CPDC)#began#the#process#of#redesigning#their#website.#Recognizing#that#their#site#was#outdated#and#basic,#the#CPDC#sought#to#modernize#many#of#its#features,#including#the#Career#Success#Guides#page.#In#its#current#state,#the#page#is#broken#up#into#many#categories#with#guides#that#offer#users#tips#and#advice#for#their#relevant#career#process#scenarios.#To#revamp#the#page,#the#CPDC#asked#the#graduate#Professional#Writing#class#to#review#the#center’s#Success#Guides#and#make#them#more#effective#for#the#student#population.###When#our#group#started#working#on#this#project,#we#were#immediately#faced#with#a#number#of#problems:##

•! The#Career#Success#Guides#page#is#hard#to#find.#•! The#sections#of#the#page#are#illogical#and#vague.#•! The#guides#themselves#are#unorganized,#and#their#visual#hierarchy#is#counterintuitive.#•! The# content# is# not# focused# on# the# user# and# often# distracts# users# from# their# original#

intention.##To#better#understand#these#problems#and#find#solutions#that#would#benefit#anyone#who#used#the#site,#we#created#user#personas#and#went# through# the# steps#a#user#would# take#given#a# specific#scenario#and#personality.#We#then#went#a#step#further#and#participated#in#a#card#sorting#activity#to# determine#what# kinds# of# categories# a# user#might# anticipate#when# given# its# subject#matter.#Finally,#we#conducted#a#thinkNaloud#protocol#activity#to#see#how#different#kinds#of#users#navigate#the#CPDC#website#to#find#the#Success#Guides#and#other#related#information.##In#each#of#our#studies,#we#found#that#users#experience#great#difficulty#while#using#the#website#and#the# guides.# While# most# of# our# group,# our# class,# and# other# participants# eventually# found# the#information#that#they#were#looking#for,#the#process#involved#numerous#steps#and#took#minutes#longer#than#they#should#have.#Ultimately,#we#found#that#the#page’s#vague#language#and#lack#of#organization#or#hierarchy#inhibited#users#from#using#the#website#effectively.#Furthermore,#because#the# website# prevents# users# from# finding# the# Success# Guides,# the# guides# themselves# become#irrelevant.##Based#on#these#findings,#we#propose#using#the#current#architecture#and#building#onto#it#in#three#important#ways:#altering#the#sidebar#links#throughout#the#website,#including#the#Success#Guides#within#each#section#of#the#website#based#on#relevance,#and#renaming#and#revising#the#sidebar#tabs#and#the#guides.#In#addition,#we#encourage#the#CPDC#to#revise#the#Success#Guides#by#organizing#content# based# on# importance# and#making# the# content# clear# and# unified# with# “youNcentered”#language.#We#believe#that#these#changes#will#make#the#website#and#guides#more#engaging#and#userNfriendly.#

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Website Architecture Although our initial purpose in this project was to analyze and revise the content and layout of the individual success guides, we have identified issues with the CPDC website that we would like to address. Currently, the location of the success guides is hard to find, and they have little connection to other relevant sections. To better understand how users understand and use the website, we created user personas, took part in a card sorting activity, and asked volunteers to participate in a think-aloud protocol activity to gather data. Our findings show that users experience a considerable amount of difficulty while trying to access the success guides. Based on these findings, we propose integrating the success guides into the already existent architecture of the main pages and sidebars to make the guides more accessible to users.

Data Analysis In our study of the website, we implemented a few key tests: user persona testing, a card sorting activity, and think-aloud protocol. User Personas Our first step in understanding how users navigate the website was creating user personas. These fictional profiles and scenarios demonstrate the paths and steps that users take when trying to find the success guides. Below are the four user personas that we created and their simulated experiences with the CPDC website and success guides.

Name: Ellie Hartman Gender: Female Age: 18 About Ellie: Ellie is a high school senior from rural North Carolina who has just received her acceptance letter from Carnegie Mellon. She is incredibly eager about her move to Pittsburgh, as

she is a first generation college student and has never been so far away from home. While at CMU, she wants to study theater, hoping to eventually be on Broadway. But coming from a working class background, Ellie must be able to provide for herself while she is away at school. Because of that, she is interested in learning more about employment opportunities on campus. She received information about the CPDC in her

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welcome packet from CMU and noticed that they have a website, which should specify what information she needs. Being a first generation college student, Ellie hopes that the information about campus jobs is easily accessible and easy to understand so that she is fully prepared before she moves on campus. Her Experience with the Website and Success Guides: Starting from the CPDC homepage, she first scans the sidebar and finds a link to “Student Employment.” On this page, there is a short block of text with a link to a complete list of hourly student positions and standard summaries of those positions. This link doesn’t lead her to a list, but to another webpage with three other links: Information for Students with Hourly Positions, Information for Students with Non-Hourly Positions, and My Workday Toolkit for Students. Following either of the first two links leads to a page detailing various pieces of information for students who are already employed. She goes back to the Student Employment page and finally notices the sidebar links. She clicks on the link for Recently Admitted Students, which has all of the information that she’s looking for. Because the sidebar information isn’t what a user would necessarily seek out first, her attention was drawn to the short block of text within the body of the webpage. If there were some indication of additional information being available in the sidebar, there wouldn’t be as many roadblocks.

Name: Rachel Green Gender: Female Age: 20 About Rachel: Rachel is a junior in the civil and environmental engineering department at CMU. She is beginning to seek out a summer internship and wants to consult the CPDC for Help. She is getting an early start on the process because she

wants to ensure that she can find an internship opportunity close to her hometown. Because she is a little early in the process, she is not super invested in finding the information she needs, so she will be quick to give up if the success guides she wants are not quickly and easily accessible. Her Experience with the Website and Success Guides: After opening the CPDC website, she immediately clicks the link for “Jobs and Internships.” It offers one page of resources, including TartanTrak, Glassdoor, and CMU’s alumni directory. It also suggests a meeting with a career consultant. None of these are bad options, but they are also things that

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Rachel would have considered already. The page does nothing to expand the reader’s schema; it offers no new knowledge. She then selects “Career Preparation.” This page is not inviting or aesthetically pleasing. Nothing stands out as being particularly helpful or enticing. When confronted with this page, Rachel would probably decide to postpone her internship search for another day. However, let’s suppose Rachel does make it to the success guides page. She clicks on the success guide called “Internship Searching.” If Rachel is satisficing, she will likely skim to the middle of the page and follow the links to the various internship/job databases without bothering to read any of the preceding tips or the timeline. All of it is helpful information, but since it isn’t what she is looking for directly, she probably won’t care. This success guide never uses the scenario principle, and thus remains sort of impersonal. Rachel would not be able to look at this document and see it as a tool specialized for her use. She would only see a stockpile of information, most of which she would feel fit to disregard. This document attempts to impart a schema by organizing with bullet points and a timeline, but it instead feels segmented. Perhaps if the timeline spanned the entire document and the beginning and middle sections were incorporated into the proper sections of the timeline, the document would feel more fluid. It would also provide Rachel with a schema that she could incorporate to her internship search.

Name: Maria McCormick Gender: Female Age: 21 About Maria: Maria McCormick is a senior at CMU. She is looking for job opportunities for when she graduates and would like to attend the fall career fair. However, during her

freshman and sophomore years, she went to a different university, and that school had a very off-putting career center that didn’t announce events or help students prepare for them. Maria is also very shy and not good at public-speaking, so she doesn’t know how to approach recruiters or what to say to them when she does. She is also a visual learner, so she needs something that will help guide her through the process and teach her how to create a good pitch. Her Experience with the Website and Success Guides: When Maria goes onto the CPDC website, the first thing she notices is that there are a lot of options on the sidebar. Luckily, knowing specifically what she wants to find, Maria can limit her options to “Video

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Resources,” “Career Preparation,” “Schedule an Appointment,” and “Find Workshops and Events.” However, since the Maria is shy, she doesn’t want to schedule an appointment right away, so she starts with the other options. The first thing Maria chooses is “Video Resources.” When she clicks on the link and follows it to the resource page, she finds another link in the middle of the page called “Career Fair Tips.” There are two videos listed, one about what recruiters look for and one about how students prepare. While those are both good resources, they don’t give Maria the how-to information she wants to know and subsequently make Maria more nervous about going to the fair. Frustrated and nervous, Maria returns to the home page and tries the “Career Preparation” link. Again, Maria doesn’t see many options, but she notices a link to the “Career Success Guides.” By clicking on it, she’s led to a page with an overwhelming amount of options, one of which is “Job Fairs.” There she finds “Elevator Pitch Examples” and tips for making one. Now, Maria has templates to go off of and advice to remember, but she still doesn’t know what information she should include in her pitch or how to phrase it in the best possible way. So Maria goes looking for more help back on the CPDC home page, thinking that maybe she can find a workshop that will give her step-by-step instructions. On the workshop page, she opens the drop-down list of upcoming workshops and finds one called “Career Fair Prep + Pitch Practice = Success.” In the description, she sees that the workshop covers how to prepare for the fair in detail during the first half of the workshop and how to work on the elevator pitch during the second half. Though Maria ultimately finds what she wanted, she had to go through a long process to find it and still has to go and participate with others to learn how to perfect her pitch. Also, since Maria is a visual learner, having someone tell her how to make a pitch probably won’t resonate very well with her. She’ll most likely have to seek additional help with a counselor who will repeat the process. Granted, a workshop may include papers with steps and a lot of one-on-one practice with peers, but someone like Maria should be able to find a diagram or a written step-by-step method on the website that allows her to create her individual pitch at her own pace and in a comfortable, easy-to-remember way.

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Name: Linda Gender: Female Age: 20 About Linda: Linda is a junior majoring in computer science at CMU. She is passionate about building large-scale, high-quality applications and solving real-world problems with strong technical skills. Although she works as a research assistant for a professor

in her department, she has no experience with job-hunting off campus. Now, she is looking for a summer internship, and this is her first time of using the CPDC website. Generally speaking, she is an introverted girl and is rather silent in class most of the time. She is very nervous about the inevitable interviews, so she hopes to find some advice on how to practice and prepare for the interviews. She would like to see if the site has a simulation of interviews and some detailed guidelines. Her Experience with the Website and Success Guides: Starting from the CPDC homepage, Linda clicks on “Login to TartanTrak” in the left corner and chooses the “Current Student Job Seekers.” She logs into TartanTrak, clicks the tab labeled “Resources,” and sees “Mock Interviews.” Clicking on that, she sees a tab called “Career Advice” and finds some guidelines in the “Interviews.” Overall, Linda encounters three major problems. First, she doesn’t find a simulation for interview practice. Second, the “Mock Interviews” section isn’t in an obvious location, and it’s hidden under the tab “Resources.” Third, under the title “Resources,” there are four choices, and Linda doesn’t know which contains a detailed guideline, so she needs to go through all of them.

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Card Sort Our next step was performing a card sort, which allowed us to determine how users categorize information on the CPDC website. This activity involved organizing the success guides into categories without knowing their existing categories on the CPDC website. Below is a comparison of the current types of CPDC categories with the categories generated by our team. Table 1. The data below is a representation of the categories we created during the sorting activity. They are not meant to be read straight across; they have no correlation across the table. Current CPDC Category Types

Hicks Liu Russell Westervelt

Experience Building

Internship and Career Search

Types of Jobs Student Employment

Current Undergraduate

For Alumni Preparing for Your Career/Internship

Tips Internships Internship/Career Search

Getting Started Alumni Services Resources Applying Important Skills

Graduate School/Graduate Student Resources

CPDC Information

Graduate Career Planning

Graduate

International Students

Prospective Students

Undergraduate

Planning for CMU

Information About CPDC

Internet Resources

Planning Beyond Your Undergraduate Degree

Higher Education

International Students

Interviewing Current Undergraduate

International Careers

Important Documents

Professional Development tools

International Student Resources

CPDC

Salary Information

Getting Started

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The card sort demonstrates the disparity between existing categories and the categories users might expect to see while searching for information on the CPDC website. The card sort allowed us to identify the following problems with the current categories:

•! Categories are confusing or vague. A user would not know what to expect within a category by its name alone.

•! Categories are misleading. A user would expect to find different information within a category from its name alone

•! Categories are not all-inclusive. A user would expect some success guides to appear in multiple categories because of their names.

Think-Aloud Protocol Our final step in collecting data was using “think aloud protocol” to detect issues with the architecture of Success Guides page. Think-aloud protocol has two distinct advantages. First, compared to a questionnaire, it is a higher-quality and quicker method for obtaining data. Secondly, it offers designers a chance to have face-to-face communication with their users, which leads to better decision-making and settles any debates easily. In this activity, we asked students to “think out loud” as they used the CPDC website, and then we collected and analyzed the data. Our research included a variety of students, including international students, freshmen, and graduate students. All of these students had barely used the CPDC site before. To ensure valid information during our think aloud study, we obtained a four-student sample per group. Students were chosen to represent the following groups:

•! International students •! Freshmen •! Graduate student

After we explained the instructions and provided a short demonstration, students engaged in a sample exercise to practice verbalizing their thoughts. They spoke everything that went through their minds while they completed the assigned tasks, and we took notes on what they were thinking. We gave students different tasks to complete and recorded how they behaved and thought in the process. Table 2. Interview: We asked students to find simulations of interviews and/or detailed guidelines.

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Student Group How many minutes

did the task take to complete?

How many places did participants

look?

Was the task completed?

International 1 5 8 yes International 2 3 4 no

Freshmen 1 6 8 no Freshmen 2 4 5 yes Graduate 1 5 6 yes Graduate 2 5 7 yes

Table 3. Elevator Pitch: We asked students find information on how to prepare a good pitch.

Student Group How many minutes did the task take to

complete?

How many places did

participants look?


International 1 6 8 no International 2 7 10 yes

Freshmen 1 6 8 yes Freshmen 2 4 6 yes Graduate 1 4 5 yes Graduate 2 4 6 yes

Table 4. Internship: We asked students to find guidelines for internship searching.

Student Group How many minutes did the task take to

complete?

How many places did

participants look?


International 1 7 8 yes International 2 6 12 no

Freshmen 1 6 8 yes Freshmen 2 4 10 yes Graduate 1 5 8 yes Graduate 2 4 10 yes

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Although most of the tasks were completed, the study showed us that the process takes too long. Currently, the goal of the website and the success guides is to be user-friendly, but that goes beyond the way information is expressed. In order to be user-friendly, the website must also be structured in a logical and predictable way. Based on our findings, we can determine that the website isn’t functioning the way it should.

Revision Plan The main areas for improvement lie in the architecture of the main website. As our data suggests, the current layout does not support user-friendly navigation. Specifically, users are not able to easily find the Success Guides page within the current layout. Because the Success Guides are such an important feature of the CPDC, we suggest that the page be made more easily accessible to the average user. In order to accomplish this usability, we recommend the following:

•! Alter the sidebar links of the main CPDC webpage. The sidebar is the first place a user looks, and it intuitively promotes user interaction.

•! Include the Success Guides in sidebar categories. Users will be more likely to find the appropriate success guide more easily if they are included in relevant sections.

•! Rename and revise the sections and content of the sidebar categories to match user goals and objectives.

Sidebar To achieve these objectives, we have devised a specific guideline for revision. One of the site’s strengths is the sidebar, which provides users with options for finding information. We believe that this strength can be exploited to make the CPDC website more effective by using the sidebar links to house relevant success guides. This would require a few steps:

•! Reorder the tabs based on importance and in a way that highlights how steps to careers are made,

•! Sort the guides into their most logical locations, •! Add tabs for Alumni, International Students, and Additional Resources (which

includes guides that we find vague and unrelated to other categories), •! Add subtabs to separate information and guides into more relevant sections, and

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•! Change “Resumes and Cover Letters” to “Application Process” to cover not only these documents, but also portfolios, interviewing, and presentation.

Content In addition to using the sidebar, we recommend building off of the current content architecture and making the information more relatable. This method would allow the CPDC to keep content that already exists by adding or removing the following:

•! Add to the CPDC home page. Instead of having ineffective and confusing guides about how to make the most of the center, state that information on the home page so that the user knows what to expect. This information could include a background/ or “About Us” statement on what the center does or an outline on how to use resources.

•! Add to the “Resources by College” tab. Currently, the tab offers links to the individual colleges and their resources. However, we feel that the tab should include a directory of majors and minors with descriptions. Many users who visit this page will be looking for information on what they can expect for each college, and it would be helpful to provide a list of what majors each school offers and what students can do with those majors. This would help students move in a clearer direction toward their career goals.

•! Add a specific tab for the current list of success guides. It would be beneficial to keep the list of success guides as a home. Depending on what a user needs, seeing multiple guides can be helpful, even if it isn’t ideal to have the guides in only one location.

•! Remove links in “Career Preparation” that link back to main pages. Because most of these links are available in the sidebar, the tab feels redundant and confusing.

•! Remove (Rename) sections and vague/unclear guide names. Some of the guides, like “Credential Services” and “Academic Job Search,” are misleading and confusing for users, who may look over sections and guides that they need because they didn’t know to look there.

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Success Guides When we were finally able to address the original task, we carried our concerns from the website into the guides. Once users are finally able to access these guides in a more intuitive way, they will expect the same kind of experience with the guides themselves. Currently, many of the guides contain unnecessary information that distracts users from the primary goal of the document. Others are organized in ways that frustrate users and ignore logical methods of understanding. To make the guides more user-friendly, we chose four different guides– Job Fairs, Internship Searching, Interview Tips, and Student Employment– and focused on creating a readable and intuitive layout and writing cohesive and comprehensive content.

Layout We needed to ensure that the information in each guide was organized intuitively, so before we could start revising the content, we had to address the organizational flaws that inhibit a user’s understanding. Users expect to see information represented in a visual way that establishes headings, important information, helpful cues, etc. To meet these expectations, we began by breaking information into sections we believe users can identify with. For Internship Searching and Interview Tips, this task involved dividing information into multiple guides. Both documents are text-heavy and full of information that relate to each other but deserve their own guides. For example, Internship Searching contained a timeline of events, tips for the searching process, and a large list of databases and search engines. To break up these pieces of information, we took the guide and separated it into three so that users can find information specific to their needs. For Student Employment and Job Fairs, this task meant renaming headings and sections and making them easy to jump to. Both of these documents contain how-to information, but neither of them are presented in that fashion. Job Fairs, for example, is set up like a timeline when the real goal of the document is to help users do something at different intervals surrounding a job fair. In revising this document, we created sections that specifically tell a reader what to do using “wh-” words: “How to Prepare,” “What to do While Standing in Line,” “What to do After the Fair,” etc. These sections allow users to open the guide, go directly to the section that they need, and find the information that will best help their situation.

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Content We also wanted to give each document a solid voice that would carry over into all of the other documents. At this time, the guides are very stiff and overly professional, but the point of the guides is to aid appointments or help users bypass meeting with a consultant. Therefore, we wanted these documents to have a more conversational tone that feels engaging and inviting to users. To set this tone, we first wrote each document with “you-centered” language, which addresses a user directly and makes the documents feel personal. By focusing on the user’s personal experience, the documents become more friendly and, therefore, effective. We then created a scenario introduction that shows users that the CPDC understands their mindsets and crises. This also makes the documents more individualized without having to create multiple kinds of guides. Beyond those first two steps, we revised the content based on the guides’ contexts and goals.

Conclusion By analyzing the data, we have concluded that the CPDC website information architecture is ineffective and requires revision to improve user interactions. While we know that the unanticipated revisions will take additional time to make, we believe that using the current architecture to revise the website will engage users based on familiarity. We also believe our proposed changes to the website and the Success Guides will save users time and result in more efficient user activity.

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Appendix

Figure 1. This is a mock layout of our proposed revisions. The sidebar has been altered to include new categories, and it has been reorganized to address more important categories first.

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Figure 2. In this example, we have created a mock drop-down menu that will allow users to bypass the categories home page and choose a topic or guide that fits their needs.

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Figure 3. This is the full list of sidebar tabs with their drop-down categories. The Success Guides have all been moved into their relevant category.

Mid September/

October

Attend

October/

November

Research

December/

January

Network

February

Keep Applying

February/

March

Interview

Late March

Decide or Keep Applying

April

Get Ready

May - August

Work

Career and Professional Development Center

Internship TimelineCPDC Success Guide:

September

Prepare• Write a Resume and have it reviewed by your Career Consultant

• Attend on-campus job fairs• Attend relevant Career and Professional Development Center seminars• Decide what you want in an internship in terms of compensation, location, responsibilities, and experience

• Research companies to find internship programs, contacts, and deadlines• Watch TartanTRAK and apply to internship postings• Attend relevant Career and Professional Development Center seminars

• Talk to relatives, neighbors, and family friends to find internship opportunities• If you want to work near home, contact local companies to get contacts and set up informational interviews• Sign up for a mock interview on TartanTRAK

• Attend the Employment Opportunities Conference (EOC)• Continue applying for positions on TartanTRAK

• Send your resume to companies/organizations you are interested in• Be prepared: know what you want to ask and what you will be asked• Write a thank you note to everyone who interviews you

• If you receive multiple offers, consider where you want to work and begin the negotiation process• Decide which company is best for you and contact them

• If applicable, make travel plans and moving arrangements• Make sure you have all the paperwork in order, as well as anything else your employer might need or expect

• Establish excellent contacts within the company and the field for future networking• Make sure you are gaining the experience you want, and contact a supervisor if you feel you are not

• He or she can offer you the best suggestions for internships related to your interests.• Consider a mock interview to improve your interviewing skills.• Schedule an appointment early to avoid missing application deadlines.

• Read the Resume Career Success Guides Handout.• Locate resume-writing resources available in the CPDC.• Meet with your Career Consultant and have your resume critiqued.

• Explore your interests and have them assessed by your career consultant• Look through handouts, books, and websites about career options for your major.• Consider where (geographically) you might want to work.• Attend job fairs on-campus like the BOC (Business Opportunities Conference), the TOC (Technical OpportunitiesConference), and the EOC (Employment Opportunities Conference). Consider off-campus job fairs related to your interests. • Network with your parents, family, friends, professors and advisors

• Register for TartanTRAK to search for internships and to sign up for a mock interview • Use Hoovers, a database of millions of potential employers nationwide to find employers by geographic location, industry, or keyword.• Refer to your college specific website for information on recruiting and program announcements.• Attend relevant Career and Professional Development Center sponsored workshops on topics including: - Internship search strategies - Resume/cover letter writing - Job fair tips - Interviewing tips - Negotiation tips


How to Find an Internship

CPDC Success Guide:

1. Meet with your career consultant

2. Prepare your resume

3. Research the field

4. Identify opportunities at the CPDC

Need an internship to fulfill your major requirements?Want to explore your interests and gain experience in the field?Aren’t sure where to start?Here’s all you need to know to begin your internship search:

Biomedical Sciences Careers Pro-gramhttp://www.bscp.org/%5Cabout.aspThe Biomedical Science Careers Pro-gram, Inc. provides internship resourc-es for careers in biomedical sciences.

Bookjobs.comhttp://www.bookjobs.com/Internships in the publishing industry.

Carnegie Mellon Internship Data-basehttp://www.cmu.edu/career/jobs-and-internships/ - Accessed through TartanTRAKOpportunities related to many majors at Carnegie Mellon.

Going GlobalAccess through the link on the Tartan-TRAK home pageSearch for job openings and internship opportunities in countries around the world. Listings are updated daily!

INROADShttp://www.inroads.org/INROADS seeks high performing Af-rican American, Hispanic, and Native American Indian students for intern-ship opportunitieswith some of the nation's largest com-panies.

JOBCentralhttp://www.jobcentral.com/JobCentral National Employment Network is an alliance between two nonprofit associations, DirectEmploy-ers Association andNational Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), to provide job seekers in all industries and occupa-tions, entry-level tochief executive officer, valuable, up-to-date information about employment and career opportunities nationwide.

MAIP – Multicultural Advertising Internship Programhttp://www.aaaa.org/CAREERS/MAIP/Pages/default.aspxOffers 10 week paid internships at top advertising agencies (account man-agement, broadcast/print production, account planning, art direction, media planning/buying, digital/interactive technologies, copy writing, and public relations) for graduate students,seniors, or juniors in any major.

NASA Internshipshttp://www.epo.usra.edu/usrp/This program seeks rising sophomore, junior and senior students in math, computer science, and life/physical sciences.

NIH (National Institutes of Health) Research and Training Opportunitieshttp://www.nih.gov/science/Internships where students work side by side with some of the leading sci-entists and researchers in the world.

Pittsburgh Technology Council In-ternship Databasehttp://careers.pghtech.org/Local technically oriented internship opportunities.

Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Ini-tiativehttp://www.ptei.org/interior.php?pageID=61For students interested in pursuing careers in medicine, research, bioengi-neering, computer science, the natural sciences, or related fields.

REU Programs (Research Experi-ence for Undergraduate Programs)http://www.nsf.gov/funding/The National Science Foundation makes possible a number of oppor-tunities for undergraduates to join research projects each summer. A variety of opportunities exist outside of traditional science fields.

Regional Internship Center of Southwestern Pennsylvaniahttp://www.theregionalinternshipcen-ter.org/Internships in the Pittsburgh region.

SCA (Student Conservation Associ-ation)http://www.thesca.org/serve/intern-shipsSCA offers conservation internships in over 50 disciplines throughout the US. These internships are 3-12 month ex-pense-paid opportunities to preserve environmental and cultural resources.

SEO (Sponsors for Educational Op-portunity)http://www.seo-usa.org/HomeSponsors for Educational Opportunity is the nation’s premier summer intern-ship program for talented students of color leading to full-time job offers. Since its inception, SEO’s Career Pro-gram has placed nearly 4,000 Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian and NativeAmerican students in internships that lead to opportunities in exciting and rewarding careers in the most compet-itive industriesworldwide.

USA Student Jobshttps://www.usajobs.gov/Stu-dentsAndGradsOne stop portal for a variety of employment opportunities with the federal government.

Internship DatabasesCPDC Success Guide:



Student EmploymentCPDC Success Guide:

How To Access TartanTRAK

1. Go to the CPDC website and click Login to TartanTRAK. 2. Click on Current Student Job Seeker. 3. Enter your Andrew ID and password. 4.Newstudentsmustbuildtheirprofilefromthebeginning,completingallrequiredfields.Ifyouarehavingtroubleloggingontothesite,email:[email protected]

How to Find a Campus Job With TartanTRAK

How To Apply To Campus Jobs 1.Youneedaresumetoapplyforacampusjob.Ifyoudon’thaveone,refertotheResumes Success Guide or set up an appointment with a Career Consultant by following the steps here. 2.Onceyourresumeiscomplete,uploaditintheDocumentssectionofyourTartanTRAKaccount. 3. Start applying! View campus positions by clicking on “Student Employment (campus) jobs.”

Types of jobs available in TartanTRAKThere are two types of student jobs: Work-Study and Non-Work Study.

Work-Study Jobs

Ifyouapplyforfinancialaid,youareautomaticallyconsideredforFederalWork-Study.Ifyouareeligible,youwillseetheamountyouhavebeenawardedonyourfinancialaidletterandthroughyourStudentInformationOnline (SIO) on the HUB website.

Ifyouhaveawork-studyaward,youcanapplyforanyjobthatyouarequalifiedfor.TheHUBstaffcanansweranyquestionsaboutwork-studyawardsoreligibility.Theycanbecontactedat412.268.8186orattheHUBoffice,WarnerHall,Concourselevel.

Non-Work-Study Jobs

Ifyouarenoteligibleordidnotapplyforfinancialaid,youcanstillworkoncampus.Searchforjobsthat specify“AnyQualifiedStudent”or“PreferWork-Study.”

Getting Started

Beforeyourfirstdayofwork,youmustcompletethenecessaryonboardingstepstoensurethatyou’repaid. You will receive an email with a checklist of the steps you need to take once your department adds your information to Workday. All steps on the checklist must be completed promptly in order to be paid correctly.Ifyoudon’treceiveanemail,checkwithyourdepartment.

I-9 Form: Federal Employment

Eligibility VerificationStudentemployeesmustcompletetheI-9Formwithin72hoursofemployment.ThisformverifiesyouridentityandwhetheryouareeligibletoworkintheUnitedStates.Withoutit,youwillnotbeallowedtowork for CMU.

Inordertoproveyoureligibilitytowork,youmusthaveanoriginalversionofeitheryourdriver’slicense,socialsecuritycard,orpassport.

YouwillnotbepaiduntilyourI-9FormhasbeencompletedattheCMUWorksServiceCenterlocatedintheUniversityTechnologyDevelopmentCenteron4615HenryStreet.

Payment Information

AllstudentemployeesarerequiredtosubmittheirhourstobeapprovedinWorkday,whethertheyarepaidtwice a week or with hourly appointments.

You may receive your earnings through either a physical paycheck or by direct deposit into your bank account. Inordertoreceivedirectdeposit,youmustsetupyourbankaccountinformationinWorkdayviaPaymentElections before the last day of the pay schedule. Your valid Social Security Number must be in the Workday system in order for direct deposit to work.

Ifyouareemployedinmorethanoneposition,youwillreceiveONEpaycheckoradvice.Graduatestudentswho have both an hourly and monthly job will be paid twice per month.

Federal, State, and Local Withholding ElectionsYou must complete the W-4 form in order to determine the amount of federal tax being withheld from your paycheck.Ifyoudon’tcompleteaW-4,theIRSrequiresadefaultof“Singleand0,”meaningthatyouauto-maticallyclaimzeroallowances,resultinginthemaximumamountoftaxwithheld.YoucancompleteyourwithholdingelectionsonWorkdayvia“ElectronicTaxForms”ifyouhaveavalidSocialSecuritynumberinthesystem.

PAAct32requiresCarnegieMellontocollectEarnedIncomeTax(EIT)onbehalfofitsemployeesforthelocalmunicipalityinwhichtheyliveorwork,whichimpactsstudentemployees.Youarerequiredtoensuretheamount of tax being withheld is correct and that the tax is disbursed correctly according to your tax residency address.

IfyouhaveanyquestionsregardingtheonboardingstepsorusingtheWorkdaysystem,contacttheCMU-WorksServiceCenterat412.268.4600orcmu-works@andrew.cmu.edu.



Job Fair: Etiquette and Tips

CPDC Success Guide:

Tomorrow’s the career fair. It’s getting late, and you’re still awake, trying to prepare. What should you wear? What are you getting yourself into?

For you, job fairs are a good place to talk to recruiters about your qualifications. You will be able to practice your communication and interviewing skills in an informal setting. You will also learn about employment opportunities and different career fields, which will help you decide what companies and fields are good matches for you.

While some job fairs are designed for specific majors, most fairs invite recruiters looking for students from different majors and backgrounds. These recruiters come from a mix of business, technical, research, non-profit, and government organizations.

This guide will help ease you into job fair etiquette and prepare you for interacting with employ-ers and how to make the most of your time.

Table of ContentsWhat to Expect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1How to Prepare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2What to do When You Arrive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2How to Navigate the Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3What to do While Standing in Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3What to do When You Meet a Recruiter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4What to do After the Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

What to Expect

Company literature and contact information. At each table, recruiters will have piles of bro-chures, flyers, and business cards describing the company and potential job opportunities and offering contact information. This literature will help guide your talks with recruiters and give you more information to review as you start your job search and application process.

Assessment of your qualifications. Recruiters will expect you to provide a copy of your resume. They will then look it over, just as they would in an interview, to see if your qualifications meet the requirements for current positions.

A brief talk with the recruiters. Because of the many people who will be waiting to talk to recruit-ers, you will only have a few minutes to talk with them. Your discussion should include a brief over-view of yourself and your qualifications, the company in question, and the job opportunities.

Possibility of follow-up or same-day interviews. Some career fairs have a scheduled time later in the day or the following day for interviews.


How to Prepare

What to wear: Although career fairs are more informal than interviews, you will be expected to wear professional attire. o Women: slacks or a skirt and a button-up shirt or a blouse; a dress; a blazer (depending on your outfit choice); heels, wedges, or flats. o Men: slacks and a button-up or collared shirt, a blazer (optional), a tie (optional), and dress shoes

What to bring: You will need your student ID to register at tables outside of the fair. You will also need copies of your resume. o Quick tips for resumes • Assess your experiences and career goals: Is everything related? Do your experiences express the goals you have? • Individualize your resume: If you are interested in a company that is sending a recruiter to campus, tailor your resume to that company. Match your experiences and qualifications to what the company looks for in a candidate. • For more in-depth tips, see Resumes.

What to research: Before you go to the fair, read up on the companies attending. The university will provide a list before the fair (see the Career Fairs page). Look it over carefully and note the companies that interest you. Once you’ve picked out a few, look up and peruse their websites for their objectives, recent projects, and current job opportunities.

How to practice: Because employers will expect you to tell them about yourself and your qualifi-cations, you should consider practicing how to talk to them. The best way to do that is with your “elevator pitch.” This pitch should take you less than a minute, so don’t worry about fitting in every accomplishment or skill you’ve ever had. o Quick tips for elevator pitches • Provide a brief background with a few experiences that relate to what the company looks for in a candidate • Tell the recruiter what you’re interested in doing in the future • Try not to focus too much on what you want out of this opportunity. Tailor your pitch so that a recruiter can see how you would be an excellent addition to the company. • For examples of pitches, see Elevator Pitch.

What to Do When You Arrive

Sign in at designated tables. Volunteers will be stationed at a table near the fair to register you and give you a name tag. Once you’ve registered, follow any instructions for storing your bag(s).

Get an updated list of employers and job fair information. Sometimes companies will cancel at the last minute, and an updated list will tell you if a company that you are interested in did come. The list may also feature a map of the fair to help guide you, and you can pick out where the companies that you’re interested in are.


How to Navigate the FairExplore the layout. Once you go into the fair, familiarize yourself with where employers are, how tables are set up, and how long the lines are. You will feel a lot more comfortable if you know where everything is and what to expect from each table.

Budget time wisely. After you’ve explored the layout, plan out where you want to go and when you want to wait in line. If a company you’re interested in has a long line, consider going to other companies first so that you have time for more opportunities. You can always return to a compa-ny later.

What to Do While You’re Standing in Line

Study the employer’s materials. Take advantage of the company literature before you get in line, and start reading them while you wait. This will make your talks more engaging and geared toward the company.

Think about questions you want to ask. Waiting in line is a good time to consider what you don’t already know about a company. Try to stay away from questions about what the company does if you can, but if you truly don’t know something – and want to know — don’t be afraid to ask. Some questions to consider: • What positions are available? • What do those positions entail? • What are their hiring practices? • Who do you need to contact?

Network with those in line with you. Job fairs aren’t just a good place to talk to recruiters. Many of your peers will be there with you. So while you’re waiting to talk to recruiters, talk to oth-er people in line. Some topics for conversation: • Ask them what they’re interested in. You might have similar interests or learn something new. • Practice a version of your pitch with them. Talking to others about who you are and what you’re interested in will help calm your nerves and make your pitch sound more natural with recruiters. • Talk about the company you’re waiting for and/or other companies you’ve talked to. This can help you get more insight, and it can also help you make time-saving decisions if you realize that a company isn’t as interesting as you thought.

What to Do While You’re Standing in Line

Smile, offer a firm handshake, and introduce yourself. Though this isn’t a formal interview, first impressions are still important. If recruiters like you, they’re more likely to remember you and recommend you to their superiors.

Offer your resume and give the recruiter your elevator pitch. Once you’ve introduced yourself, give your short pitch and engage the recruiter in a conversation about the compa-ny. Keeping the conversation focused and direct will help save time and give both of you a chance to find out important information. (Continued on following page)


What to Do When You’re Standing In Line ContinuedAsk your questions. If the recruiter hasn’t already answered questions that you have by talking about the company, ask what questions you still have. Give the recruiter plenty of time to answer and don’t interrupt with another question because you may receive multiple answers at once.

Ask about suggested follow-up, request a business card, and thank the recruiter. If you are still interested in the company, ask how you should follow-up for more information or to apply for a position. At that point, the recruiter will most likely hand you a business card with contact infor-mation, but if that doesn’t happen, politely ask if you can have one. Before you leave, thank the recruiter for his/her time.

What to Do After the Fair

Write thank you emails. Although you’ve already thanked recruiters in person, sending a thank you email shows that you appreciate the time they spent with you and helps them remember who you are. Be specific in these emails about where and when you met. Thank them for a particular piece of advice they may have given you to help them remember you. After you’ve written the email, be sure to attach your resume so they can review your qualifications again and pass it along to the hiring manager.

Assess interactions and decide which positions interest you. Most likely, you’re not going to walk away interested in every company you talk to. Think about which conversations excited you most and whether you think those companies and/or positions would be a good match for you.

Provide any follow-up information the recruiter requested. Once you’ve decided who you’re interested in, follow the recruiter’s instructions. This might mean sending copies of your tran-script, letters of recommendation, a cover letter, and/or your resume.


How to Prepare for

an Interview

CPDC Success Guide:

Attire

Why is this important?Your professional image is an important part of the job search process, especially during the

interview process. Approximately eighty percent (80%) of the hiring decisions are impacted by

those first few moments. Because of that, you should appear polished and leave a positive first impression.

What you can do:

General Tips

Polished

Look

Women

Men

Your style should reflect the type of work or industry you’re applying to.Conservative attire is preferred.

When in doubt, wear a suit.

Pressed clothes and polished shoes

Little or no cologne/perfume

Fresh breath

Clean fingernailsNeat hair

Genuine smile

Classic suit

Sophisticated blouse

Closed toe pumps with moderate to low heel

Neatly styled or pulled back hairHosiery

Knee level hemline

Light makeup and neutral nail polishMinimal jewelry

Charcoal, navy or gray suit

White long-sleeved dress shirt

Neatly trimmed hair, mustache, and sideburns

Blazer and well-pressed trousersConservative tie

Black lace-up shoesMinimal jewelry

Black or dark socks


Self-Assessment

Why is this important?Who you are is far more important than what you can do. Knowing who you are-- your strengths

and your interests --is important, and communicating this information to the world is critical to

your career.

What you can do:Compile a list of personal strengths and past accomplishments to boost your confidence. • Experiences (travel, service, athletics)

• Academic Studies

• Activities, Clubs, & Organizations • Interests & skills • Personal Characteristics

You should evaluate your strengths and weaknesses and note which qualities you want to convey to the interviewer.

Research the Employer

Why is this important?You must understand what the company does, what they are hiring for, and what qualifications they are looking for in an employee. You can present yourself as an ideal candidate if you know that you are meeting the criteria that employers are looking for. Because of this, communication will be bet-ter and you will have a more comfortable and productive exchange. The more you know, the more confident you are likely to feel.

What you can do! • Research the employer’s website and use the Vault guides. • Attend an employer information session and speak to company representatives. For a list of campus presentations, look at “Information Sessions” under events in TartanTrak.

Prepare a list of well-researched questions for the interviewer. • Which parts of the job are most challenging?

• What do you enjoy most/least about your job?

• What tasks do you routinely perform? • Which departments/divisions do you interact with?

• How much travel is involved?

• How are new product teams formed?

• Where will the position be located?

• Will relocation be required in the future? To where? • What is the length of the training program/period?

• What is the average time to move within a particular career path?


Important Information to Research

Basic

Information

Products/

Service

Informtation

Position in

the industry

Past, current and potential growth

Size of the organizationLocation of facilities

Structure of organization

Product line

Industry

Service

Clients

Potential markets

Stock historyCompany’s main competitorsRecent news items, trends, problems

Practice Interview Techniques

Mock InterviewsBefore the interview, consider participating in a mock interview at the CPDC. During this inter-view, you and a career consultant will engage in a role-playing situation. You can do this in per-

son or arrange to have a video session. See the receptionist in the CPDC for more details.

Prep your answersInterviewers often ask the same kinds of questions. Knowing them, and your answers, can help calm your nerves and allow you to stand out.

Here are some commonly asked questions:

1. Why did you choose this career?

2. How do you think a friend, classmate, or professor who knows you well would describe you?

3. What do you consider to be your greatest strength/weakness? 4. Why should I hire you?

5. What qualifications do you have that will make you successful in this job? 6. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our organization? 7. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?

8. Do you have plans for continued study?

9. In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why?

10. Why did you decide to seek a position with our organization?


Tips for answering strongly: • Back up any statement with a specific example • Share the outcome or solution to a specific problem • Emphasize your strengths

Improper or Illegal Interview Questions There are certain topics that interviewers are not allowed to discuss. These improper topics include

age, irrelevant personal information, disability status, marital or familial status, and national origin.

If you are ever asked an improper or illegal question: • Don’t accuse the interviewer to his/her face • Do bring your concern to the Director of the CPDC.

You are good to go!

Arrive early | Bring marerials | Be confident


Interview Stages

CPDC Success Guide:

Stage One: First Impression

Stage Two: Academics

Stage Three: Experience

Topics of Conversation What Interviewers Look ForIntroduction/greeting

Small talk (weather, traffic, sports, news)Firm handshakeEye contact

Appropriate appearance and dress

Good manners

Poise

Topics of Conversation What Interviewers Look ForReasons for choice of school/major

Grades and effort required for them Special areas of interest

Courses enjoyed most or least and why

Special achievements

Value of education in career preparation High school record and SAT scores

Areas of struggle and weakness

Intellectual abilities

Depth of knowledgeRelevance of course work to career Special/general interests

Willingness to work hardCorrelation between ability and achievement

Ability to cope with problems

Topics of Conversation What Interviewers Look ForNature of jobs held

Ending level of responsibility

Duties liked most/least Supervisory experience

Relationships with co-workers

Sensible use of resources (time, energy, money)

Vitality, enthusiasm, and purposeLeadership abilities and interest in responsibility

Willingness to follow directions

Ability to get along with others

Stage Four: Activities

Topics of Conversation What Interviewers Look ForRole in extracurricular, athletic,

community and social service activities,

Personal interests (hobbies, sports,

cultural interests)

Motivation

Positive “can do” attitude Diversity of interests

Social conscience and good citizenship


Stage Five: Career Goals

Stage Six: The Organization

Stage Seven: Conclusion

Topics of Conversation What Interviewers Look ForType of work desired Immediate and long-term objectives

Interest in the organizationOther companies you’re considering Desire for future training and/or

education

Geographical preferences and

limitations

Attitude toward relocation

Health factors that might affect job

performance

Realistic knowledge of strengths and weaknessesPreparation for employment

Knowledge of opportunities

Career-oriented rather than job-oriented

knowledge of and interest in the companyWork interests in line with talents

Topics of Conversation What Interviewers Look ForOrganizational opportunities where you might fitCurrent and future projects in the

company

Major divisions/departments

Training programs, education, and other

benefits

Informed and relevant questions Indications of interest in answers

Appropriate but not excessive interest in

salary or benefits

Topics of Conversation What Interviewers Look ForFurther steps you should take (application, transcript, references)

Further steps the company will take: • How your application will be handled

• Which departments it will be sent to

• When you will be notified of the company’s decisionCordial farewell

Candidate’s attention to information as a sign of continued interest


Tips for Different Types

of Interviews

CPDC Success Guide:

Interviewing styles vary between employers and individual interviewers. To better prepare for an

interview, you should be familiar with different types of interviews. Additional information on in-

terviewing can be found on the CPDC website or in the Career Resource Center in Hunt Library.

Screening InterviewThe goal of this interview is to get the facts from a candidate by identifying relevant skills and abilities, while verifying your resume and looking for a solid potential employee. This interview style usually lasts less than one hour, and depending on the employer and location, can be

done on-campus, on site, by video, or by telephone.

Behavioral Interview

This interview is based on the idea that a student’s past behavior is useful in predicting future performance. Typical questions revolve around how a student has handled past situations where skills, abilities, and teamwork have been demonstrated. Areas might include project work, rel-evant work experiences, difficult situations, accomplishments, and leadership roles. The ques-

tions usually begin with, “Tell me about a time when you…”

Video Interview

There may be a time when you’ll be interviewed using video conferencing equipment. This equipment is used by employers to conduct screening, behavioral, and other types of inter-views. Even though the interviewer is not in the room, all noise and movement can be seen and

heard.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for this type of interview:

• Treat a video interview as seriously as any other type of interview.

• Wear dark clothing. • Do a pre-interview test shot to see how your background will look to the interviewer. • Make sure that you are sitting in a professional environment with no clutter. • Speak clearly and slowly. • Allow the interviewer to finish speaking before you respond. • Avoid fidgeting and making unnecessary movement, which can be distracting. • Smile and follow basic rules of interviewing etiquette.


Skype Interview

This type of interview is becoming more common. It is generally used to assess whether or not

you should be considered for an on-site interview.

Keep the following things in mind while preparing for or participating in a Skype interview:

• Prepare ahead of time. Be sure that you have a Skype ID and a good internet connection. Test your video and sound by having a friend call you beforehand.

• Background is important. Make sure there is nothing distracting behind you that could affect the interviewer’s impression of you. • Dress like you would at an on-site interview. • Make sure you convey appropriate body language, including good eye contact and posture.

• You can use notes during the interview, but make sure that they remain out of sight and that it isn’t obvious that you’re referring to them.

Team Interview

The purpose of this interview is to see how you perform on a team. You will either be observed

through a window or by recruiters who will stand in the back of the room. The interviewers will as-

sign you to a team and distribute projects to test each team member. This is your time to demon-

strate your leadership and show that you are a good team player. Remember, leaders are not the

bossiest person on the team; they are the people who receive ideas and suggestions as easily as

they give them. Employers want to see you engaging and participating with your team.

Telephone Interview

This interview is sometimes used as a screening interview students located in a different city or

state from the employer. It is used to assess whether or not the student should be considered for

an on-site interview.

Occasionally, students seeking internships and summer jobs are interviewed and hired using this method. (Note: See the Telephone Interviews Career Success Guide handout for more informa-

tion on this topic).

Meal Interview

This is the scariest of all interviews, with many pitfalls for the unwary! Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a social occasion by spreading gossip or your former or current employer, classmates, or professors or making indiscreet statements about your personal life. You are not being taken to eat because the interviewer wants to become better acquainted with you; they are testing you. Now is the time to practice social grace and table manners.


Group Interview

A group interview could involve several people taking turns asking questions or presenting sce-

narios for you to solve. It could also be used as a group discussion that can help determine how

you interact with other members of the group who could end up being future colleagues.

Stress Interview

You sit down, and after a few innocuous questions, the interviewer(s) will start rapidly asking you questions. The interviewer may seem angry, using harsh tones, or they might contradict and challenge everything you say. Don’t take it personally. You are being tested, and the interviewer is trying to rattle you to observe you under pressure. Rise to the challenge and respond like the cool-headed professional you are becoming.

Case Interview

This interview is the preferred method for strategic consulting firms. Typically, you will be given a scenario and asked to identify the problem and provide a resolution. This is used to assess your mental acuity. Take your time and remember that there is often more than one correct answer. Be sure to ask questions and follow the interviewer’s lead if he/she maintains that a question you are asking or a statement you are making is irrelevant to the case.

You are good to go!