Trials and Tribulations of Entering the“Real World”

Some Observations by

Gerry Sauermann

Fall 2005

Overview

• The Job Search The Research The Resume• The Hiring Process The Interviews The Negotiations• The Start-Up Effort What to expect• The Life thereafter Is there some?

Details

• The Job Offers

• The Research

• The Resume

• The Cover Letter

• The Interviews

• The Salary Negotiations

• Main Issues after you got an Offer

The Job Search

Before you start, contemplate your

Preferences:

The “Where” and “What”

But note, do not set the answers in

concrete. Circumstances may change!

Where are the Job -Offers

• Newspaper Ads• Journal Ads• Employment Agencies• Alumni/ae Organizations• Job Fares• Work Study Contacts• Internet• Networking (for Example “WIND”)

Research, What about the Company?

• Use the Internet, personal contacts, annual reports from the library etc.

• Find out all about their product lines • Get a feeling of their general structures• Get a feeling of their sizes• Get a feeling of their geographical distribution• Find out whether they are for non-profit • Research the Companies you would like to consider, so

you can line up your Resume with their main activities

Prepare for a Meeting or a Telephone Conversation

• Make sure you know exactly what you want to discuss

• Be aware that most likely you have to start the conversation

• Write down (for yourself) a short opening statement (about 30 sec worth)

• Memorize your statement and make sure it sounds like the spoken word; you have to sound very professional

• Be aware that some telephone conversations may be used as part of an interview – even without you knowing it!

First Tries

• If you make your first telephone call, as a starter, expect that usually people are “Not available”• DO NOT GIVE UP!• Ask when your contact will be available• If you do not get a good answer, ask for someone who will

give you the information BE POLITE BUT PERSISTENT! REMEMBER: YOU ARE THE SALESMAN SELLING YOURSELF!

What to look for when you talk to your Contact

• Do you get enough information• When needed, where can you get more details• How much does your contact know about job

openings in his organization• Did you get names and titles accurately

FINALLY:• What does this particular company do

FOR REAL

Important Hints

• Try very hard to secure a personal contact• After you know your contact, offer to send your

resume directly to him/her• Ask your contact politely to submit your resume

directly to Human Resources• Note: Human Resources gets stacks of

resumes every day• Yours has to be on top of it to warrant special

attention, or stand out of the pile

KEEP IN MIND

THERE IS NO SECOND

CHANCE

TO MAKE A GOOD FIRST

IMPRESSION

The Resume

The standard resume usually looks like this:

Name…. Address… Telephone….e-mail…… Education….. Employment History….. ……….. ……….. Additional Items……

But there is a lot wrong with this format!

What is a Resume for? REMEMBER:• The resume is your gambit in a complex

process coming to an agreement• The resume has to state as clearly as possible - what you want - what you can offer - why you, based on your education/experience, can backup your offer• The resume should also state how you expect

to fit in• Additional relevant information

What should your Resume look like?• Name, Address etc• Objective should indicate in one paragraph what kind of job

you are looking for and what kind of work you are expecting to do

(This has the purpose to start all discussions on the right note)• Areas of Experience should list in bullet form all the major areas you have worked in. Examples: - Bio-Optical System Design - Laboratory Tests of novel Concepts - Signal/Image Processing - Extensive Computer Model Design etc.

What should your Resume look like (Cont)

• Education, Institution, year and degrees• Appointments, any type of positions you were holding and

you consider relevant• Professional Associations.• Publications, Just number, no titles• Work Experience, start with most recent one and work

backwards VERY IMPORTANT: There has to be an unbroken timeline!• List of publications and references optional, can be furnished on request

Tips for your Resume

• Always use “Action Words” such as; - designed - tested - supported - developed, etc• Always use same simple font and same size

(#10). Only make headlines Bold• Always remember that all your information has

to be as clearly displayed as possible• You cannot afford to annoy your reader!

The Cover Letter

• The cover letter in many ways is as important as your resume.

• Here you have a chance to state in clear prose (assume always, that the company may take this as a writing sample!)

- why you want to work for this company - how you found out about their jobs - whom in the company you contacted (name dropping is allowed here, but make sure the person/s you name remember you!)• What your expectations are

The Interviews

• You usually have to go through three different types of interviews:

• The so called “Peer Interview”• The main interview with your future boss (or bosses) – sometimes over lunch• A presentation of your choice concerning your

work• Be prepared that these interviews are very tough

– everybody wants to find out what you know and whether you will be a good addition to the team

The Interviews (cont)

The interviewers usually do not care about grades, but • they will give you problems and see how you start to address them.• they for sure will refer back to your resume and ask detailed questions concerning your work• they also will ask you how you see yourself as a member of their team • be prepared for a tough give-and-take!• show cooperative demeanor

Tips for the Interviews

• Your attire is very important. • Remember your appearance makes a statement• It helps if you can go through mock interviews

with friends, taping your performance (you may be surprised by the results!)• There are questions which are illegal, such as

your marriage status, etc• A number of companies require US citizenship, they may ask questions about this matter • Even if you did not get the job, make a call and

thank the senior people who interviewed you

The Negotiations

• If the company will come forward with a final job offer, you will have to go through an other difficult interview with Human Resources with the purpose of:

• Negotiating your official position, salary and benefits • Be prepared to state what your expectations are• Inform yourself beforehand what the salary ranges

are for your level, education, area of work and location

• Ask for their promotion schedule in terms of salary

Main Issues after you start your Job

• At first everything is confusing• As soon as possible find out about the

inner workings – who calls the shots• What is the real chain of command• Who assigns jobs• Is there a “Matrix System”• Look around and find a mentor, who

has the influence to steer your professional career

Summary

• A job search and landing a professional job is an involved and complicated endeavor.

• It also is by itself a full-time job

• Do not feel satisfied if you did send out a few resumes and let the world come to you – it will not happen!