Jamie Grant – Page 3 – Penn & Beyond

I THINK I Said Yes…

by Jamie Grant, C’98 GEd ’99, Associate Director

“I think I said yes…”

At least once or twice every season, I talk with a current student or alumnus who, when discussing a verbal job offer received, somewhat hesitantly says to me, “I think….I said yes?” Have you ever, in your excitement, made a verbal commitment you weren’t quite ready to honor? If so, you’re not alone, but if you’re in the midst of a job search and do this you have given your word.

If you find yourself on the interviewing circuit for any type of role – part-time job, internship, full-time position, experienced role – and are considering multiple opportunities or are just not ready to commit, please be very, very careful with your words and phrasing when you get to that oh so important offer stage!

To get you ready, please practice with me: “Thank you so much for this offer, I am very excited about the opportunity! I would greatly appreciate some time to review the details and give this thought – when would you need to hear back from me?” By being prepared and not caught off guard in the moment of excitement, you will have the best chance to determine if this offer is your best offer!

“Remote” Interviewing

Jamie Grant, Associate Director

If you’re considering an internship or applying for full-time positions, chances are you’ll have a phone or video interview at some point in the process. Don’t worry – preparation is really not all that much different than for a face-to-face, in-person interview. Here are a few ideas to help you through, and a great on-campus resource for a quiet interview spot!:

Before the interview:

Practice – in advance of your interview, try to replicate the scenario as authentically as you can. Have a friend call you and ask you a few questions, or turn on your webcam and (if possible) record yourself answering a question or two (try InterviewStream for this- http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/interviewingadvice/practiceresources.php#InterviewStream!). This will give you ideas as to: how loud you may wish to speak; if your speech sounds clear and concise; where you should look if using a webcam to seem most natural; are you smiling appropriately and showing good posture; and other such factors.
“Dress” the part – while you can certainly conduct a phone interview in your pajamas, it may make you feel more prepared and focused to dress professionally – especially if the interviewer can see you. Do your best to understand in advance the dress code for the industry and the type of employer with whom you’ll be interviewing and choose appropriate attire (at least from the waist up!).
Check your settings – Make sure your environment is conducive to a successful interview. Do your best to ensure you’ll have relative quiet and a good connection or signal for phone conversations – if you will be home, notify housemates of your interview so they can be quiet, and try to close pets out of the room to avoid distraction. If the interviewer will be able to see you, make sure your backdrop and anything else that can be seen from your webcam is appropriate (your roommate’s unmade bed, a messy desk, or even if your back is to a window on a sunny day and your face is in shadow, may not be helpful).

During the interview:

Don’t forget to smile – even on a phone call, a smile can be heard.
Stay present during the call – remember that your interviewer over the phone can’t see a nod or know intuitively that you’re following along – try to interject some listening sounds, such as “hm” or “yes” as your interviewer speaks – this also helps to ensure both participants that your connection is working well. Avoid any distractions that could take you away from the call – instant or text messaging, or doing anything at your computer other than engaging with your interviewer (they can hear you typing!).
Don’t be afraid to help yourself – put up post-it notes, have your resume, cover letter and the job description in front of you, have your list of questions all written out or typed out on your screen.
Address any technical issues immediately – If you’re having difficulty hearing, think the connection is poor or otherwise need to make an adjustment, address it as early as possible with your interviewer – it’s simple to hang up and click off and reconnect and may reflect well on your problem solving initiative!

Need Interview Space for your Phone or Video Conference?:

Please feel free to inquire with the receptionist in our office about reserving our dedicated video/phone conference room, “Room 70,” for your interview!

For a few more tips, be sure to visit our site: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/undergrad/interviewing.html#phone

Seniors, where are you headed?

by Jamie Grant C’98 GEd’99, Associate Director

Congratulations, Class of 2015!

My colleagues and I wish you all the best of success as you prepare to step into the next phase of your life. Whether you will be continuing a job search, taking some time off, heading to graduate school or starting a full-time job, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to stay in touch with Penn!

Be sure, if you haven’t already, to update your QuakerNet profile! Please know that you can also connect with other recent graduates located near you through Penn’s Regional Networking Groups on Facebook, especially helpful if you’re relocating to a new city. Also, please don’t forget – as an alumnus, you are more than welcome to reach out to us for assistance in the future! We’d be glad to hear from you.

‘Tis the Season…for internships!

By Jamie Grant, C’98 GEd’99

Congrats to all of our current students – now that classes have ended (at least for undergrads), you’re in the home stretch! When you need a break from studying, or are just daydreaming about what summer may bring, perhaps you can send out a few internship applications to get the ball rolling!

There are some excellent resources deep within the “Jobs & Internships” section of the Career Services website that you may wish to explore. If you’re just starting out, and maybe not sure where to begin, watch the On-Demand workshop on Internship Searching. The “Listings” section will take you to a directory of resources with specific jobs to which you can apply, including a directory by field under the “Non-Penn Internships” area (fields include: Communications; Engineering – including opportunities in Scientific Research; Business; Non-Profit; and more!). There are links to Penn offices that provide opportunities and funding, resources for international internship searches (TIP – start early to go abroad!) as well as tips on how to arrange credit (dependent on School) and how to make the most of your opportunity.

Your questions not covered here? Come see us or call in! Career Services is open until mid-day on December 24th and will reopen after a short winter break on Monday, January 5, 2015.

Speak in an interview without saying a word

By Jamie Grant, C ’98, GEd ‘99

I chose psychology as my undergraduate major because so much around the subject fascinated me – study what you love, right?! One particularly interesting area of the field that can have impact on you – or, at least, your interviews – is the psychology of color. What do your apparel choices say about you – before you ever begin speaking about your interests, skills and accomplishments?

Fast Company magazine recently published an article by Stephanie Vozza, entitled “Why You Should Never Wear Orange to An Interview” as part of their category “How to be a Success at Everything” (love it!). Understanding the power of color and its implication on how others perceive you may not necessarily make up for a lack of experience or qualifications, Vozza writes, but can certainly help you make the most of your first impression.

As examples:

Black conveys leadership.
Red is a color of power.
Blue gives the impression the person is a team player.
Gray reads as logical and analytical.
White gives a feeling of being organized.
Green, yellow, orange and purple are associated with creativity.

The article goes on to echo an idea we share in Career Services every day – know your industry. Navy can be a wonderful choice for a suit if you are applying to a conservative field – but in a creative environment, navy may just be too conservative and send the wrong message. Brown can imply passivity and staidness, Vozza writes – NOT a good thing to project when you’re applying for a role in a fast-paced environment that may require adaptability, flexibility and leadership skills. Gray may be an excellent fit all around, and certainly you have the option of accent colors like purple, blue, or green – shirts and/or ties for gentlemen, blouses, scarves, or other accessories for women – chosen in hues suited to the industry for which you are being considered and the image you hope to project.

And, as the title of the article says, avoid orange – the hiring managers interviewed as part of the base of this article said it is the color most likely to lead them to think the candidate was “unprofessional.” Besides, what Quaker wants to wear Princeton’s colors, anyway!!?