JOB APPLICATIONS AND SELF-MARKETING

Amanda Wichert

2019

WELCOME!

WARMING UP

AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION

AGENDA

APPLICATION PROCESS

• What exactly do I have to offer?

• What do I want?

• How can I best describe my skills and experience?

Your Skills Profile Toolkit

• What do I need to include in my resume?

• How do I write a strong cover letter?

Presenting My Skills • How do I prepare?

• What kinds of questions can I expect and how should I answer them?

• What should I ask?

Interview

WHAT IS CULTURE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

THE ICEBERG: A MODEL FOR(INTERCULTURAL) COMMUNICATION

WHAT WE CAN SEE

WHAT WE CAN’T SEE

Traditions

Language

Clothes

Habits

Behaviors

Beliefs

Values

ThoughtProcesses

Idea Of Self

SharedAssumptions

Perception OfOthers

Rules

CULTURE A CULTURE B

Behavior

Values,Norms,

Expectations

Behavior

Values,Norms,

Expectations

CULTURE A CULTURE B

Behavior

Values,Norms,

Expectations

Behavior

Values,Norms,

Expectations

(“CULTURE CLASH”)

?

WHAT INFLUENCES OUR BEHAVIOR?

? ? ? ?? ?

? ? ? ? ?? ?

? ? ? ? ?? ?

?

WHAT INFLUENCES OUR BEHAVIOR?

Age Career ? Personal Preference? ?

ContextCultural

Background

Family Role

Languages ?? ?

? ? ? ? ?? ?

CULTURAL NORMS: THE 10:00 APPOINTMENT

Arrival Time

Ind

ivid

ual

Per

son

Culture A Culture B

Stan

dar

dB

ehav

ior

Stan

dar

dB

ehav

ior

10.00 10.30 11.00 11.309.30

CULTURAL NORMS: THE 10:00 APPOINTMENT

10.00 10.30 11.00 11.309.30

Per

son

B

Per

son

A

Arrival Time

Ind

ivid

ual

Per

son

Culture A Culture B

US Culture German Culture

I‘m an excellentcommunicator and

I‘m passionateabout my work!

Words like passion conveymy enthusiasm and

dedication. Confidence iseverything. If I don‘t say I‘mgood, who will? Using I and speaking in the active voiceshows that I‘m confident.

The internship incommunication science

at Oxford that Icompleted in 2016...

Facts speak for themselves. Using words like excellent

would be bragging. It‘s bestto be objective.

Starting sentences with I isself-centered. The passive voice is more professional.

I’m an excellentcommunicator. I’m very

passionate about international law. I love my

work.

STEP 1: KNOW YOURSELF. WHAT DO YOUHAVE TO OFFER?

YOUR STORY: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY?

EXPERIENCE INVENTORYExamples include

•clubs, activities, or volunteer organizations

•employment (part-time jobs, full-time jobs, summer jobs, related or unrelated to your studies)

• internships

•educational experiences (university, school, vocational training)

• international travel (exchange programs, long-term travel experiences, backpacking, summer jobs abroad)

EVALUATION

PATTERNS?

WHO AM I? WHAT DO I WANT?WHAT AM I GOOD AT?

SKILLS

KNOWLEDGE

PERSONAL TRAITS

BUILDING YOURSKILLS PROFILEBEGIN WITH THE 3 OR 4 MOST IMPORTANT EXPERIENCES IN YOUR INVENTORY + DO ASMANY AS YOU CAN

WHO AM I? WHAT DO I WANT?WHAT AM I GOOD AT?

STEP 2: FIND A JOB POSTING THAT FITS

SO SO SO SPECIFIC

Does the job description

fit you?

Does your resume fit

the job description?

SKILLS PROFILE + JOB POSTING = EXCELLENT APPLICATION

Your experiences (skills,

knowledge, and personal traits)

Requirements from the job

posting (skills, knowledge, traits)

The goal is to match the requirements listed with concrete examples from your past and current experiences.

You should find at least 5-7 elements of the job description for which you have concrete examples in your skills profile.

STEP 2A:UNDERSTAND JOB POSTINGS

Company Description

Position Description/ Responsibilities

Qualifications/ Requirements

Benefits, Salary

How to Apply

Job Posting

Company Description

• How does the company present itself in the job description?

• What news or information can you find elsewhere?

Position Description/ Responsibilities

Qualifications/ Requirements

around

50-70%Flexible requirements:- Years of experience- Hard skills- Specific experience

Benefits, Salary

Salary

Payscale.com

Glassdoor.com

Salary.com

Benefits!

Insurance

Vacation

Total Package

SALARY?https://www.glassdoor.com

BENEFITS

https://www.google.de/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjOsdGW7f7WAhUMvBQKHeRgBq0QjxwIAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FAskReddit%2Fcomments%2Fqebia%2Fis_it_true_that_americans_get_a_measly_2_weeks%2F&psig=AOvVaw0St0GuL_0maL2EA7xDQnSH&ust=1508576861510802

How to Apply

UNSOLICITED APPLICATIONS?

Many companies explicitly state that they do not accept unsolicited applications. Check in advance!

Things to consider about unsolicited applications:

Difficult for those entering the workforce

You are the resource – what can you bring the company?

Must be specific and demonstrate a strong connection to the company – what are you offering? Why are you relevant?

Consider this if you are very interested in a particular institution or company

STEP 2B:UNDERSTAND THE SELECTIONPROCESS

1000 people

see or notice a job posting

200 begin

applying

100 people

complete application

(Applications are filtered by

algorithms)

25 applications

are reviewed by a hiring manager

(Some or all may take an assessment test or participate in a phone interview)

4-6 people

invited to interview

1-3 people are

screened further

1 person is offered

the position

HIR

ING

FU

NN

EL(W

ALL

STR

EET

YOU

RN

AL,

20

12

)

Recruiters Say:

87% LinkedIn

43% Facebook

Twitter, Youtube, Snapchat, Instagram, Blogs

SOCIAL MEDIA?

STEP 3:WRITE YOUR RESUME

THERE IS A 17% PROBABILITY THAT YOUR COVER LETTER WILL BE READ.THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO GET NOTICED.

EMPLOYERS TAKE AN AVERAGE OF 6 SECONDS TO LOOK OVER YOUR RESUME.

HEADING

Is your address current?

Is your email professional?

Do you have voicemail?

Should you include a photo?

SKILLS SUMMARY

SKILLS SUMMARY

SKILLS SUMMARY

Start with professional title & short description.

⎯Marketing manager with 5 years experience in international market. Art buyer, expert in 5th centuryIndian art.

Add 3 qualifications, achievements, or qualities.

⎯Strong presentation skills, experience in sales, agile leader.

Add additional criteria from job description/post.

⎯SAP BI certified, extensive experience in Chinese market.

DESCRIPTIVE PHRASE EXAMPLES

• Combine a passion for fashion and travel with an accomplished sales savvy.

• Natural ability to promote products and build rapport through listening and communication skills.

• Lived and traveled abroad, developing a keen sensitivity to people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Fluent in Spanish and Italian; presently studying French.

• View teaching and learning as a dynamic and interactive process.

• High-energy, confident professional with an infectious enthusiasm for technology.

• Independent travel and research in the Far East and Europe.

• Known for an interactive teaching style that encourages student participation and enthusiasm while facilitating learning.

• Enthusiastic team player with numerous contacts in technology publishing.

• Exemplary problem-solving skills; able to identify problems and implement corrective processes.

• Computer skills include: MS Project, Excel, Word; AutoPlan; Applix Word, Graphics, Spreadsheet; Powerpoint, FrameMaker, Lotus Notes, NetObjectsFusion, Dreamweaver and SAP (MM, SD), SunOS. Familiar with HTML and SQL database queries.

• Knowledgeable in project management tools, processes and techniques.

• Established reputation for story selection and editing skills that produce an enterprising balance of news, features and graphic presentation.

• Skilled at presenting technical and abstract concepts in a clear and concise way.

• 10 years' experience offering outstanding service to diverse clients, with a lifelong passion for holistic healing and a keen interest in beauty products and services that enhance a balanced lifestyle.

HIGHLIGHTSKILL SECTION*

WORK EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

OTHER EXPERIENCE*

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT*

STEP 4:WRITE YOUR COVER LETTER

SKILLS PROFILE + JOB POSTING = EXCELLENT APPLICATION

Highlight the requirements from the job posting that you know that you can fulfill. Look at your skills profile for inspiration.

They want... I have...

An MA in political science MA Political Science

Experience in Project Admin Project Administrator at ABC NGO

Excellent English skills MA program was in English

They want: I have:

Passion for marketing and communication, and forthe impact this has on non-profits

Ran social media communication for non-profit asa volunteer (passionate) and was able to connectwith some major donors (success)

The successful social media campaign “ABCDonate” which I created as volunteer social media manager made a huge impact both on our available budget for the upcoming year and as well as on our image among students and millennials. I also led our team in developing new guidelines for communication which resulted in an 80% gain in interaction with ABCD across social media channels.

Go beyond the job posting – what are you good at? What are your strengths? What do you think is relevant to this field, now, at this company?

Opening

I’m writing to apply for the position of

accountant posted in Jobs Weekly.

I’m a qualified accountant with

exceptional organizational skills

and a certificate in SAP FI. I want to support

ABC Ventures in innovation.

In the first ten minutes of my first lecture

(with Prof. X) at the Freie Universität, I

knew that accounting was my passion.

Greeting

Dear Ms. Smith, Dear Sir or Madam, Dear Hiring Director,

What wouldsomeone in yourposition beable to do for thecompany?

84% of recruiterssay they will rejectimpersonalapplications

I’m looking forward to hearing from you

I’d love to discuss what I can do for ABC Ventures in more detail

You want/I have

5-7 piecesYour cover lettercannot belonger than a page! Never ever ever.

TIPS FOR YOUR APPLICATION

PEER REVIEW

USING THE RIGHT VOCABULARY

When applying to a specific job:

Look at 5+ other advertisements

Talk to 2+ people who

work in the field

Read 2+ articles about hiring in

the field

THE INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW

SEND + SAVE

SEND

FOLLOW UP

1. CHOOSE A JOB POSTING (A REAL JOB YOU’D LIKE TO APPLY FOR, A DREAM JOB, YOUR BOSS’S JOB – WHATEVER YOU’D LIKE)2. WRITE A RESUME + COVER LETTER 3. BRING IT NEXT WEEK

STEP 5:INTERVIEWING

PRACTICETALKING ABOUTYOURSELF

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW

What 3 things do I want to make sure my interview partner knows about me when I leave this interview?

Why do I want this job (and not another job)?

Is there anything in my resume that I think needs to be explained?

SKYPE?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

What is the history of the position?

How long has the position been

vacant?

Is this a newlycreated position or

am I replacingsomeone?

Where does this position fit into the

company‘s organigram?

Can you describe a typical day on the

job?

What are the top three goals you have set for this position

for the coming year?

What type of person would be most likely

to be successful in your company?

What kinds ofexperience would bethe most beneficial

What is the typicalcareer path for

someone in this job?

Where can I go from here in the company?

What plans do you have for the next

few years?

How would you describe the

company culture?

How is job performance

evaluated in this company?

QUESTIONS TO ASK

STEP SEVEN: STAY POSITIVE

CONFIDENCE!

MATERIAL

http://speakinterculture.com/ applying-in-english/

Amanda Wichertwichert@witos-berlin.dewichert@speakinterculture.com

WITOS Berlin

Systemic Consulting, Training, and Coaching

Motzstraße 5410777 BerlinTel. 030/75 44 29 00Fax 030/75 44 28 99

www.witos-berlin.de