Welcome.0 Thisisanopenandsupportiveforum– sowewouldlikeyoutoparticipate!Pleasedon’tbeshy.0 Whyshouldyouvolunteer?Yournextcareerconnectionoremployermightbeinthisroom.Thiscouldbeyourchancetomakeagreatimpression.

0 Whyelse?Well,ifyoudon’tvolunteer,we’llhavetodoitinstead.WemaybeinLA,butwe’reprettyterribleactors.Helpushelpyou.

0 Inthatsamespirit,weaskeveryonetoberespectfulofothersduringthissession.We’reheretolearnandhavefuntogether.

Howwillthissessionwork?0 Stagesofthejobsearch– 15minutes

0 Research0 Interview0 Follow‐up0 Resilience

0 Practicesessionandmockinterviews(we’llneedvictims…err,volunteers)– 45minutes

0 Summary– 5minutes0 Q&Atime– 10minutes

StagesoftheJobSearch

Research/Skill‐building

Stage

InterviewStage

Follow‐upStage

ResilienceStage You’velanded

ajob!

0 Research/Skill‐BuildingStage

0 Castawidenet

0 APA‐sponsoredcommunityplanningassistanceprogram(s)

0 Consideralternativepaths(Fulbright,PeaceCorps,AmeriCorps,APAchapteryoungplannersgroup,etc.)

0 Theplanningprofessionisdynamic…Whatcouldbesomeoftheupandcomingcareerpathsforplanners?[Youtellus.]

Research/Skill‐building

Stage

InterviewStage

Follow‐upStage

ResilienceStage You’velanded

ajob!

0 InterviewStage

0 Makesureyoursocialmediapresencereflectsyourjob‐readyassets

0 Knowwhatyou’retalkingaboutintheinterview0 Researchandprepareforthepositionandtheorganization;knowwhattheirnoteworthyandrecentprojectsare;Doyouknowanypeoplethatworkfortheorganization?

0 Thinkofpossiblequestionsandprepareyouranswers

0 Getyourpitch/elevatorspeechdownpat…Whoareyou?Whotrustsyou?Whyareyoutherightpersonforthepositionandorganization?Thinkaboutwhatyouwouldincludeinyourpitchinpreparationforthenextportionofoursession.

Research/Skill‐building

Stage

InterviewStage

Follow‐upStage

ResilienceStage You’velanded

ajob!

0 Follow‐upStage

0 Everyonelovesagraciousinterviewee0 Post‐interviewhandwrittenthankyounotesareamajorplus

0 Suggestedcontentofnote:0 Thankthemfortheopportunitytointerview0 Reinforcepointsonyourstrengths0 Askforfeedbackonwhatwouldmakeyouamoredesirablecandidate

0 Offertoprovidemoreinformationormaterialsifrequested

0 Stayintouch,butdon’tbepushy

Research/Skill‐building

Stage

InterviewStage

Follow‐upStage

ResilienceStage You’velanded

ajob!

0 ResilienceStage

0 Sometimesthingsdon’tgoyourwayandthatcanbediscouraging…hanginthere!

0 Copingtechniques:0 Considerpart‐time,volunteerpositionsasafootinthedoor0 Considerhiringaprofessionaltoreviseyourresume0Makethatreallyhardphonecalltogetconstructivefeedback

0 Askforintroductions,requestinformationalinterviews,andnetwork,network,network

Research/Skill‐building

Stage

InterviewStage

Follow‐upStage

ResilienceStage You’velanded

ajob!

PracticeSession&MockInterviews0Whatarewegoingtodo?

0 We’llhaveoneelevatorpitchpracticesession.Rememberhowwesaidtothinkaboutthisearlier?(2volunteersneeded)

0 We’llhavetwomockinterviews.(2volunteersneeded)

0Whatdoyouhavetodoifyouvolunteer?0 We’llbringyouuponstage.You’lldoyourthingandwe’llgiveyouafriendly,constructivecritique.Theaudiencemightalsohaveafewpointers.0 Ifyou’reselected,getreadytogoimmediately.

Okay,raiseyourhandifyouwanttovolunteer!

We’llselect4to6people

ElevatorPitch!–15minutes/2volunteers

0 Scenario1:Uhoh.Yourtripbyelevatoruptothe25th‐flooroftheDepartmentofTransportation’sofficebuildingisinterruptedbyapowersurge.Luckily,ratherthanplungingtoyourdeath,yourelevatorsitssuspendedbetweenfloors14and15;youandtheotherpassengerbreatheasighofrelieftohearthebuildingmanager’svoicecomeovertheintercomtocalmlyinformyouthatyourtripshouldresumeinjustafewminutes.Inanotherfortunatetwistoffateyoufindouttheelevator’sotherpassengeristhehiringmanagerforthestate’sDOTanditjustsohappensyou’veALWAYSwantedtoworkasatransportationplanner.

Nopressure,butgiveherthegreatestelevatorpitchofalltime.Literally.

MockInterview#1–15minutes/1volunteer

0 Scenario2:Afterthreemonthsofwaitingtohearbackonthestatusofyourapplication,youfinally getacallfromtheHRgatekeepersandyoulearnyou’velandedaninterviewfortheopenPlanner2positionwithaprivateconsultingfirm.Woo‐hoo!After10minutesofcelebration,yourmoodsuddenlyshifts,andyoubecomeonebigbundleofnervesandselfdoubt.However,you’redeterminedtopowerthoughit,soyoudoyourhomework—includingpracticinginterviewquestionsbytalkingtoyourselfinamirror—andprepareforthreebasicquestions:0 1.Tellusaboutyourself.0 2.Whyshouldwehireyou?0 3.Wheredoyouseeyourselfin10years?

Showushowyou’repreparedtohandlethesebasicquestions.

MockInterview#2–15minutes/1volunteermax

0 Scenario3:You’reinthemiddleofaninterviewforaplanningpositionwiththeCityofSeattle.Youthinkthingshavegoneprettywellsofaroverall(theyevenlaughedatyourjokes!)butthenallofthesuddenyougetthrownacurveball.Egad.You’renotprepared. Yourmindhasgoneblank!

Showushowyouextricateyourselfandgetthingsbackonmessage.

SummaryPoints

Thisiswherewemakesenseofeverything!

Resources0 APA’splanningwebsitehaslotsofresources:

0 YoungPlannersGroupReporthttp://www.planning.org/features/2008/newprofessionals.htm

0 CommunityPlanningAssistanceTeamshttp://www.planning.org/communityassistance/teams/

0 APAChapters0 YoungPlannersGroups0 CommunityPlanningAssistance

0 Otherresources0 LinkedIn0 ArticlebyGeoffreyJames‘HowtoAchieveTrueJobSecurity’onwww.inc.com

0 ArticlebyJohnPutzierandDavidBaker‘50ToughestInterviewQuestionstoAskorAnswer’athttp://hiring.monster.com

0 BookbySpencerJohnson‘WhoMovedMyCheese?Anamazingwaytodealwithchangeinyourworkandinyourlife’

Q&A

We’dlovetohearyourquestions– andyourideasaboutsearchingforaplanningjob.Whathasworkedand

whathasn’tworked?