“I’m graduating! Now what?!” – Jason Levin, MSB MBA ‘06

“I’m graduating! Now what?!”
April 9, 2013 – Jason Levin, MSB MBA ‘06
Careers and Brands – Perfect Together
 Recession of 1990 changed everything
 Recruiting, evaluating, interviewing and hiring have
always been my interests and passions
 Further refined through, Unilever, Georgetown MBA
Career Center and Vault.com
 Full time into career and outplacement coaching with
Ready, Set, Launch, LLC
Today’s graduation agenda
 Hoya job search fears
 Facts about college job market in 2013
 College recruiter perspective
 I don’t know where to begin
 Getting into the interview stage
 Turning an interview into an offer
 Georgetown University Career Education Center and
Georgetown Alumni Career Services
To all who submitted a response
Thank you and Hoya Saxa!
Graduating Hoya concerns

I am most concerned about not being able to find a job after I graduate that fits my
qualifications.

My greatest fear about the job search is rejection.

I am worried that I will go down the wrong path and miss the chance to get on the
right path.

My biggest fear is the basic one. That I won't get the job because I'm not as great as I
think I am, and the interviewers will see right through me.

I had always thought that getting interviews was the hard part, but translating that
interview into an offer has been much more challenging. Basically, all I want to know
is the extra measure I need to take to make a prospective employer want to hire me.
Roy Hibbert in your job search

Complete lack of natural athleticism
and strength (Talent for video
games)

No work ethic – Ignored weights and
work outs

Could not run or even do a push up

Hibbert’s only gifts are his intellect
and height (7ft 2in)

Fear of sitting the bench changed
his approach

Jump ropes, hula hoops and tennis
balls became the norm
Roy Hibbert in your job search

Hibbert created advancement targets
for himself

Two time All-Big East Player

New mindset “How can I do this
better?” Known for an obsessive
work ethic to self-improve

Selected in 2012 to the NBA All-Star
Game with the Indiana Pacers
Favorable hiring market trends
 More opportunities are coming - 35% of employers
plan to recruit in Spring 2012 as opposed to 18% who
recruited in Fall 2011
NACE, October, 2011
 Employers expect to hire 13 percent more new college
graduates from the Class of 2013 than they did from the
Class of 2012
NACE, September, 2012
2013 - 5% increase in college hiring
CERI, MSU, Recruiting Trends,
2012-2013
All majors are being hired
CERI, MSU, Recruiting Trends,
2012-2013
Employers care about internships
CERI, MSU, Recruiting Trends,
2011-2012
Head the voices of college recruiters
Social media
footprint should be
grandparent friendly
Show interest by
reaching out to
alumni in the
organization
Media & entertainment
recruiter
Banking recruiter
Our mission matters!
What have you done
to show that you fit
in?
Non-profit recruiter
Your resume
should be
accomplishment
oriented, 1 page
and spell checked
Please read the job
posting and make
sure you are qualified
before applying
Answer questions
with meaningful
examples. Be
yourself and
hopefully make a
connection with the
interviewer
Government recruiter
Ask questions that
show your research
of the organization
& industry
Fortune 500 recruiter
Consulting recruiter
Consumer Products / Pharmaceuticals recruiter
Jason’s key take aways
 Address your fears and be inspired to act – job
seeking is a contact sport
 Employers are hiring across majors – there is plenty
of opportunity
 College recruiters want candidates who want them –
you need align with their mission, sector and culture
Let’s frame this career decision
 18 month time frame – low risk decision
 Focus on building
experience, skills and
relationships
 Make a decision with the
information you have - when you
evolve so does your decision
making
Begin with self-awareness brainstorming
What are my unique skills?
Perspective of:
1) Me
2) Professors
3) Classmates
4) Previous bosses
What makes me happy?
I am most happy when I
am in:
-Classes
-Internships
-Student Clubs
-Volunteer Work
What are my
professional dreams?
1) What am I doing in
the dreams?
2) Who is currently
doing that type of
work?
Create the hypothesis
Self-Awareness Themes
Happy
Love writing papers and my Hill
internship
Skills
Detail oriented and deep dive
research
Dreams
Working in public service
Professional Themes
Role
Technical/Analytical/Administrative
Industry
Government, Politics
Sector
Private, Public, Multi-lateral, Non-profit
Test the hypothesis with informational interviewing
Individual
Team
Division
Employer
Industry
What did you study at Georgetown?
How did you get into your field?
What do you like about what you do?
What would you like to do next?
What are the types of people who
succeed in your organization/field?
What info sources are you using
to stay current?
Are you a member of any trade
associations?
What advice can you offer me on my
search?
What you learn from an informational is essential
Individual
Team
Division
Employer
Key Learnings
Industry
How your motivations match the
interests/motivations/passions of people
working in the field
How your skill set matches the needs of the
organization
How your personality matches the culture
of the organization
How success is defined by the organization
Essential news to help your search
Bringing it together to target employers
Professional Themes
Role
Technical/Analytical/Administrative
Industry
Government, Politics
Sector
Private, Public, Intergovernmental, Non-profit
Individual
Team
Division
Employer
Industry
I know what I want, but no interviews
Jason’s thoughts on executing a targeted search
• Thought 1 – “People hire people”
• Thought 2 - “If you ask for a job you
will get advice……if you ask for advice
you will get a job.”
• Thought 3 - “Seek to create
relationships. You are going to meet
some really interesting people.”
Right message and communication
 Positive Attitude
 In-person dialogue – Articulate your intent, self-
introduction and questions of others
 Print – Accomplishment oriented resume and cover
letter
 Digital – LinkedIn profile, Twitter profile and safe
Facebook profile
Resume needs to be about accomplishments
 What was the challenge/project that you were facing when
you began the internship?
 Who were the stakeholders, internal and external?
 What specific actions did you take to meet these
challenges?
 Who saw your work?
 What resulted from it?
Jason’s Resume Matrix
Summary
Accomplishments
& Outcomes
Tasks
Laundry List
Getting your resume seen in your job search
“Shared Experience”
Academic
Institution
Professional
Affiliation
Charitable
Affiliation
How you ask matters!
Dear Hoya Alum,
I noticed you on LinkedIn/Hoyas Online and that you are a
fellow Hoya. I am a graduating senior majoring in xyz and
am interested in learning more about your work at SME.
Would you have 20 minutes in the near future for an inperson meeting? I promise to be respectful of your time and
would truly value your insights and advice.
Looking forward to our conversation,
Regards,
Fellow Hoya
Communication tools to get an informational interview
Send a double thank you after your informational
Create A Tracking File To Detail Your Progress
“If it’s not written down, you don’t know that you know it”
- Milton Friedman
My Central File : Project Opportunity
Priorities
Name, Email, Phone, Address
Kawl Mei - Communications Mgr
Booz Allen Hamilton
Grate Mtg - Principal
Friendly Neighbor
Notes
5/1 - found her on linkedin (same undergrad) and sent intro
email 5/10 - left vm 5/15 - sent letter - call on 5/19
5/2 - met at conference on consulting in reston. Spoke about
aerospace sector. Has two kids 6 & 8. needed to leave as
one was under the weather. Sent email and follow up on 5/17
as he is going to be out of town
5/10 - met at the soup kitchen. He mentioned that she has a
friend at BAH. Followed up via email and waiting for
Break for questions
I am getting interviews, but no offers
Preparation – Jason’s checklist
•Mindset
•Professional appearance
•Your understanding of the organization
•Your understanding of the interviewer
•Your story
•Articulating the match
Preparation - Organization
•Mission
•Culture
•Competition
•Sector/Industry
•Business model
•Customers and lines of business
•Recent news
Preparation - Story
•Tell me about yourself
•Walk me through your resume
•Why role/sector/employer?
•Key accomplishments
•Strengths/Weaknesses
Time your stories – shoot for 90 seconds
Jason’s 4 x 4 – Articulate the fit
Change/
Adaptability
Story 1
Technical /
Subject
Matter
X
X
Story 3
X
Team &
People
X
X
Story 2
Story 4
Passion &
Work Ethic
Do you have questions for me? Yes, yes and yes!
Individual
Team
Division
Employer
Industry
What is the main challenge you are facing right now?
Tell more about the role. In your opinion what are the
2-3 essential elements to succeed in this role?
How does it support your work? The work of your boss?
How do you like to lead/manage?
What do you like about the work and people?
Describe the culture of the team/department?
How did you get to your employer?
1st question is the most important
How are you today?
Jason’s In-person pointers
•Show-up 15-20 minutes early. On-time is late.
•Last thing you are thinking about before the interview is your story.
•Bring a note pad, pen and extra resume copies. Take good notes.
•Prepare a list of questions that shows your research.
•Observe your interviewer’s energy level and mimic it.
•Be curious about your interviewer as well as the role. It would be great
to get the interviewer talking in the beginning.
•Figure out what they care about.
•Answer the question asked.
•Smile and be positive.
Close every interview on a high note
 Show interest and excitement for the role, team and employer
at the end of the conversation
 Ask about next steps in the process
 Make sure to get a business card
 24 hours to send an email thank you
 Follow-up with a written thank you note
Georgetown Career Education Center – Visit often
On-Campus
Off-Campus
 http://careerweb.georgetown.edu/
 Career Counseling
 Resume/Cover Letter
 Mock Interviewing
 Hoya Career Connection
 Access 3 years beyond graduation
There is a whole community to support YOU!
Utilize DC to its fullest
 Trade associations
 Government relations offices of major
organizations
 Congressional office staff
Jason’s parting job search thoughts







Bring Roy Hibbert into your job search. Commit to selfimprovement, work your talents and you will see results.
For every minute that you worry about your job search, give
two minutes to acting on your job search.
Be yourself, enjoy the process and visualize the successful
scenario.
Align yourself with the employers you are targeting.
Be clear in your communication with your employer targets –
right message for the right audience.
Hoya alums need to be apart of your job search!
Take advantage of your career center resources and your
broader relationships.
Keep in touch!

Sign up for my blog, readysetlaunch.net

Follow me on twitter, @jasoncareers

Reach out to me with your career challenges,
[email protected]

Watch my Georgetown ACS webinars
 Extreme Resume Makeover: Hoya Edition
 Interview Like a Talk Show Host – Land the Job
 So Call Me Maybe

Good luck and Hoya Saxa!
Questions