BBA Career Resources Guide

Your Guide to the BBA Career Search
2012
2013
THE OFFICE OF
CAREER DEVELOPMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Office of Career Development Services and Location . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The Three-Year Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
The Career Search Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
On- and Off-Campus Recruiting Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
iMpact and Other Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
STEP 1: SELF-ASSESS & DETERMINE FOCUS
Self-Assess and Determine Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Tools for Self-Assessment and Career Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Are YOU Focused? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
STEP 2: DEVELOP RSUM & ONLINE BRAND
Rsum Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Education Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Experience Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Sample Rsum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Rsum FAQs and Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Your Online Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Cover Letter Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Sample Cover Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
On-Campus Recruiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
STEP 3: CONDUCT NETWORKING
What Is Networking? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Networking Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Preparation and Follow-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Informational Interviewing: A Great Way to Network . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Professional Dress Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
STEP 4: PREPARE & INTERVIEW
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Interview Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Interview Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Interview Response Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
STEP 5: DECIDE & NEGOTIATE
Before and After the Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Negotiating the Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Declining an Offer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
International Student Recruiting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Etiquette Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Employer Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
STEP 1
Self-Assess &
Determine Focus
STEP 2
Develop Rsum
& Online Brand
STEP 3
Conduct
Networking
STEP 4
Prepare &
Interview
STEP 5
Decide &
Negotiate
Welcome to the 2012-13 Academic Year at
the Stephen M. Ross School of Business!
HOW TO
USE THIS
BBA CAREER
RESOURCES
GUIDE:
This Guide was designed
to give you easy access
to instruction, examples
and tips about the
career search process in
one publication. Work
through this Guide
systematically, or turn
to whatever section will
serve your particular
need as you need it.
But dont rely only on
this Guide! It is just one
part of the career search
programming offered
by the Office of Career
Development (OCD). Be
sure to take advantage of
our other resources and
services, as well as those
offered beyond the Ross
School of Business. We
know that a career search
is hard work, and OCD
is here to partner with
you as you engage in the
process.
2 University of Michigans Ross School of Business Office of Career Development
Who We Are
The Office of Career Development, or OCD, is here to help you
develop necessary career search skills to discover and pursue
your career goals and to provide opportunities for you to connect
with companies and apply for positions. OCD serves you through
two teams: Career Counseling and Education, and Recruiting
and Outreach.
What We Offer
CAREER COUNSELING AND EDUCATION
One-on-One Career Counseling Schedule an appointment with
our staff and/or peer career counselors to discuss your career
search strategy, including self-assessment, rsum reviews,
mock interviews, and general career counseling.
Walk-in Career Counseling No pre-registration is necessary
for these first-come, first-served sessions with staff and peer
counselors. These sessions are reserved for quick questions and
last no more than 15 minutes.
Workshops You can get instruction and work on specific career
search skills by participating in workshops offered throughout
the year by the Counseling and Education team. You may also
request a workshop for your Ross-based club or for a group of
BBAs by contacting a specific staff member or by submitting a
request through RossCareerCounseling@umich.edu.
Career Resources You can find career search resources online on
iMpact, the schools intranet. Hard copies of some resources are
available in the Office of Career Development in E2420.
RECRUITING AND OUTREACH
Networking and Recruiting Events You can learn more about
industries, companies, and specific opportunities, as well
as make connections with alumni and recruiters, by taking
advantage of two common types of recruiting events:
1. Networking HoursYou can talk to companies on
an informal basis during Networking Hours, which
are usually conducted in the Davidson Winter Garden
for a few hours during the day. You should do at least
some preliminary research on the company prior to
approaching a representative.
2. Corporate PresentationsThese presentations are
typically held during the fall semester, Monday through
Thursday, often in the evening. A reception meant for
networking usually follows each presentation.
Jobs Database
On-Campus Interviewing
First-round interviews
facilitated by the Office of
Career Development that take
place in the Kresge Library
are referred to as on-campus
interviews. Students can
search for and apply for
on-campus interviews through
the Jobs Database on iMpact.
Refer to page 18 for details.
Job Postings Companies
submit job postings through
OCD and generally coordinate
the application and interview
process themselves. As with
on-campus interviewing,
job postings can be found
through the Jobs Database
on iMpact. Job Postings
include internship and
full-time job postings, as well
as connections to short-term
experiences such as corporate
leadership weekends.
The Office of Career Development
Where We Are
Career Counseling and Education
Office Location: E2420
Email: RossCareerCounseling@umich.edu
Phone: 734.764.1373
Recruiting and Outreach
Office Location: E2420
Email: RossRecruiterRelations@umich.edu
Phone: 734.764.1372
Online on iMpact
http://www.bus.umich.edu/MyiMpact/Career
The Recruiting
and Outreach
team develops
new relationships
with companies
in order to expand
on-campus
interviewing
and provide you
with more job
postings.
http://www.bus.umich.edu/MyiMpact/Career.aspx 3
The Three-Year Overview
The action items below are intended to give you an overview of activities and deliverables that are part of the
five-step career search. Your pace in working on action items will vary according to your academic needs,
interests and approach to your career search. You may not get to many of the sophomore year action items until
second semester. Timelines for an on-campus search during your junior and senior years are more set. OCD is
here to serve and support you throughout the process.
SOPHOMORE YEAR JUNIOR YEAR SENIOR YEAR
B
I
G

P
I
C
T
U
R
E
Learn about yourself and
explore potential careers
Choose a career thats
potentially right for you
and gain experience
Conrm your career
choice and rene your
search strategy,
as needed
A
C
T
I
O
N

P
L
A
N
FOCUS ON ACADEMICS
q Make academics a priority,
and investigate industry GPA
requirements.
q Explore potential career interests
through academic offerings.
SEE HOW OCD CAN HELP YOU
q Attend an iMpact Orientation
Session.
q Meet with an OCD career counselor.
DISCOVER YOUR UNIQUE BUSINESS
TALENTS
q Make lists of your interests, skills,
values, and accomplishmentslook
for themes.
q Take the CareerLeader online
self-assessment.
UNDERSTAND YOUR CAREER
OPTIONS
q Join a Ross club or organization.
q Attend career events (e.g., career
panels).
BUILD YOUR NETWORK
q Conduct informational networking
with BBA seniors, peer counselors,
and recent alumni.
DEVELOP YOUR CAREER SEARCH
MATERIALS
q Engage in OCD career skills
interactive workshops.
q Create your iMpact rsum.
q Create your LinkedIn profile.
DEVELOP PROFESSIONALLY
q Participate in workshops offered by
Ross Leadership Initiative (RLI).
q Seek out summer experiences that
will help you develop transferable
skills and discover your passion,
while also adding to your rsum.
CATCH UP WITH SOPHOMORE ACTION
PLAN ITEMS
CONNECT SELF-ASSESSMENT TO CAREER
OPTIONS
q Narrow your focus to two top functional
areas and/or industries.
q Identify companies that fit your career focus.
q Refine your elevator pitch.
DEVELOP YOUR INTERNSHIP SEARCH
STRATEGY
q Develop a list of potential internships; have
Plan A & Plan B.
q Monitor iMpact for Recruiting Events.
q Monitor iMpact Jobs Database and UMs
Career Center Connector for internship
postings.
q Check on-campus interview application
deadlines.
q Apply for positions and interview.
GROW YOUR NETWORK
q Attend recruiting events and make contacts;
follow up with contacts.
q Join professional groups on LinkedIn.
q Conduct informational interviews with
people both on- and off-campus.
ADD TO YOUR CAREER SEARCH SKILLS
q Update your rsum and customize it to fit
specific internship targets.
q Write targeted cover letters.
q Practice interviewing.
q Learn how to evaluate internship offers and
make a decision.
q Seek positions of leadership in campus/
community organizations.
q Identify gaps in your skills, knowledge,
and experience that you need to work on
to reach your goalsand seek to fill these
gaps.
CONFIRM YOUR CAREER
CHOICE
q Evaluate career choice based
on internship experience.
q Return to self-assessment
activities and review your
interests, values, and
motivations to evaluate
which job is right for you.
q Talk with an OCD staff
counselor if you have any
questions or concerns about
job offers.
q Accept an offer only after you
are confident that it is right
for you.
REFINE YOUR JOB SEARCH
STRATEGY, IF NECESSARY
q Repeat steps from junior
year.
q Continue to update and refine
your rsum.
q Meet with an OCD career
counselor.
q Search geographically, if that
is a top priority.
CULTIVATE & EXPAND YOUR
NETWORK
q Continue to build your
professional network, which
includes your fellow BBAs.
q Thank people who have
assisted you.
KEEP IMPROVING YOUR
CAREER SEARCH SKILLS
q Strengthen your interviewing
skills.
q Participate in case
competitions.
q Attend professional
conferences.
The Career Search Process
Organize your career search by using this five-step course of action. Dont worry if you find yourself returning to
a step, since that, too, is part of moving forward. The Office of Career Development is here to assist you on your
journey toward achieving your career goals.
STEP 1
Self-Assess
& Determine
Focus
STEP 2
Develop
Rsum &
Online Brand
STEP 3
Conduct
Networking
STEP 4
Prepare &
Interview
STEP 5
Decide &
Negotiate
Figure out where your passions lie.
Gather information about functions and industries that interest you.
Focus on one or two functions and industries.
Understand the skills and experiences your potential employer would value.
Understand the skills and experiences that make you a compelling candidate.
Develop a targeted rsum around the overlap of those skills and experiences.
Conduct informational networking to gain insight into different jobs and industries.
Conduct strategic networking to develop advocates for your candidacy.
Seek to develop relationships when networking.
Develop and practice interview responses for a variety of questions.
Schedule and conduct mock interviews.
Manage interview invitations and interview schedules.
Decide which offer to accept.
Negotiate job offer (full-time offer only).
Formally accept or decline offers.
STEP 5
Decide &
Negotiate
STEP 4
Prepare &
Interview
STEP 3
Conduct
Networking
STEP 2
Develop
Rsum &
Online Brand
STEP 1
Self-Assess
& Determine
Focus
SAME STEPS, DIFFERENT APPROACHES
During your time at Ross, youll hear about two primary ways of finding an internship or full-time job:
On-campus recruiting
Off-campus recruiting
Whether you seek job opportunities with companies that recruit and interview on-campus or look for opportunities with organizations
that dont recruit at Ross, the basic steps of the search are the same.
On-campus and off-campus approaches to your job search are not mutually exclusive. We recommend that you include both on- and
off-campus approaches in your career planning.
ON-CAMPUS RECRUITING OFF-CAMPUS RECRUITING
Students seek opportunities from
companies that conduct first-round
interviews facilitated by OCD and that take
place in Rosss Kresge Library.
Students attend corporate recruiting
events, drop rsums through iMpact,
and interview on-campus.
Networking with corporate representatives
helps a student be memorable with a firm.
Students seek opportunities from
companies that facilitate their own
interview process.
Students identify job targets and
companies that might offer the job, source
names and contact people, conduct
informational interviews, and follow up
with contacts.
Networking is KEY.
When does it happen?
JUNIOR and/or SENIOR year(s), in
conjunction with, or instead of, off-campus
recruiting
SOPHOMORE year to some extent, with
greater emphasis on finding opportunities
through off-campus methods
(See page 18 for more about on-campus
recruiting.)
When does it happen?
SOPHOMORE, JUNIOR and/or SENIOR
year(s), and as an alumna/nus, through
personal and professional networking, Ross
alumni connections, OCD job postings, UM
Career Center Connector and other external
job boards, company websites, conferences,
and more
OCD SUPPORTS YOUR JOURNEY ON BOTH CAREER SEARCH PATHS.
On- and Off-Campus
Recruiting Approaches
iMpact and Other Services
The Career tab on iMpact is our web-based recruiting system that houses all the career resources that you will
need to manage your job search. Listed below are some of the ways that our students utilize the Career tab.
Career Resources: You can locate OCD electronic career resources in the form of handouts, videos,
online presentations, and podcasts at any time.
My Job Postings: You can search job postings that have been submitted directly by employers. The job
postings can be in the form of an on-campus interview, rsum collection, or direct rsum submission
to the company.
My Profile: Fill out your education and employment history through your own iMpact profile. This is a
great way to market yourself to companies who have Ross alumni as members of the recruiting team,
since Ross alumni continue to have access to view iMpact profiles. My Profile is also the starting point
for creating your Ross rsum.
My Rsum: Utilizing the information in your profile, publish a default rsum that can be included in
a database that is searchable by recruiters. You can also create custom rsums to drop for on-campus
interviews and/or off-campus job postings from the Jobs Database.
OCD Workshops & Events: Conducting over 100 workshops a year for BBAs, OCD stays busy teaching
and preparing students for on- and off-campus job searches. Search upcoming workshops and register
to attend.
Recruiting Events & Jobs Database: You can search recruiting events to see which companies will be
on campus hosting a presentation or Networking Hours. You can search the Jobs Database to see which
companies will be interviewing for full-time or internship positions.
Ross Connections: You can search and connect with Ross students by student type, location,
undergraduate school and major for graduate students, employer name, and employment/career interest.
Scheduling an Appointment: OCD has 7 staff counselors and over 70 student peer counselors. Eighteen
BBA peer counselors are available for sophomore appointments. Sign up online to meet one-on-one for
any of the following appointment types: General Counseling, Self-Assessment, Rsum Review, Mock
Interview, and LinkedIn Profile Review.
Ross Alumni Directory (goo.gl/CvhDi): Search for and connect with Ross Alumni by location, function,
or industry.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Kresge Library Databases (goo.gl/nAiSK): Provides access to a wide variety of research databases in business and related disciplines
Kresge Career Wiki (goo.gl/OPY7Z): Referrals and links to assist and guide you in your industry research
Kresge Database Instruction Sessions (goo.gl/WSA5H): Useful for learning how to find company/industry information and how to
compile lists of companies to target in your job search
Alumni Association UM (goo.gl/VwKk3): Networking opportunities that you can take advantage of even before you graduate
Career Center Connector (C3) (goo.gl/EmVRe) is a free service for all UM Ann Arbor degree-seeking students and new graduates.
Here are some ways to use C3 to your advantage:
Check out workshops, career fairs, on-campus interviewing opportunities, and employer presentations.
Join our community by using this resource, and tell us more about yourself by completing your profile. If we know your
interests, we can share interesting opportunities with you!
Step 1: Self-Assess & Determine Focus
Know Yourself
I know which career path I want to pursue
[for summer internship or upon graduation].
TRUE
Great!
Move to
page 10
(Rsum).
SORT OF
Conduct further
self-reflection
and employer
research to
articulate the
overlap between
your strengths
and their needs.
Are you sure? Why?
Yes, but Im not
sure how to sell
myself (my pitch,
story, or fit).
Im not totally sure.
Ive heard of some
careers that sound
interesting.
Its okayvery few
people aged 18-21
can accurately
predict which
jobs theyll have
in the future. But
they get closer
to success and
career happiness
when they take
time for regular
self-assessment and
career exploration.
Yes, Ive completed
thoughtful research
on business career
paths, talked with
professionals,
and matched this
information with my
interests and strengths
to find a strong fit. I
can tell a persuasive
story about why I
am a good fit for the
internship/job.
FALSE
Look inward to examine
and identify your interests,
personality characteristics,
talents, values, and abilities.
Look outward to discover the
careers that make the most
of those characteristics.
No
Yes
Maybe
WHY SELF-ASSESS?
Happiness and Success
You will be free to pursue positions and
firms that match well with who you
are, avoid the temptation to follow the
crowd, and ultimately succeed in the
job.
Persuasive Story
You will be able to demonstrate
and articulate that you are a good
fit for a particular job in a particular
environment.
Enhanced Time Management
You will choose only the networking
and interviewing opportunities and
career-related club involvements that
best suit your skills and interests.
Professional Development
You will identify talents you want
to strengthen and gaps of skill,
experience, and/or knowledge that you
need to fill.
WHY FOCUS?
You will be more attractive to
employers because you will:
Attend only the corporate events
that fit your focus.
Start creating relationships early
and have quality connections
with the right people.
Conduct in-depth research on
companies.
Target written communications.
Articulate concisely and
compellingly:
o What you want (elevator
pitch).
o How your background
led you to this point (your
story).
o How you fit with the
position/company.
WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE ARE YOU HEADED?
Tools for Self-Assessment and
Career Exploration
FINAL TIPS
START EARLY.
Use your sophomore year, in particular, for self-assessment and career exploration.
Make it a goal to identify one or two job functions in two or three industries and target positions in those areas by August before
the start of your junior year.
o Create a list of 40 companies in which youre interested, and then start adding contact names and dates on which the
company is coming to campus, where applicable.
Realize that you will likely be making several passes through the cycle of self-assessment and career exploration as you search for
the best fitand that doing so is okay!
Be honest with yourself and others about who you are and what you like.
Talk to trusted people. The Office of Career Development, in particular, is available to help you.
CAREER EXPLORATION
Career Exploration through networking and
research helps you define the target job that
will ask you to use your preferred skills in your
preferred environment on an ongoing basis.
WAYS TO EXPLORE
Informational Networking:
Talk to people about their career paths
Your personal network
Student clubs
OCD peer counselors
Classmates and other students
Recent alumni
ASK FOR ADVICE, NOT A JOB!
Read Investigate Careersguides written by
OCD career counselors, available on iMpact in
Step 1 and in E2420.
Read Vault and Wetfeet Guides (available
through Kresge Library A-Z Database).
Examine the Jobs Database in iMpact to
review past job descriptions in your functional
or industry area.
Attend Corporate Presentations.
Use LinkedIn.com:
Type an interest into Keyword in an
Advanced Search and examine resulting
profiles to see positions related to your
interest.
Read Company Pages.
Join career-related groups.
Participate in short-term experiences with a
company (e.g., Leadership Days).
Intern in a Function/Industry.
SELF-ASSESSMENT
Self-Assessment helps you identify the skills you love to use and the
environment in which you love to work. Knowing these elements will enable
you to tell a memorable and compelling story about yourself on your rsum
and in interviews.
SELF-REFLECTION
Ask Yourself:
1. What do I enjoy doing?
2. What do I do well and enjoy?
3. Whats important to me?
(Values)
4. What is my personality and
temperament?
5. What are my key
accomplishments?
6. What environments bring out
the best in me?
Think about your dream job:
1. What do you do each day?
2. With whom, if anyone, are you
working?
3. What does your work
environment look like?
4. What are you wearing?
5. What do you love most about
this job?
Record your answers!
ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Take CareerLeader, an online
business self-assessment tool
that will help you identify your top
interests, motivators, and abilities,
and match these with business
functions. Take CareerLeader and
talk with an OCD staff counselor
about the results. (Available on
Step 1: Self-Assess and Determine
Focus on iMpact.)
Zone-Time Spreadsheet, a
paper-based self-assessment of
times when you loved what you
were doing. (See the resource list for
Step 1 on iMpact.)
Myer-Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI)
is used to understand
people in terms of their
decision-making styles, preferences
for communication and work
environments, and for career
development and exploration.
(Available for $20 through
UM Career Center http://www.
careercenter.umich.edu/students/
assessment.html.)
Talk with OCD Staff and Peer Counselors
Go to Step1: Self-Assess and Determine Focus on the iMpact Career tab to access the Self-Assessment Resources.
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Are YOU Focused?
Take the elevator pitch test!
In the career search, an elevator pitch is your 15-20 second response to the question,
What do you want to do?concise enough that you can impress (and further engage)
someone on a quick elevator ride!
FUNCTION: Generally refers to the role that one
performs in an organization.
INDUSTRY: Generally refers to the type of
product or service that an organization provides.
What do you want to do?
Im interested in ___________
in ______________ with a
____________ ____________ such as
____________________.
(function)
(size) (industry)
(company)
(geography)
ELEMENTS OF A PITCH
1. Function (role...sometimes job title)
2. Geography
3. Size of Organization
4. Industry or Section (private, public, non-profit)
5. Company Examples
EXAMPLE 1
Marketing
Chicago or Midwest
Large Fortune 500
CPG
Kraft
EXAMPLE 2
Investment Banking
New York
Middle Market
Financial Services
Lazard
EXAMPLE 3
Market Research
San Francisco
Small
Tech/Entertainment
Dolby Laboratories
Photo Doreen Salcher - Fotolia.com
Step 2: Develop Rsum & Online Brand
Market Yourself
Rsum Overview
THE ROSS RSUM HAS THREE SECTIONS
EDUCATION
Education is used by recruiters to evaluate your academic
performance and to learn your career direction by assessing your
academic and extracurricular choices.
Recruiters look for:
Related academic emphasis
Academic achievement, including scholarships and honors
Participation in relevant activities
Leadership roles among peers
EXPERIENCE
Experience is the heart of your rsum. Recruiters look for skills
and accomplishments that transfer into your targeted career.
Highlight three to five work, volunteer and, possibly, academic
experiences.
Initiative, leadership, and teamwork (see sidebar)
Vivid examples in ACR (Action-Context-Result) format (see
page 12 for information)
A history of accomplishments and results
Transferable skills relevant to targeted positions
ADDITIONAL
The Additional section provides a glimpse of who you are
beyond your work and education. Because likeability is a factor
in recruiting, employers use this section to form an opinion on
how interesting they find you, whether they would enjoy working
with you, and as a source for small talk. This is your chance to
win over an interviewer with topics you like to discuss.
Language proficiencies; technical capabilities
Key interests, hobbies and volunteer activities not detailed
in the Experience section
Things that differentiate you from other candidates (be
specific to stand out)
Convey a picture of what impact youve had by showing the skills
youve used and where youve used them.
Think about what employers want, what skills you possess,
and how they match.
Customize your rsum to include position-specific skills.
KEY SKILLS
Key skills will vary by industry or function, but in general
they will be very similar. The following list of critical skills
is a good starting point and can be customized for positions
you are targeting:
Leadership
Teamwork
Communication & Persuasion (verbal & written)
Problem-solving
Initiative and Follow-through
Creativity & Innovation
Attention to detail
Analysis
DETERMINING CONTENT
Another way to brainstorm content for your rsum is by
demonstrating four core activities, including the situation in
which you did the activity, and the outcome:
1. Identified a problem/opportunity
2. Analyzed a problem/opportunity
3. Brainstormed/developed/ recommended solution(s)
4. Implemented solution(s)
CREATING YOUR iMPACT RSUM
iMpact uses the data you enter into My Profile to formulate your rsum into a PDF document. Begin by entering all the
data fields into My Profile, which you can find in the RSUM section of the Career tab in iMpact.
Step-by-step instructions can be found in the OCD Guide to Entering Your Rsum on iMpact, available on the Career tab.
Your iMpact rsum is an electronic file online, so you can modify it at any time, and the changes will be reflected (make
sure to save your changes).
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Education Section
GPA GUIDELINES
Include your GPA if 3.0 or above.
The only GPA allowed in the Ross
section is your current cumulative
GPA as it stands on your UM
transcript; no other calculation based
on a subset of courses is permitted
(no Emphasis GPA).
Do not combine your pre-Ross GPA
with your GPA since matriculating at
Ross.
Companies will often request your
transcript, enabling them to verify
the GPA you reported on your rsum
and also to see grades in particular
courses.
WHAT DOES EMPHASIS MEAN IN THE ROSS
EDUCATION SECTION?
The first bullet of the BBA Education section should be about your academic
emphasis (singular) or emphases (plural).
o Sophomores: Its fine, and perhaps preferable, to not include an
Emphasis, since you havent yet had many business courses.
An academic emphasis conveys a message about what career area you are
targeting, so we recommend that you indicate no more than two academic
emphases. Academic emphases are valid academic disciplines (Strategy,
Finance, Marketing, Accounting, etc.) in which you have taken or plan to take
at least three electives. Academic emphases should reflect subjects that can
be studied, rather than a career objective (Consulting, for example, is not an
academic emphasis).
Be thoughtful as you indicate your emphasis, as a recruiter may choose to
discuss your area of emphasis in detail.
BBA
Sophomore
EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Bachelor of Business Administration, May 2015
Preferred Admission as high school senior
Member, Michigan Interactive Investment Club
College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
GPA 3.73/4.00
Ann Arbor, MI Your GPA started over when you started
at Ross, so you will not have a Ross GPA
until the end of your first Fall semester.
Report your pre-Ross GPA under the name
of the UM unit or other school you attended
prior to matriculating at Ross.
BBA Junior
Emphasis in Finance
GPA 3.68/4.00
GPA 3.73/4.00
Ann Arbor, MI If you do not have a major at a non-Ross UM
school, your pre-Ross GPA will be the GPA
you had when you left that school to be a
Ross student.
BBA Junior
with LSA
Minor
Emphasis in Finance
GPA 3.68/4.00
Minor in Spanish Language and Literature
GPA 3.73/4.00
Ann Arbor, MI No degree is granted for a minor, so do not
include Bachelor of for the non-Ross
school.
Your pre-Ross GPA will be the GPA you had
prior to joining Ross.
BBA Junior
Dual Degree
Emphasis in Finance
GPA 3.68/4.00
School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Bachelor of Theatre Arts
Concentration in Performing Arts Management
Ann Arbor, MI If you have a MAJOR in a non-Ross school at
Michigan, you have one current cumulative
GPA, and its the same for Ross and for the
other school. Hence, reporting your cumulative
GPA under the non-Ross school is optional,
since it is identical to your GPA under Ross.

Whether or not you include a GPA in Major
for the non-Ross school is up to you and the
guidelines of that school.
BBA Transfer
Emphasis in Finance
GPA 3.78/4.00
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
School of Business
GPA 3.81/4.00
Ann Arbor, M
Washington, DC
FAILURE TO FOLLOW GPA GUIDELINES IS A VIOLATION OF THE ROSS CODE OF CONDUCT.
Experience Section
WRITING BULLETS IN THE A-C-R FORMAT
Action
Negotiated...
Context
...with 6 area schools to donate excess food to local soup kitchen...
Result
...resulting in 25% increase in food distribution for 2012
ACTION
Ask yourself, What did I do?
Begin with an action verb that
conveys a skill (Led, Implemented,
Analyzed, Created, Collaborated,
etc.).
Save result verb (Improved,
Reduced, Increased) for the last
part of the bullet.
Use past tense unless it is a current
task.
CONTEXT
Ask yourself, So what?
The Context portion provides the
reader with a sense of:
o SignificanceWhy did this
project or activity matter?
(e.g., to expand visibility, to
streamline procedures)
o ConstraintsWhy was this
project a challenge? (e.g.,
limited budget or staffing, tight
deadlines)
o ScopeHow big? How many
people? Cost?
Assume the reader is completely
unfamiliar with your organization
or activity, and provide context
accordingly.
RESULT
Ask yourself, What happened?
What improved?
Two types of Results:
o Quantitative (e.g., reduced cost
by $X, increased participation
by X%, increased accuracy of
model by X%)
o Qualitative (e.g., enabled client
to do X, proposals were adopted
by manager, awarded X prize)
For current tasks, include expected
results.
Make sure your results are accurate.
Examples
Reviewed applications and conducted 5 to 10 interviews per semester for scholarship candidates and summer program
participants, selecting qualified applicants based on academic merit and demonstration of leadership
Analyzed break-even point of food business and designed surveys to evaluate customer satisfaction, resulting in elimination of 6
unprofitable items
Organized and emceed charity concert that featured 4 bands from across the Midwest, raising $1,000 for national Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation
Responsible
for planning
activities that
satisfied group
Worked with
team to create
outreach
program that
was well-
received by users
Brainstormed
with team of
5 to create
membership
outreach
program for
175 prospective
members that
earned 95% top
ratings through
survey feedback
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Sample Rsum
BBA JUNIOR
Street Address City, STATE, Zip
uniqname@umich.edu 999.999.9999
EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI
Emphases in Marketing and Strategy
GPA: 3.64/4.00
Recipient of Ross School of Business Smith Family Scholarship
Selected to study Global Strategy in Beijing, China, May 2012
Brother, Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity
Marketing Chair, Michigan Business Women and Member, Marketing Club
GPA: 3.75/4.00
Awarded William J. Branstrom Freshman Prize for ranking in top 5% of class, 2010-11
EXPERIENCE
Summer 2012 ONLINEJOBS.COM Chicago, IL
Consumer Marketing Intern
Wrote 40 articles using internet research and search engine optimization techniques to
drive traffc to website, receiving 27,000 page views in 4 months
Positioned articles toward targeted audiences by utilizing psychographic segmentation
techniques, generating 50% increase in average time spent on-site
Partnered with team launching Facebook application to raise awareness and
strengthen brand relevancy through consumer outreach and reader-focused content,
landing 5,000 daily viewers
Analyzed Facebook advertising effort and content by assessing effectiveness of media
mix and generating consumer interest report, leading to accurate consumer preference
model used to create future media plan
2011-2012 AIESEC MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI
Part-time Vice President, Talent Management
Founded local team focused on membership development for worlds largest student
leadership organization, adopted as model for nationwide program
Implemented mentor program and standardized training for new members, resulting in
10% increase in retention and error-free transition of materials to new leaders
Led strategic planning discussions and initiatives for 5-member executive committee,
improving collaboration among teams and increasing opportunities for involvement
2010-2011 MICHIGAN COMMUNITY SCHOLARS PROGRAM Ann Arbor, MI
Part-time Peer Advisor for Community Service
Collaborated with team of 11 peers to create and deliver 15 community service
events to strengthen local ties and encourage social responsibility, solidifying 5 new
partnerships for next academic year
Summarized and distributed meeting minutes through social media venues to increase
student involvement, growing participation at events by 20% and obtaining feedback
on programming initiatives
2010-2011 EDDIE BAUER Chicago, IL
Summers Sales Associate
Interacted with up to 25 customers daily, sharing product knowledge and personal
advice to maintain top sales fgures, selling $5,000 of merchandise in one day and
breaking merchandise day-sale record 8 times
Managed complaints and customer discrepancies and conferred with sales managers
to resolve problems, leading to increased customer satisfaction
Prepared seasonal displays, designing store layout and item placement, driving sales
for fall and winter seasons
ADDITIONAL Self-fnance 25% of University of Michigan out-of-state tuition
Conversant in Spanish
Enjoy cross-country skiing, music festivals, and giving impromptu salsa lessons
Math tutor for Ann Arbor middle school student, 2011-present
15-25%
65-75%
#12
#8
#10
#1
RSUM
FLASHPOINTS
1. If you have a
nickname, include it in
parentheses after your
first name.
2. Spell out degree &
include graduation
date.
3. Differentiate Emphases
(plural) v. Emphasis
(singular).
4. Include cumulative
GPA if 3.0 or higher.
5. Club membership
reinforces career
interest.
6. Use numerals for
numbers (except for
zero and one).
7. Choose strong
action verbs for big
impact and to convey
transferable skills.
8. Use ACR (Action-
Context- Result) for
Experience bullets.
9. Indicate Summer or
Part-time.
10. The CONTEXT
describes how you
were able to carry
out the action, the
circumstances under
which you did the
action, and/or why you
did the action.
11. Quantify results where
possible; otherwise
qualitative is okay.
12. Include specific,
unique skills and
experiences. Be
memorable.
~5%
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#9
#11
Rsum FAQs and Tips
A more extensive list of Action Words, with prompts about which words
to choose, can be found on iMpact in Step 2, Develop Rsum.
RSUM FAQ
Can I include high school activities in the EXPERIENCE section?
It depends
Yes, if:
You initiated the activity outside of your school day (e.g., created online
business).
You held a significant leadership position in a core activity (okay for BBA
sophomores).
No, if:
You are a junior or senior and the activity was school sponsored (e.g., yearbook).
High school activities that could be included in the ADDITIONAL section:
The activity reinforces your passion for the job (e.g., managed your high
school athletic departments twitter account and you want to go into Sports
Marketing).
Eagle Scout is a highly respected achievement; include it.
Where should I list my study abroad experience?
It depends on how it contributes to telling your story:
In EDUCATION section, to highlight the academic achievement OR, if longer
than 6 weeks, list it as a separate school experience.
In ADDITIONAL section, if you want to convey an interesting life experience.
WHAT YOU DONT SEE
ON A ROSS RSUM
Dishonest or inaccurate
information
Pronouns (I, we, our)
Articles (the, an, a)
Periods at the end of bullets
More than six bullets in a
section
Bullets longer than three lines
Bullet lines with only one
or two wordsexpand or
condense content
Misspelled wordsread it
forwards and backwards
aloud; check and recheck
Excessive or subjective words
(e.g., effectively, strongly, etc.)
RSUM ACTION WORDS
Adapted
Administered
Advised
Analyzed
Assessed
Audited
Benchmarked
Budgeted
Calculated
Chaired
Collaborated
Composed
Condensed
Conducted
Consulted
Coordinated
Created
Demonstrated
Designed
Developed
Devised
Directed
Discovered
Documented
Edited
Evaluated
Examined
Executed
Financed
Forecasted
Formed
Founded
Generated
Guided
Identified
Implemented
Initiated
Innovated
Instructed
Interpreted
Interviewed
Introduced
Invented
Investigated
Led
Maintained
Managed
Marketed
Mediated
Modified
Motivated
Negotiated
Organized
Originated
Overhauled
Oversaw
Performed
Planned
Prepared
Presented
Prioritized
Produced
Programmed
Projected
Researched
Resolved
Revised
Simplified
Solved
Standardized
Streamlined
Summarized
Supported
Trained
Utilized
Verified
Wrote
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Keep correspondence professional and use your
umich email account for recruiter contacts (its
part of your brand)unless youre applying to
Google!
Many recruiters use LinkedIn as a recruiting
tool, so your profile should be robust and
detailed, reflecting your skills and interests.
Write clear and concise subject lines and
professional content that is on-point. Employers
are evaluating how you correspond with them;
be professional!
Check your privacy settings and confirm they
are what you want. Facebook will occasionally
change privacy settings without your approval.
Google yourself and make sure you (and
recruiters) are comfortable with the online you.
Post tweets suitable for all audiences, and be
sure to keep it positive. Remember, followers
can retweet your posts.
Your Online Brand
BUILDING YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE
Creating and maintaining a strong LinkedIn profile is a critical
aspect of your job search and professional networking. Since
many recruiters use LinkedIn to target and evaluate candidates,
follow these tips to create and maintain your profile.
1. Use the NAME you use to recruit (listed on your rsum)
and/or the name the average person would use to search
for you on the internet. To capture both formal and
preferred name, use First name (Preferred name) Family
name format.
2. Include a PHOTOChoose a recent, professionally
appropriate higher-resolution photo of yourself with attire
and degree of formality corresponding to your target
industry (business casual to business professional in
most cases). You should be portrayed alone (not cropped
from a group shot) with clearly distinguishable eyes/face
and neutral-to-positive expression.
3. Create a HEADLINEThis is a personal tagline that
describes your brand. Use your current student status
and/or current or targeted career. Keep it succinct. This
phrase will be included in the results list of a Google or
LinkedIn search of your name.
4. Write a keyword rich SUMMARYThis is where
you have a chance to tell your story: summarize who
you are (present), your background (past), and your
career ambitions (future). Write in the first person,
use keywords, and be conversational. Showcase your
expertise without boasting.
5. List your SKILLSIf you have particular skills or abilities,
make sure you list them on your profile, especially skills
relevant to your target function or industry. Recruiters
frequently are looking for a specific combination of skills
to go with your experience and education.
6. List your EXPERIENCEInclude jobs, internships, or
substantial volunteer/leadership experiences. For each
experience, write one to two sentences that answer the
question, What did you accomplish?
7. Add STUDENT SECTIONS to your profile to showcase
your college accomplishments.
8. Obtain RECOMMENDATIONSRecommendations can
boost your professional potential. Faculty and summer
employers with whom you have a good relationship are
great candidates for a recommendation. Anyone can
make themselves look good, but third-party confirmation
of your abilities looks even better!
9. Claim a CUSTOMIZED URL (available in your LinkedIn
public profile settings) and insert this link into your
email signature to drive your existing and newly-forming
network to view your profile.
10. Complete your PROFILELinkedIn will walk you through
the profile completion process.
11. Consistently UPDATE your profileYour years at Ross
are years of dramatic change and improvement.
Your online brand is a reflection of you. Your emails and your online footprint will be
scrutinized by employers to help them make hiring decisions. Use your online brand as an
effective recruiting tool in your job search. We all use the web differently, but however you use
it, it is critical to devise and follow an online branding strategy. Below are some usage tips for
getting the most out of your online brand from some of the most popular online sites and tools.
Cover Letter Guide
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YES, YOU NEED A COVER LETTER!
Include a cover letter when applying through on-campus
and off-campus recruiting.
WHAT YOUR COVER LETTER SHOULD
CONVEY
You want the interview/job.
Why you want the jobnot because of what it will do
for you, but because of your interest and what youll
contribute.
Your knowledge of the company and position acquired
through networking and research.
Your distinguishing characteristics that meet the
companys specific needs.
Information that adds to your rsum; your cover letter
should provide more reasons to hire you, not restate your
rsum.
Evidence you have strong written communication skills.
The TONE of your lettershould be professional as well as
natural and conversational. Use your own wording to convey
your personality, rather than copying a sample letter. The tone
should also fit the culture of the company and the function.
HOW TO START
Ask yourself, What interests me about this organization?
o Look at the company website for their values and
recent news; look them up on Facebook and/or
LinkedIn: What catches your attention and resonates
with you? Use your answer as proof of your interest.
Analyze the company job description and identify the
necessary qualifications that most closely match yours.
o Use the companys keywords and phrasing when
writing your letter.
Analyze yourself and determine what achievements best
SHOW that you have the qualifications the firm is seeking.
List names of company representatives you met at events
and/or with whom you have networked.
First impressions matterin person
and in writing!
WHAT YOUR COVER LETTER SHOULD
INCLUDE
PART 1: CATCH THE READERS ATTENTION AND STATE
YOUR PURPOSE
Begin with a connection to the audience.
Mention company representatives with whom youve
talked and what you learned.
o Be selective, if you met a number of people.
State the purpose of your letter and name the position for
which you are applying.
Be specific. Avoid I am impressed with your company,
I have many applicable skills, I believe I am the best
candidate, and other things ANYONE could write.
Provide a summary or thesis statement that emphasizes
two or three of your qualifications that fit the position.
o This thesis statement is the outline for the body of
your letter.
PART 2: MAKE YOUR CASE (One or more paragraphs)
Demonstrate how your qualifications match the firms
needs.
Build credibility by providing a few in-depth examples
rather than many surface ones.
PART 3: REITERATE YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR PURPOSE
Reiterate your interest and your fit with the position.
Articulate next steps. Restate your request (e.g., an
interview).
Provide your contact information.
Thank the reader for his/her time.
BEFORE YOU HIT THE SEND BUTTON (OR
STAMP THE ENVELOPE)
Verify you are using correct names/titles (it is best to
address your letter to a specific person).
Check spelling. BEWARE that spell-check may
misinterpret proper nouns or other words and replace it
with the wrong word!
Check grammar; check EVERYTHING.
Make sure you have kept your letter short enough to be
read (content should be one screen long or one page).
Confirm your letter is original and authentic. Dont be
tempted to copy a sample letter; the recruiters will know!
Connect your story to the organizations story.
READ YOUR LETTER ALOUD!
1. Read it aloud SLOWLY to catch typos and to verify correct wording and company name.
2. Read it aloud AGAIN, this time at a normal pace, to check the tone.
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Sample Cover Letter
822 Arch Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
January 6, 20XX
Mr. Justin Smith
Hiring Manager
CPG
400 Lake Drive
Chicago, IL 60096
Dear Mr. Smith:
Having spent two summers volunteering with community projects in third-world countries, I have
been following the progress of CPGs partnerships with non-proft organizations in the developing
world with increasing interest. After attending the CPG presentation at the Stephen M. Ross
School of Business on November 1 and talking with Ben Martin and Sara Smith, it was clear that
CPGs commitment to improving the quality of life while making great products runs throughout
the frm. Listening to Ben and Sara describe how the frms values energize their work increased
my desire to be part of CPG. I can also see how my leadership, analytical skills and creativity will
enable me to contribute to CPG, and I would like to be included on your closed interview
schedule for the Brand Marketing Assistant Summer Internship.
My leadership skills have developed largely through community service. Two summers ago, as
the team leader for a building project in the Dominican Republic, I helped six high school students
bring their diverse personalities and skills together to form a cohesive unit while working in a
physically and emotionally challenging environment. By helping the students to cooperate with
and encourage one another, we were able to fnish our project ahead of schedule and then help
another team. My ability to motivate my team by understanding each members strengths and
listening to his or her opinions illustrates the communication skills and consumer empathy
that would contribute to my intern success at CPG.
As a Digital Advertising Sales intern at Discovery Communications last summer, I tackled the
analytical challenge of researching an assigned prospective client. After running Nielsen, TNS,
and other reports, I found very little overlap between the prospective clients and Discoverys target
audiences. Consequently, I reassessed the assignment and uncovered several better-ftting clients.
Within weeks, I presented Discovery leadership with fve realistic potential clients, along with
integrative marketing ideas for DiscoveryChannel.com. These analytical skills, along with my
creativity, will enable me to succeed in CPG intern projects such as competitor analysis and new
product launches.
Given my enthusiasm for CPGs values and brands, I would welcome the opportunity to contribute
to the CPG team through my leadership experience, analytical skills and creativity. Please consider
me for your closed interview schedule on February 10, so we can discuss the ft between my
experiences and your needs. If you have any questions, please contact me at 734.555.2222.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Handwritten or scanned signature]
Ann Chapman
Enclosure
THIS IS A SAMPLE.
DO NOT COPY IT!
Your letter should reflect
who YOU are.
Match the font style (and paper, if hard copy) of your
cover letter to your rsum. The Ross iMpact rsum
module uses Palatino font.
COVER LETTER
FLASHPOINTS
1. Your mailing address;
alternatively, you could use
the heading on your rsum
to create a professional-
looking letterhead.
2. Address your letter to a
specific person.
3. Use a colon, not a comma.
4. What interesting fact can
you share about yourself
that connects to the
organization?
5. Show that you are paying
attention to the firm.
6. Be specific about your
interest in the firm.
7. Mention how you learned
about the position.
8. For an off-campus
opportunity, you would
want to include your class
year and also your academic
emphasis, if it ties to the
position.
9. Describe your skills in the
same language used in the
position description.
10. State your request.
11. State the position.
12. Connect your skills and
experience to qualities
the firm is seeking, using
their language from the job
description.
13. Tie your experience example
back to the company. Use
specific examples from the
job description.
14. Reiterate excitement to join
the firm: recap your skills.
15. This line is used for
on-campus interviews.
Otherwise, you would say
you wish to be interviewed
and provide follow-up steps
appropriate to the method
of application.
16. Restate your request.
17. Dont forget the thank you!
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8, and 9
#10
#12
#11
#14
#13
#15
#17
#16
On-Campus Recruiting
RECRUITING CALENDAR
The Recruiting Calendar can be found by going to the Career
tab on iMpact. It details key dates that recruiters use to help
them determine the best times to come on campus to interview
and host events. Key dates include (but are not limited to) the
start dates for on-campus interviews for full-time and internship
positions, student exam dates, large Ross club functions such as
forums or symposia, etc.
RECRUITING EVENTS
Recruiting Events are events that have a recruiting focus and
are held at Ross or at an off-site location. They can include
presentations, lunches, networking/meet-and-greets, etc.
Students can search for recruiting events; the Recruiting Events
database can be found by going to the Career tab on iMpact.
There are two common types of Recruiting Events:
1. Networking HoursMany companies choose to host
networking hours in order to meet students on an informal
basis. Networking Hours are usually conducted in the
Davidson Winter Garden in Ross for a few hours during
the day. Students should be dressed in business casual
if they plan to approach a company during Networking
Hours. Students should conduct some research on
the company before attending Networking Hours and
should come with a list of relevant questions as well
as be prepared to share their story with the company
representative. Treat contact during networking hours as
you would an Informational Interview.
2. Corporate PresentationsThese presentations are
typically held fall semester, Monday through Thursday,
often in the evening. A reception meant for networking
usually follows each presentation. Students should plan
to invest at least 90 minutes for a corporate presentation.
Proper attire is usually business casualthis may vary
by industry (e.g., business formal for banks)students
should check with OCD prior to attending. Remember:
you are ALWAYS being evaluated, even if you are not
directly in front of the recruiter.
JOBS DATABASE
The Jobs Database can be found by going to the Career tab
in iMpact. Students may use the Jobs Database to search by
position, company, and degree program among other filters
such as:
Job type:
Internship positions (typically 6-12 week temporary jobs)
Short-term experiences (typically less than one week,
(e.g., Leadership Opportunity, Brand Camp, Day in the
Life, etc.)
Full-time positions (permanent positions)
Interview Type:
Job Posting (the company has submitted the opportunity
through OCD; the application process and first-round
interviews are typically coordinated by the company)
On-Campus (the first-round interview process is facilitated
by OCD)
ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS
On-campus interviews are first-round interviews facilitated by
OCD and take place in the Kresge Library.
OFF-CAMPUS INTERVIEWS
Off-campus interviews are all interviews that take place outside
of the Kresge Library. Off-campus interviews can include
interviews in the Executive Residence, the Michigan Union,
Michigan League and other locations at the University of
Michigan, or at the company location.
RSUM DROP
Students will need to drop their rsum for consideration
for on-campus interviews and various other OCD-facilitated
interviews. To drop a rsum, students will need to find the
company in which they are interested in the Jobs Database and
click on the appropriate position. If the rsum drop is open, the
student will click on the link called, Cover Letter and Rsum
Drop. The student will select which published iMpact rsum to
Office of Career Development Ethical Code of Conduct
The OCD Ethical Code of Conduct is a set of rules by which students must comply.
Violation of this Code represents a violation of the Code of Student Conduct as outlined
in the Statement of Community Values.
When you access the on-campus recruiting system for the first time, the OCD Ethical
Code of Conduct will be visible, and you will need to click I agree in order to access
the system. You can also view the OCD Ethical Code of Conduct by going to the
Recruiting Section of the Career Tab on iMpact.
The OCD Ethical Code of Conduct includes guidelines such as: professional conduct in
corresponding with companies, sincerity while interviewing, and prohibition of reneging
on an offer you accepted, among other guidelines.
drop and include the cover letter that has been pre-written. The
student will preview their selections, and then submit once ready
to drop his/her rsum and cover letter.
INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
The Interview Schedule is the list of students that a company is
going to interview for a position. At Ross, a maximum of 75%
of an on-campus interview schedule is closed; a minimum of
25% of an on-campus interview schedule is open.
CLOSED LIST
The Closed List is a list of students a company has preselected
to interview from those who have dropped their rsums for
that position. A maximum of 75% of an on-campus interview
schedule can be closed at Ross. Interviews conducted at other
locations (e.g., Michigan Union, Michigan League, Executive
Residence, etc.) may be 100% closed because interviews off-site
are not considered on-campus.
OPEN LIST
The Open List is a list of students who are placed on an interview
schedule by bidding or by adding themselves to an open
interview slot on the schedule. 25% of an on-campus interview
schedule must remain open at Ross.
BIDDING
If a company is interviewing on campus (the interview is taking
place in the Kresge Library), their interview schedule must
remain 25% open (see Open List). Students receive 1,000
points for junior year internship recruiting and 1,000 points for
full-time recruiting. Points do not carry over from internship to
full-time interviewing. Students may use their points to bid to
be placed on the open list portion of the interview schedule.
Sophomores interviewing for internships do not have to bid;
all sophomore interview schedules will remain 100% closed
(company selected). More detailed information about bidding
can be found by attending a Bidding Workshop and by going to
the Career tab on iMpact.
Why PwC?
No two career paths are alike. Thats why we help you design your own.
Join us at:
www.pwc.com/campus
100
Fortunes 100 Best
Companies to work
for 2005-2012
#1
on DiversityInc magazines
list of Top 50 Companies
for Diversity 2012
98,832
Number of hours
volunteered by PwC
colleagues 2011
86%
of Fortune 500 companies
choose PwC for assurance,
tax and auditing services
Step 3: Conduct Networking
Introduce Yourself
Conduct informational networking to gain insight into the job and industry.
Conduct strategic networking to develop advocates for your candidacy in an organization.
WHAT IS NETWORKING?
Networking is the process of establishing and maintaining
mutually beneficial relationships. Its not about using people.
The difference between proper networking and using people
is that with networking, the focus is to first establish the
relationship. Once the relationship is established, the two parties
can make requests with the understanding that a reciprocal
relationship exists.
Asking for advicenot an internship or jobopens up the
opportunity for a relationship to develop.
You can foster a mutually beneficial relationship by asking
your contacts if there is anything you could do to help them.
Employers like to fill positions with
people whom they trust or who have
been referred to them by people whom
they trust. Therefore, relationships
with potential employers are critical to
obtaining an internship or job. This is
true of companies that come to campus
as well as off-campus companies.
WHY SHOULD I NETWORK?
Networking enables you to leverage your relationships to access
knowledge, resources, and opportunities:
Youll get information that will help you determine if
you are a fit with a particular industry, function, and/or
company.
Youll get advice and referrals.
Youll learn about opportunities before they become
available.
Youll be remembered by company representatives and
potentially be selected for an on-campus interview.
HOW DOES NETWORKING FIT INTO THE
JOB SEARCH?
I. Identify your internship/ job targetor industries,
functions, and/or companies in which you think youre
interested. If it matters, identify your preferred location.
a. Early in the process, its okay to have a few potential
targets, especially if you are investigating careers.
b. The closer you get to actually seeking the job
(as opposed to exploring various careers), the
more focused youll want to be. Target one to two
functions in two to three industries.
c. Refer to the section on tools for self-assessment and
your elevator pitch (pages 8-9).
II. Identify companies that might offer the type of job
you are targeting (this may include companies that are
coming to campus).
III. Seek contacts at those companies.
IV. Reach out to request a conversation.
a. This step applies to both on- and off-campus
recruiting.
b. For contacts you meet at on-campus events, follow
up to say thank you and to request a conversation.
c. Building relationships with representatives from
companies that come to campus can set you apart
and make you memorable.
d. For off-campus recruiting, you want to reach out
even before a position is posted.
V. Conduct informational sessionsRefer to the section on
Informational Interviews in this Guide (pages 23-24).
VI. Follow up with a thank-you note and with status
updates over time.
WHEN SHOULD I START NETWORKING?
Start networking BEFORE you need a job! It takes time to build a
network and to establish trust, so start early. The most effective
networking is a constant process, but once you have decided to
begin the job search process, its time to increase the intensity of
your networking.
Start NOW by becoming a useful contact for others.
Note that this is an iterative process (e.g., a conversation
may lead to reevaluation of your job target).
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WITH WHOM SHOULD I NETWORK?
There are three types of networking contacts, which correspond to the three functions of networking:
Group A: People who can CONNECT you to people in the jobs and/or industries in which you are interested:
Family, friends, family of friends, classmates, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances
Group B: People who can MENTOR you to help you understand the job:
Ross students with experience in industry (BBA Seniors; MBAs), industry insider referrals from Group A (and from Group B),
faculty and alumni
Group C: People who can ADVOCATE for your candidacy:
On-campus recruiters, alumni (inside company), company insider referrals from Groups A/B
HOW DO I FIND CONTACTS?
Add career as part of your regular conversation with people you know or
meet.
Search Ross Connections, Ross Alumni Directory, LinkedIn.
Look around you: your classmates are often your best network!
Attend company presentations, Ross Networking Hours, Career Fairs, and
Career Panels.
Attend conferences and speaker events.
Join clubs and professional organizations for access to current members and
alumni.
By chance, striking up conversations with people you meet at social events,
while traveling, etc.
Networking is both planned and unplanned.
LINKEDIN
NETWORKING TIP
Customize your RequestsUse
a personal touch when requesting
to connect with someone.
Customizing LinkedIns generic
connection request by adding
a reminder about a recent
conversation with them and/or
explaining why youd like to
connect goes a long way toward
establishing a relationship with
your connection and getting a
positive reply.
See goo.gl/XEv4z for more
LinkedIn Etiquette tips.
On-campus networking
starts here.
Off-campus networking
starts here.
Informational
Networking
(Group B)
Develop your
rsum (you may
be asked for it).
Connective
Networking
(Group A)
Be prepared to
tell Group A a
general idea of
what you are
looking to do.
Ramp up
your interview
preparation.
Facilitative
Networking
(Group C)
Refer to
OCDs specific
Networking
Guide for details
on these types
of networking
contacts.
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HOW DO I PREPARE FOR NETWORKING?
Preparation will vary, depending on where you are in your career search, the level of the person with whom youre interacting, and
your relationship with that person.
Before you begin, define a career target or two to explore, receive mentoring in, or in which you want to build relationships.
o For assistance in this task, refer back to what you learned about yourself through the self-assessment process.
o When networking for purposes of career exploration, you dont need to know exactly what you want, but having some clarity
around your career target will enable the person to better help you.
Be familiar with your accomplishments and your interests.
Increase your research about a company when preparing to talk with someone who could influence a hiring decision.
WHAT DO I SAY?
Introduce Yourself: Your introduction will depend on the context of the
situation.
Elevator Pitch: 15-20 second speech about who you are and what type of
job youre seeking:
Your name. Your degree. Your immediate career goal (industry/
function/company). Something from your experience that you want
to leverage in your next job and/or that has led you to having this
career goal.
Use it at scheduled company events, or even informal, everyday situations.
Use it when reaching out via email or phone.
Be specificthe more specific you are about what you want, the easier it is for someone to help you.
o Even if you dont know exactly what you want, choose something specific for the particular situation; youll sound more
confident. Youll be adapting your elevator pitch through the networking process.
Personal Odyssey: 2-2 minutes relating highlights of your experiences (often in chronological order):
Use one-on-one at career fairs or other situations when people want to know more about you.
Choose elements that give insights into your motivations and decisions, and that build a case for your being a good fit for your
career target.
The outline below is an example, not a formula. Use your own creativity and judgment to adapt the outline to your own situation.
Know your story, but dont memorize it.
Tell a story in which you are the main character and in which the pieces tie into Why this job?
Elements of your story:

Background
Focus
Choosing
College
Highlights
Transferable Skills
College
Activities
Highlights
Transferable Skills
Choosing
B-School
Why?
Intent?
Career
Choice
Why this function?
Goal
Company
Why this
company?
HOW DO I FOLLOW UP?
Update Mechanism (provide status reports as you go):
I had a conversation with a referred contact
I saw the positive press your company got in the news
A discussion we had in class today touched on a topic you
and I discussed
Develop an incentive or reminder system to make sure you stay
in touch:
Mark your calendar to send an update every six to eight
weeks or more, depending on your job search timeline.
It is important in all networking
communications to ASK FOR
ADVICE, NOT FOR A JOB.
The difference between successful
networking and unsuccessful networking
is follow-up.
Diane Darling, The Networking Survival Guide
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Informational Interviewing:
A Great Way to Network
An informational interview is a great way to
build relationships with current students, alumni,
company insiders, and other business contacts to
discern your interest in a career or companyand
to let others know of your interestBEFORE you
actually need a job.
THE PURPOSE OF AN
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW
Get firsthand, relevant information about
functions, companies, and industries.
Determine your fit with a particular career
and hone career target(s).
Get advice about how to prepare for and
enter a career field.
Demonstrate your initiative and professional
interests.
Develop a relationship.
Gain referrals to other relevant professionals.
OVERVIEW OF INFORMATIONAL
INTERVIEWING
Arranging, Conducting, and Following up
Prerequisites: Before requesting an
informational interview:
o Clarify your goals for the conversation.
o Be familiar with your skills and
accomplishments. Know what youre
passionate about.
o Be genuine: Approach interactions with
sincere interest and excitement to learn.
Identify people who are in jobs, industries,
or companies that you are targeting:
o BBA Seniors and
MBAs: Search Ross
Connections
o Ross Alumni: Ross
Alumni Directory
o Dividend Alumni
Magazine
o U of M alumni:
InCircle
o LinkedIn
o Fraternity
alumni &
upper-
classmen
o Contacts
from career
fairs and
on-campus
corporate
events
o Other
Draft and send an approach email to request an in-person
or phone meeting.
o Emphasize that you are looking for advice and
information, not a job.
o If the person does not respond within two weeks,
re-send your request, with a comment that you know
they are busy and you want to be mindful of their
time, but you thought you would re-send the request
in the hope that the person might have 15 or 20
minutes to talk.
From Field: Display your full name, not your email address.
Subject Line: Accurately identify the topic and context of your email:
Ross BBA seeking career advice, or, Ross BBA referred by Professor
Michelle Riley.
Greeting: Include a greeting line; err on the side of formality (Dear Ms.
Jones,...).
Body:
o Format:Use complete sentences, with proper grammar and
punctuation. Verify correct spelling of the recipients name and
company, and all words. Read your email aloud before sending.
o Content:
Who are you and how did you get my name?
Be specific about why you chose this person.
Provide a brief description of yourself as it relates to the
recipient.
Why are you contacting me? (Advice and information)
What would you like me to do?
Ask for 15-20 minutes of the persons time (you can
learn a lot in 20 minutes if you are well prepared and
organized).
Ask if they might be available on a particular date or
time frame, but express your flexibility and deference to
their schedule.
Closing:
o Kind regards,
o Use a signature block. [Include your LinkedIn custom URLif
your profile is complete, or near complete.]
TIP: Insert the recipients email address last, AFTER proofreading.
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Prepare for the meeting:
o Do some research (industry; company; job function;
person).
o Be prepared to talk about your relevant skills and
experience.
o Prepare a list of advice and opinion questions
based on your research about the industry, function,
and the persons background. For example, look at
the companys organizational chart and ask how
responsibilities may differ between two functions in
which you are interested. Ask for advice for someone
seeking to enter the particular field.
o Reconfirm the meeting/phone call a day or two in
advance; email your rsum.
o Day of: Dress for the job you want; amend dress to
context (caf vs. Wall Street office). Bring a pen and
notepad, your rsum, and your questions.
Meet and seek advice:
o Introduce yourself.
o Lay out the agenda for the session. Be enthusiastic
and show your interest.
o Ask advice and opinion seeking questions.
o Take notes.
o Listen well: Insightful responses show that you are
interested and can communicate professionally. Use
your prepared questions only as an outline.
o Follow their cues: If they show an interest in you, give
them your story and talk about your skills; if they want
to engage in small talk, ask about their interests.
o Respect time constraints.
o Express appreciation and build your network: May
I call you again if I have more questions? and,
Can you recommend anyone else in this industry/
company/function who might help me continue in my
learning?
After the meeting:
o Record key points from the conversation, including
your impressions of the industry/company.
o Write down your next steps. Follow through on any
commitments you made.
o Send a thank-you letter or email. Let them know how
you plan to follow their advice.
o Keep in touch.
o Track your networking. Keep a record of your
interactions.
Once you have secured your internship or full-time position, make sure to get
in touch with all the people who helped you along the way to let them know
where you landed and your new contact information. Not only might you be
able to repay the favor, but also, the better networked you are, the more you
will learn about future opportunities.
For sample questions, refer to: goo.gl/US0XC
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Professional Dress Guidelines
GUIDELINES FOR MEN
Suit
1. Solid color preferrednavy blue or gray
2. Wool or wool blend
3. Single breasted and single-vent
Shirt
1. WHITEyou cannot go wrong
2. Professionally laundered
Tie
1. Stylish and modern, nothing gimmicky
2. Tie should complement the suit
Shoes and Socks
1. Polished black or burgundy leather shoes
2. Laced wing tips, cap toe, or Oxford style
3. Socks should match suit
4. Belt and shoes should match
GUIDELINES FOR WOMEN:
Suit
1. Navy blue, black, or gray two-piece suit
2. Conservative yet stylish; solid color or very narrow pin stripes
3. Accounting/Finance/Consultingsolid and more conservative
4. Skirt length should be at, or slightly above or below, the knee
Blouse
1. White or solid color blouse of cotton or silk
2. No low cut styles
Hose
1. Neutral tones that match your skin color
2. Solid; no patterns or decorations; no runs
Shoes
1. Color should match that of suit; comfortable
2. Low heel; no sling-back or open-toed styles
Accessories
1. Small, conservative earrings (gold, silver, or pearl)
2. Simple, non-distracting accessories (or none at all)
3. Natural-looking nail polish only
GUIDELINES FOR MEN AND
WOMEN:
1. Well-maintained and professional
haircut; long hair should be pulled
back
2. No perfume or cologne
3. Neatly manicured nails and clean
hands
4. Leather bag or portfolio to carry
materials
ADDITIONAL DRESS TIPS
Be sure to wear professional attire appropriate for your industry. For
financial services, this means business formalwear (a suit); for most
other industries, this means business casual. If you have questions
about appropriate dress, ask OCD!
Know the industrys standard. If uncertain, err on the side of more
formal/conservative attire.
Try on your professional dress several weeks before you plan to wear it
just in case tailoring, dry cleaning, or additional shopping is required.
If you are unsure about what to wear, please visit OCD (and bring/wear
your attire!) for a consultation.
Step 4: Prepare & Interview
Sell Yourself
INTRODUCTION
An interview provides an opportunity for an employer and
candidate to meet and evaluate whether there is a mutual fit
between the two. Keep in mind that any contact you have with
the employer is part of the evaluation process.
The employer seeks to learn and evaluate your:
Abilities: Do you possess the knowledge and skills
required to succeed in the position?
Accomplishments: A pattern of success. What
distinguishes you from other applicants?
Fit: Do you match the company culture? What kind of
colleague will you be?
Interest: Why are you interested in the position/
company?
The candidate seeks to:
Convey professionalism. Tell a coherent story about your
qualifications and background, and how this position is a
logical next step.
Communicate your fit with the companys culture.
Demonstrate the technical competence necessary for the
role.
Demonstrate enthusiasm for the position and the firm by
having researched the firm.
PREPARING TO INTERVIEW: RESEARCH
Know Yourself
Return to your self-assessment process in order to be clear
on what you have to offer and why the position is a good fit
for you and for the company.
KNOW YOUR RSUM, and be able to talk about each
point.
Think in terms of why hiring me would be good for the
company, rather than why this internship would be good
for me.
Know the Position
Study the job description. Identify the employers
expectations and focus your answers on how you can help
achieve those expectations. Also, consider how the tone of
the job description reflects the company culture, since you
want to strive for a culture match.
Be aware of the soft skills (e.g., interpersonal skills,
working under pressure) as well as the hard skills (e.g.,
analytical ability, creative problem solving) necessary for
the position.
Picture yourself in the position; if you can see
yourself in the position, you are more likely to enable the
interviewer to see you in the position.
Know the Company and the Industry
Use OCDs Pre-Interview Worksheet found on Step 4:
Prepare & Interview on the iMpact Career tab [ http://
www.bus.umich.edu/MyiMpact/Career/Handouts/
CompanyResearch.pdf ].
Visit the companys website. Know the companys mission
statement and values.
Talk with Ross students and/or alumni who have worked
or who are now working in the company.
Review data collected through company presentations and
other networking.
PRACTICE
Prepare responses for typical fit and technical questions.
Use functional club (e.g., BBA Marketing Club) and Office
of Career Development resources to understand the typical
questions that may be asked of you in an interview, and prepare
responses for them.
Form student groups and practice answering questions.
Schedule mock interview sessions through OCD and clubs.
Conduct mock interview sessions with OCD counselors and
peers to get feedback about your interview preparation progress.
PRE-INTERVIEW
Check wardrobe (page 25).
Know the type and structure of interview to expect.
Research:
- Yourself
- Industry
- Company
Prepare responses to typical questions (fit and
technical).
Practice! Practice! Practice!
Sleep, eat, EXERCISE!
Communicate a story that best exemplifies your fit with the opportunity.
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Interview Types
FIT OR BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEWS
Fit or behavioral interviews determine how well you fit with
the position and the company in terms of your personality and
behavioral characteristics, your skills and achievements, and
your career intent.
The interviewer is assessing your ability to succeed in the
position based on your past performance.
You should be prepared to support claims you make about
yourself in the form of examples.
The key to doing well in the fit interview is to develop a
coherent story which pulls together aspects of your past
with behavioral characteristics and skills to justify your
current career direction, especially in terms of the specific
job for which you are interviewing.
Certain fit interviews may also include a few technical and/
or situational questions (e.g., What would you do if a
certain situation were to arise?).
CASE INTERVIEWS
Case interviews assess your ability to analyze and solve a
problem. You should be prepared to apply business frameworks
and industry knowledge to solve a hypothetical situation posed
by the interviewer.
It is important to be structured and systematic in your
process. The process requires you to execute an analytical
methodology under time pressure, and to communicate
effectively as you go through the process.
Case interviews are typical for management consulting
and analytical positions.
Preparing for technical interviews
takes time, so start early. Refer to
OCDs BBA Interview Preparation
Guide for an outline of frameworks
useful for different types of interviews.
TECHNICAL INTERVIEWS
Technical interviews assess your understanding of the
technical work required as part of the position for which you are
interviewing.
As with Case Interviews, communicating your thought
process is important.
Technical interviews are typical for banking/finance
interviews.
Firms may include brain teasers.
NON-CONVENTIONAL INTERVIEW
FORMATS
These may occasionally be used. Its probably not time-effective
to prepare for all possible formats; preparation for the fit and/
or case interviews will generally suffice. It is useful, however, to
be aware of some of these alternate formats (e.g., unstructured
chat with senior executives, interview by committee, group
interaction exercise, written personality test).
Phone Interviews
Success in interviews involves the connection between
interviewer and interviewee, so you will have to work harder to
make the connection over the phone. Here are some tips to help
you with phone interviews:
Be in a quiet, non-distracting location. If the interview
is part of Ross on-campus interviewing, a room will
be arranged for you. Ensure that there will be no
interruptions.
Dress the part. Feeling like a professional will help you
talk like one.
Stand up for the phone call; youll communicate more
energy and enthusiasm.
Make sure your phone is fully charged and turn off any
non-silent notifications.
Keep your responses shorter (around 1 to 1.5
minutes) than for in-person interviews, and maintain
a conversational tone. Share the talking time with the
interviewer.
Resist the temptation to have interview notes in front
of you, as this usually leads to sounding flat and less
engaged with the interviewer.
Have some well-prepared questions that will give the
interviewer the opportunity to talk.
Skype/Video Interviews
These are very similar to in-person interviews. Many of the above
tips for phone interviews apply to video interviews as well. In
addition:
Maintain eye contact with the interviewer(s). Look into
the webcam, not at yourself or the interviewer(s) on the
screen. This is best done by positioning the screen shot of
the interviewer(s) just below your webcam.
Be aware of the visual background. In addition to
choosing a quiet and non-distracting room, you should be
in a clean and professional room. You do not want your
bedroom or leftover pizza boxes in the screenshot.
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For more in-depth information, refer to OCDs
guide to second-round interviews goo.gl/VezDU.
SECOND-ROUND INTERVIEWS
Companies that need to evaluate many candidates (especially
on-campus companies) often require more than one round of
interviewing. They use the second round to make an in-depth
evaluation of the candidate; the second round of interviews tends to
be lengthier and more involved than the first round of interviews.
Second-round interviews are often similar to regular
interviews, though the technical or functional questions
are usually more rigorous. There may be multiple
interviews in one day, and/or special types of interviews
(e.g., a group project with other candidates).
The people on your second interview are likely to be more
senior, or at least at varying levels, including people from
the team with which you might be working. Your challenge
is to adjust your tone/style/conversation to reflect each of
the people.
Meals or other informal events are part of the interview
process. Those involved in the hiring decision want to see how
you interact with people in social situations and will use these
situations to gauge your personality and fit with the firm.
Remember that you are being evaluated all the time,
including the way in which you interact with assistants,
security personnel, etc. Treat everyone with respect and in
a friendly manner.
You may get tired part-way through the day. If so, take a
brief break in the restroom, throw water on your face, take
a walk around the office, discreetly eat an energy bar or
whatever you need to do to stay alert and think clearly.
Stay hydrated by drinking water.
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internship programs, visit:
www.WhirlpoolCareers.com
Unilever Future Leaders Programme
Marketing Customer Development Finance
www.unilever.com/careers
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Interview Structure
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Interview Response Technique
Use a story, following the Context-Action-Result format. Behavioral questions are used by interviewers to
assess your aptitude in a particular set of skills or traits. These questions can take many forms, but your answer
should always be structured in the CAR format (Context-Action-Result) as described below.
20%
20%
60%
2-MINUTE REPLY
Response
Start with a claim, or the punch line, to frame the story. Grab the recruiters attention with the point you want to make.
Support Your Claim With a Specific Example
1. CONTEXTYou want this section to be brief. Remove technical details and set the stage for your actions.
For example, while at (Organization), I/my team was (Task at hand, Your role).
It was challenging because (Complicating factors).
I/We needed to (Topic/Action) or (Consequence/What was at stake).
2. ACTIONThe bulk of your response. Describe 4-6 tangible steps to demonstrate your progress.
SAMPLE ACTIONS
o I set up a meeting with X to discover why
o I stepped back to considerand realized that
o I created an idea which would
o I developed a relationship with X to
3. RESULTConclude by demonstrating positive outcomes. Discuss multiple results to show impact.
In the end, we were able to (Resolution/OutcomeQuantify if possible).
o This contributed to (Ripple effect, Macro outcome).
o My (Stakeholder) said (Interpersonal result or Accolade).
Takeaway
Conclude by sharing what you took from the story and how you will apply it in your function, industry, or organization.
BEHAVIORAL
INTERVIEWS LEADERSHIP TEAMWORK ANALYTICAL
Context
Phonathon supervisorUM Hillel Nonprofit consulting D-SIP: Market research
Action (1)
Hire callersphone interviews Identify lack of accountability
and scheduling problems
Quantitative: Surveys (Google
Docs)
Action (2)
Motivate callersincentives,
connection
Delegationsmall sub-teams
(2-3 people per task)
Qualitative: Phone interviews
Action (3)
Problem-solving with them about
situations encountered on calls
Learn to trust team members and
sub-teams
Analysis and research
Result
$140,000 2-month campaign Professional presentation to
client to get Pepsi Refresh Grant
Written interface proposal and
presentation
Additional Themes
for this story
Getting buy-in; coaching/
mentoring
Problem-solving; outside comfort
zone
Initiative; leadership
BUILDING YOUR STORY BANK
Develop and rehearse a number of examples in the CAR format that you can draw upon during the interview. We recommend that you
prepare at least 10 to 15 examples of various situations (adversity, leadership, teamwork, etc.). Consider stories that demonstrate how
you: 1) identified a problem/opportunity; 2) analyzed the problem/opportunity; 3) developed a solution/recommendation;
4) implemented or helped implement the solution/recommendation.
Most of your stories will touch on multiple themes, but you should adapt the examples for different questions.
Prior to your interview, correlate the job description with key experiences and stories.
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RESPONDING TO ADVERSE QUESTIONS
Often, an interviewer may ask you to talk about a weakness, failure, or setback, or to describe the best constructive criticism that you
received. You might get asked about your GPA. The secret to answering these questions is to be honest about a failure or weakness and then
demonstrate how you are addressing (or how you already addressed) any faults or limitations. This will show that you have both the ability
to recognize aspects of yourself that need improvement, and the initiative to make these improvements.
Question about a failure or a mistake (2-3 minute response):
o Response should be 50% Mini-CAR (describe what happened).
o Other 50% of your response should demonstrate the learning that resulted from this experience.
State what you learned and what you will do differently in the future.
Cite any active development (classes, coaching, etc.).
Provide a brief example of when you encountered a similar situation later on, and your improved result.
Question about a weakness (30-40 second response):
o Be honestbut not overly honest (the weakness cannot be a deal breaker).
o Contextualize it (I get nervous when presenting to boardrooms, instead of, Im a horrible public speaker).
o Discuss specific steps that you are taking to overcome this weakness.
Step 5: Decide and Negotiate
Advance Yourself
BEFORE THE OFFER: RANK THE
COMPANIES
Before you start interviewing, you should develop a rank-ordered
priority list for companies you are targeting. Continue to edit
your list, as it may change based on your experiences during
the interview process. Creating a priority list will help you make
a clearer decision about which offer to acceptand which to
decline in the hope of getting an opportunity you like better.
Ranking the Companies: Factors to Consider
Job content and what youll be doing on a day-to-day basis
Industry
Fit/Company Culture and Values
Work/Life Balance
Geographic Location
Career Advancement and Positioning
It is important to understand
which factors matter most to you and
make trade-offs that satisfy
your individual priorities.
THE OFFER: [CONGRATULATIONS!]
Make the decision on your own terms: When recruiters extend
an offer, they have an interest in having you accept it. Some
recruiters may put pressure on you to accept the offer. Be careful
not to make any commitments unless you are in a good frame of
mind to make the decision.
Be prepared with what you are going to say if you get a call with
an offer. In your excitement over getting an offer, you need to
be careful that you dont unintentionally communicate that you
are accepting the offer before thinking it through. Remember, a
verbal acceptance over the phone is considered an acceptance,
regardless of whether you have signed anything yet.
What to Say:
Thank the recruiter for the offer and express appreciation
for the time the company put into the recruiting process.
Its fine to be excited about the offer, but be careful that
you do not imply that youll be accepting the offer.
Tell the recruiter, Id like to think about the offer. What
are the next steps? Will I be getting something in writing?
Ask, By when would you like a response?
AFTER THE OFFER: FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
How long do I have to decide?
The decision deadline for offers is between you and the
employer. For on-campus recruiting, OCD encourages recruiters
to practice the following recommended guidelines:
Full-time offers to previous employees and/or summer
interns must be held open until November 30th.
Full-time offers extended during on-campus recruiting
must remain open for three weeks or until November
30th, whichever is later.
Internship offers extended during on-campus recruiting
must remain open for three weeks or until February 25th,
whichever is later.
How do I ask for more time?
Reach out directly to the person who gave you the offer and
let him/her know that you would like more time to decide:
be specific, and indicate how much time you would like to
have to make an informed decision. If the offer came from an
on-campus interview, and the company has not followed OCDs
recommended guidelines, you can politely point out to them
that the school requests that all employers leave offers open
for at least three weeks after they are given. For these firms,
providing a link to OCDs Recruiter Information page that includes
Rosss Offer Deadline guidelines has proven effective in getting
more time [ http://www.bus.umich.edu/RecruiterInformation/
InterviewLogistics/ ].
If the company has followed the recommended guidelines
and youd like additional time to consider all of your options,
please meet with an OCD staff counselor to discuss the best
approach.
I got an offer from Company B but I prefer Company A, and I
dont know when Ill hear from them. What should I do?
First contact Company A (your preferred company). In a
diplomatic way, let Company A know that you have an
offer with a deadline. Let Company A know that you want
to work for them and that you would like to investigate the
possibility of accelerating your candidacy.
If Company A is unable to accelerate their process, contact
Company B and ask if it is possible to extend the deadline
for your decision.
RANKING THE OFFERS: FACTORS TO
CONSIDER
Job content and day-to-day experience
o Will you be doing the kind of work you enjoy and do
well?
Industry
o Are you interested in this firms business activity or
products?
Fit/Company Culture
o Can you see yourself working with the people you met
during the recruiting process?
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o Does the work environment match your own work
style (e.g., team work versus independent contributor,
pace of the work, etc.)?
o Are the companys values compatible with your own
values?
Work/Life Balance
o Can you live with the work/life balanceor lack
thereof?
Geographic Location
o Is the job in the location you want?
Career Advancement and Positioning
o Is there opportunity for professional growth?
o [Internship] Does the internship have the potential
of a full-time offer? If not, will it add value to your
full-time job search?
o [Full-time] Will you be able to leverage this position
to move, if you choose to, or need to transition to
another company in a few years?
Compensation and Benefits
o Is the compensation what you were looking for?
- Compensation may be less of a consideration for
an internship.
- For full-time offers, consider:
Base Salary and any Signing Bonus
Benefits, such as Paid Time Off, Health
Care, and Relocation Expenses
What factors are most important to
you? Refer to your CareerLeader
self-assessment results for the
primary motivations that
you identified.
NEGOTIATING THE OFFER
Negotiating compensation for internships is NOT
recommended.
For full-time: Negotiate only if you intend to commit to
the company after reaching agreement on the terms of the
offer.
Be aware that on-campus recruiters may not be willing to
negotiate compensation.
ACCEPTING THE OFFER
The job offer can initially be accepted by phone OR email. If
accepting by phone, follow up with an email. The acceptance
communication should contain the position, the compensation,
and any agreed upon negotiated items. You should also
communicate your excitement about the position and the
company.
KEEP YOUR WORD! Accepting an offer, verbally or in
writing, and subsequently withdrawing to accept another
offer is a renege. A renege is a violation of the Office of Career
Developments Ethical Code of Conduct, which damages your
reputation and Ross reputation. It also negatively impacts
company relationships with the Ross School of Business.
After accepting an offer, withdraw from recruiting with
other companies, regardless of whether companies you are
interviewing with are on-campus or off campus.
Update your Employment Profile on iMpact:
http://www.bus.umich.edu/impact/profile
DECLINING AN OFFER
You will need to send an email to withdraw from any
companies that have extended you a job offer and let them
know you wont be joining their organization. Your contact
can be made first by phone, followed by email, or by
email only (phone calls are recommended if, through the
recruiting process, you have developed a close professional
relationship with the company representatives). First
contact the individual who gave you the offer. After that, let
other interested parties at the company know your status.
Be sure to decline extended offers in a timely manner, as the
company may opt to extend an offer to another one of your
classmates.
Remember, the business world is small and your path might
soon cross with people you have met during the recruiting
process. You are best served if your communications are timely
and professional.
Keep perspective: As important as
your next step is, it is just the next
step on a journey that will likely have
various twists and turns.
NEED HELP WITH YOUR DECISION?
Schedule a counseling session with OCD, or
come to Staff Walk-In Counseling.
Refer to the OCD Guide to Employment
Decision and Negotiation found in Step 5 on
iMpact for more detailed advice.
International Student Recruiting
Recruiting for a job or internship can be very competitive and
is challenging for all students, but in particular for international
students in three ways:
1) Work authorization: Not all companies are open to
sponsoring international students for work in the U.S. About
half of on-campus opportunities are open to international
students, and these are also typically the most competitive
opportunities. This means that international students need
to:
q Understand which U.S. industries/companies tend to
be more open to hiring international students (e.g.,
financial services, consulting, public accounting).
q Have a backup plan to your ideal on-campus job and
be prepared to conduct an off-campus search (which
OCD will assist you with).
2) Lack of familiarity and fewer existing personal networks
with U.S. companies
q Conduct research to identify potential companies to
target for your job search.
q Network extensively in order to build the connections
required to become an inside candidate. This
means setting up phone calls with alumni,
conducting on-site visits, and getting advice from
more experienced students who have successfully
recruited with that company.
3) Adaptation to U.S. and business school culture of
recruiting and networking.
q Realize that merit alone, such as notable overseas
work experience or high test scores, will not always
get you an invitation to interview. Networking is
essential in getting invitations to interview for jobs.
Its easy for anyone to submit a rsum. Networking
shows a company that you are dedicating personal
resources to get to know the company and, in
learning more about the opportunity, enables you
to articulate WHY you want the joban essential
element to being selected.
q Practice U.S. job search skills such as conducting
small talk, delivering an elevator pitch, conducting
informational interviews, writing cover letters,
interviewing, etc.
Despite these challenges, dont forget that international
students have advantages in recruiting, such as cross-cultural
communication skills, global business knowledge, and multiple
language fluencies skills that companies value. In the end,
international students boast nearly the same employment rates
as domestic studentssometimes even higher, but what this
data does not show is that international students work three
times as hard to get their jobs!
The Office of Career Development is committed to assisting
International Students to meet their career development goals.
Specific resources for International Students can be found on the
iMpact Career tab.
Get ready for take off with a multi-faceted career experience
that provides exposure to an array of services, market
segments, and so much more. At WeiserMazars, our
extraordinary team of professionals, ofces and vast global
network, provide a platform that is exactly right to launch
your successful career in accounting.
For more information please contact
Heather Cohen, Director of Human Resources
Heather.Cohen@WeiserMazars.com | www.WeiserMazars.com
5
A C C O U N T I N G | T A X | A D V I S O R Y
WeiserMazars LLP is an independent member rm of Mazars Group.
Exactly Right.
Ne w Yor k Ci t y, NY | L ong I s l a nd, NY | Edi s on, NJ | For t Wa s hi ng t on, PA | Chi c a g o, I L
F I ND Y OU R I NNE R S U P E R A C C OU NTA NT. WE I S E R MA Z A R S . E X A C T LY R I GHT.
016078 Univ of Michigan_v6.indd 1 5/17/12 1:38 PM
Etiquette Tips
NETWORKING
Allow a day or two for a recruiter to return your call or
email. Recruiters are very busy during recruiting season
and are often away from the office.
You are at presentations to make contacts, not to eat the
food at the post-presentation reception. Think of the food
as a bonus and eat after youve had an opportunity to
speak to the recruiters.
Recruiting is a very competitive process, but remember
that recruiters come to Ross because, in addition to
being among the most accomplished and intelligent, our
students are known for their collegiality. You make the
best impression on a recruiter by presenting your best self,
not by tearing other students down.
Remember, you are at a corporate presentation to learn
about a company and make connections. Make sure you
are not distracted from your main objective; do not bring
electronic deviceslaptops, cellphones, etc.to the
presentation.
Know how to ask questionsbe sure to brush up on
the types of questions appropriate for different modes of
interactionlarge group, small group and one-on-one.
Be sure to avoid potentially controversial topics of
conversation: religion, politics, etc. Do not ask recruiters
or company representatives to comment on any of their
companys negative press.
Remember to gracefully enter and exit group
conversations. Wait for a natural pause in conversation
to enter a conversation and introduce yourself. Exit
a conversation by excusing yourself, thanking the
representative for attending the event and shaking
hands (if possible). Again, wait for a natural pause in
conversation to exit the group.
Be respectful of the company representatives and your
fellow students. Do not dominate a conversation, but
instead allow others to talk as well. Be mindful not to
take up too much of any one representatives time. Ask
a few well thought-out questions and move on to other
representatives to ask additional questions.
Dont use the buddy system at recruiting events.
Strike up conversations with corporate representatives
independently.
When making introductions, say the name of the most
important person first, and then the name of the person
being introduced; for example, Mr. Smith, this is my
classmate, Sally Jones.
DINING
If dining with a prospective employer, select
mid-priced items on the menu. Also, avoid
selecting food that is difficult to eat, that may
cause a mess, or get stuck in your teeth.
Do not starve yourself before a corporate dinner
event. Remember that the primary purpose of this
event is to get to know the prospective employer
and the secondary purpose is to eat.
Avoid consuming alcohol at recruiting events
even if you are over 21 and it is offered. You want
to represent yourself in a positive, professional
manner.
INTERVIEWING
Provide a great first and last impression. Have a
firm handshake and good posture, and remember
to smile.
Wait for the interviewer to be seatedor asks you
to sitbefore sitting down.
Take responsibility for your previous actions. Never
lie during an interview, and avoid excuses.
THANK-YOU NOTES
Send a thank-you note after each interaction with a
recruiter or networking contact.
When crafting a thank-you note, be specific about
something that you learned from the interaction.
This will help the recruiter, who likely spoke with
or interviewed many candidates, solidify their
positive impressions of you.
EMAIL
Use an appropriate salutation (Dear _________,)
and closing (Regards, __________) with
business contacts and faculty.
Your subject line should be clear and meaningful to
the recipient.
Include brief information about yourself (e.g., a
reminder of prior contact).
Use a signature block that includes your email
address.
Be concise and to the point.
ADVERTISER INDEX
Deloitte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Ernst & Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Evisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
PwC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Unilever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
U.S. Department of State . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
WeiserMazars LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Whirlpool Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
College Recruitment Media and The Office of Career
Development at the University of Michigans Stephen M. Ross
School of Business wish to thank the above participating
sponsors for making the publication available to students.
If youre a high achiever and
want to work with some of
the brightest minds in the
business, an internship at
Ernst & Young can give you
all the support you need
to help put your skills into
practice and grow as a
professional. To learn more,
visit ey.com/us/possibilities.
See More | Inspiration
Real challenges.
Unreal support.
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630.938.0200 CRMpubs.com
OFFICE OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Ofce Location: E2420
http://www.bus.umich.edu/MyiMpact/Career.aspx
CAREER COUNSELING AND EDUCATION RECRUITING AND OUTREACH
RossCareerCounseling@umich.edu RossRecruiterRelations@umich.edu
Phone: (734) 764-1373 Phone: (734) 764-1372

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