Professional Development Seminar Summary:
Goldman, Sachs Recruiters
Offer Job Search Tips

Author:  James R. Hasse

Introductions (Melissa Kastens)

We're going to look at the job search process from a
different perspective. We are recruiters; none of us
is a career counselor.

Melissa Kastens: A year and a half with Goldman
as a recruiter, has another four years experience in
HR with a competitor.

Marjorie Moliere: Seven years with Goldman,
five of them in campus and diversity recruitment; was
a non-profit fundraiser before that and is now
involved with more experienced hiring.

Kimberly Williams: A year and a half at Goldman
and is now doing diversity recruiting on campus
level; has experience with other financial services
firms; also managed A Better Chance, New York City,
for placing academically gifted students of color in
boarding schools.

Kerry O'Callahan: One year at Goldman as
manager of non-professional recruiting; has 14 years
of experience as an HR generalist for a couple of law
firms; has done recruiting and retention work in
professional and nonprofessional sectors.
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Resume Writing (Kimberly Williams):

Resume Format:

• Write one page only
  
  
• Use reverse chronological order in summarizing
  experience (the most recent first)
  
  
• Include clear and simple descriptions (bullet
  points or simple sentences)
  
  
• Use an easy-to-read font
  
  
• Keep it simple!!!
  
  

• Include full name and current contact
  information
  
  
• Use a bullet format
  
  
• List your accomplishments
  
  
• Mention honors and awards
  
  
• Highlight work experience (and licenses
  you have earned)
  
  
• Include extracurricular activities
  and leadership involvement
  
  
• Show GPA, if it's good. If it's not,
  don't list it.
  
  
• Summarize your academic history (school, location,
  graduation date, major/minor)
  
  

• Typos and other spelling, punctuation and
  grammatical errors
  
  
• Inaccurate or untrue information - Don't inflate
  (i.e. Did you manage a process or participate in a
  process?). List real hobbies; only list your true
  interests.
  
  
• Too "stylish"
  
  
• Irrelevant objective statement - Write objective
  statement in one or two sentences and make it relevant
  to the job. Change it to fit each job you consider.
  
  
• Contact names and company names that don't match
  
  

Question: Is it ok to generalize in your cover
letter by writing "Dear prospective employer" as a
greeting?

Answer: This is full-time job. Do research
to make letter specific. That makes you special
because you stand out. Personalizing your cover letter
helps differentiate you from other candidates.

Question: Should I tell the company about
my disability?

Answer: That's your call. Many companies
are still not enlightened. Talk to someone who knows
the corporate climate of that company. If your
disability is a problem for that company, you probably
don't want to work there.

Question: I became blind later in life and
have gaps in my resume. How do I address that?

Answer: Write a functional resume by
describing your skill sets and capabilities. Support
those statements with brief examples of your work
experience. Explain the gaps in your cover letter. A
go-between, such as an agency, can also help.

Question: At the interviews I've had, my
blindness is a turnoff. When is it a good time to tell
about visual impairment?

Answer: I would like to know before our
interview because that would help me do a better job
as a recruiter.

Recruiting Resources (Marjorie Moliere)

1. Agencies
   
   Two types: Contingency agencies are paid by the
   company when job is filled. They're not exclusive, and
   usually concentrate on middle management jobs.
   Executive search agencies are paid regardless of
   whether the job is filled, charge higher fees and have
   the exclusive right to fill the job. They concentrate
   on senior executive jobs.
   
   Agencies can provide you with information about the
   job market, a firm's culture, industry prospects,
   working conditions, average compensation etc.
   
   Some agencies specialize in specific types of jobs;
   some are generalists. They ultimately work for the
   employer.
   
   Talk to people who are job holders or a recruiter for
   leads on agencies. Also check the Directory of
   Executive Recruiters, a reference at the library, to
   find who to call (see Related Links
   below).
   
   
2. Job boards online
   
   They can be specialized or broad-based generalists,
   offering company research and career tips in addition
   to resume and job postings.
   
   
3. Word of mouth
   
   Employer referral programs can be valuable. A
   relative or even a friend of a friend can pave the way
   to introductions and give you a sense of the corporate
   culture, mentoring possibilities. Have family members
   keep eyes open for job opportunities. Remember that a
   good fit for a friend may not be a good fit for you.
   
   
4. Schools or alumni associations
   
   
5. America's Job Bank
   
   A web site offering nation-wide job postings,
   including those for federal contractors. It offers
   geographical searches (see Related
   Links below).
   
   
6. Professional associations

Question: I'm interested in web programming.
How do I find information about that working
environment?

Answer: Ask friends, school contacts,
career officers, professors and agencies which
specialize in tech placements. There are also web
sites which specialize in information technology
careers.

Question: Is there an agency in New York
City which works with visual impaired job candidates?

Answer: eSight^TM will further research that
and post the results of that research. (Also see
summary of December, 2000, seminar, a discussion by
Peter Newman, Diversity Services, New York City.)

Question: Because I have a visual
impairment (which is a hidden disability), I have
difficulty in filling out a neat job application.
What should I do?

Answer: Notify the receptionist about your
situation. An HR person will help. Or, ask if you can
take the application home. Most companies will make
accommodations.

Question: How can I deal with a situation
in which I'm asked to take a test?

Answer: You can say: "I'm more than happy
to take your test. I just need help to record my
answers."

Interviewing Preparation (Melissa Kastens)

Purpose of an interview:

• Determine whether you're capable of doing the
  job
  
  
• Determine whether you're motivated to do the job
  
  
• Determine whether you'll "fit" into the culture
  
  

• Know yourself
  
  
• Know the job for which you're interviewing
  
  
• Know the industry and company
  
  
• Put yourself in the place of the interviewer
  
  
• PRACTICE!
  
  

• Behavioral interview, which is designed to
  show your organizational skills
  
  
• Case study interview, which focuses on your
  problem solving skills and how analytical you are
  
  
• Historical interview, which is a discussion of
  experience to date and is designed to show your the
  progression in your skill development
  
  

• Pause before you speak
  
  
• Say you don't know if don't know
  
  
• Bring copies of resume
  
  
• Allow one to two hours total time for the
  interview
  
  
• Do your research about the job and the company
  
  
• Let interviewer guide the conversation
  
  
• Be ready to give concrete examples of skills
  
  
• Ask questions
  
  

• Inappropriate dress and presentation
  
  
• Getting caught in a lie
  
  
• Lack of enthusiasm
  
  
• Being uninformed
  
  
• Asking about salary. (That's up to the interviewer
  to decide whether to discuss it. If asked, be honest
  about present salary)
  
  
• Too much follow up
  
  

• Follow-up with a thank you letter or email
  ASAP
  
  
• Collect and distribute business cards
  
  
• Reiterate your interest
  
  
• Thank everyone
  
  
• Inquire about next steps
  
  

Question: How do you answer the question: What
do you expect your salary to be?

Answer: Do your research. You can say: "Right
now I'm making $35,000 and would like to be making
$40,000." Be honest. You can say, "I'm interested in
the job," as a first response, but you also need to
show your interest in salary and back it up with
figures.

Mock Interview (Kimberly Williams, interviewer,
& Melissa Kastens)

Kimberly (interviewer) and Melissa conduct a five-
minute mock interview, which usually takes 30-40
minutes.

Negatives in mock interview:

• Never say anything negative about previous
  employer or company
  
  
• Asking "What is this job about?" was not
  appropriate and showed lack of preparation.
  
  

• Summarized what she had to offer at the end of
  the interview.
  
  
• Gave concrete examples of experience and comments
  from others about job well done.
  

The Offer Process (Majorie Moliere)

The offer usually comes after several interviews.
Listen carefully to what the organization is offering
you. Repeat specifications about adaptive equipment
and accommodations. Get clarification. That may take
several phone calls.

Don't prolong this process for more than a week.
Accept or reject the offer.

If offer is not what you want, be prepared to
negotiate. Decide what will make me happy before
negotiating.

An agency can negotiate on your behalf.

Once you accept an offer, you should receive an offer
letter. Make sure it states the conditions you
negotiated.

There may be a background check. Ask what will be
checked. Will there be a drug screening? When?

Ask when you can let your present employer know that
you are leaving?

Ask about dress, direct deposit, education
policies etc.
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