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Using Foster MBA JobsA P P LY I N G F O R J O B S A N D I N TE RN SH IP SSign Up for an OCR Interview If selected to interview on campus, you can sign up for an interview time once the sign up periodbegins. You will be notified via email if you have been selected to interviewSelect Interview Requests from within the Interviews tab on the top nav barThe status of your active applications is displayed in the Options columnOnce you are invited to interview, click on Schedule Interview under the Options tabOn the Schedule Interview page, find the date you would like to sign up for and select the time slotyou desireClick Submit and your slot will be reservedClick on Scheduled Interviews to Review and/or RescheduleSet Up a Search Agent Select CSM Jobs under Jobs from top navigation bar and then click on the Advanced Search tabCheck the Save As box under the Search Agents field and give your search a nameNarrow your search by selecting the search criteria belowClick SubmitClick on Search Agents in the top navigation barChoose whether to receive email notifications of job matches by clicking ScheduleClick Submit and then click RunYour Search Agent will begin the next dayAlumni Network View Alumni Network participants by clicking on Alumni Network in the top navigation barView professional profile by clicking on a participant’s nameUse Detailed Search tab to search the professional network (“keywords” box only pulls from limitedfields)Other Helpful Sections Shortcuts: On the home page you will find a shortcuts section which will bring you directly to specifickey pages like “Jobs I Qualify for”Events: Click on the events tab to view MBACM events and RSVPAnnouncements: Check daily for important announcements from MBACMQuestions? Click on the Play icon located at the top right of every page to view a Video TutorialIf you need more assistance, contact MBA Career Management at mbacm@uw.edu or 206-685-24105

Apply Online and Stand OutA P P LY I N G F O R J O B S A N D I N TE RN SH IP SYou’ve found an posting for a position at XYZ Inc. With your skills and qualifications,you fit the bill perfectly. But XYZ requires an online application — and that means (youthink) a cookie-cutter application that distills your skills so that it appears you’re oneof a million applicants, not one in a million. And then — when you click “send” — youfear your application swirls away into the black hole of electronic waste. Should you orshouldn’t you apply to an online application?Should you or shouldn’t you use an onlineapplication? And if you do submit yourresume online, how can you ensure it getsthe attention it deserves?If You Want the Job Follow the Employer’s ProcessEmployers say online applications won’t goaway. An increasing number of employerswant candidates to find job openings oncompany websites or Internet job boards;they require online applications; they preferto communicate with potential hires viaemail.Hiring with the aid of technology is atime- and money-saving proposition forbusinesses. It has maximized efficiency inthe candidate selection process.Employers say they can advertise to awider, more diverse candidate pool (whichmeans you’ve got more competition thanever before), find matches for hard-to-fillpositions, easily share resumes of qualifiedcandidates with hiring managers, streamlinethe hiring process, and tighten the timelinebetween the need for a new employee andthe date the employee starts on the job.Employers say using the company’s ownonline application system is the fastestway to get your resume into the righthands. Your focus should be on makingyour application unique; to avoid its beingswallowed up in the technology abyss.Typically, applications submitted onlinego directly into the employer’s applicantdatabase. Paper resumes are scanned orkeyed into the database (where a scanneror data processor may add errors to yourresume).A hiring manager who needs to fill aposition enters keywords to search thedatabase and find the applications of thepeople who are the best fit for the job.Those results become the candidate pool.Making a Big Splash in the Candidate PoolWhat does it take to have your bits and bytesbob to the surface in a candidate search?A recent survey by the National Associationof Colleges and Employers (JobWeb’s/JobChoices’ publisher) asked employers fortheir advice on how to make an electronicapplication outstanding. Here’s what theyrecommend:» Follow directions. Be careful to enter thecorrect data in the correct field.» Ask for advice on completing theapplication from a company recruiteror an alumnus who may work at thecompany.» Tailor your application information to theposition. Don’t copy and paste text fromyour generic resume.» Use keywords, buzz words and industryverbiage. Use the verbiage in the jobad as your model. Employers search onkeywords when they’re looking for peopleto fill specific positions.Reprinted from JobWeb (www.jobweb.com), with permission of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, copyright holder.» Create a skills-inventory section, evenif the application doesn’t require it. Youmight put this in a comments section.» Include numbers and statistics whereavailable. (Example: Counted five cashdrawers daily; responsible for more than 10,000 per eight-hour shift.)» Complete all fields – even those thataren’t required.» If the company offers an optionalassessment test online, take it. (Oneemployer recently admitted thatapplicants who don’t take the optionalassessment test are automaticallyscreened out.)» Make sure your resume can hold its ownin a very simple format. Fancy bullets,text, italics and bold do not convert wellin an electronic application.» Spell and grammar check your applicationbefore submitting it. Have an error-freeapplication because this applicationserves as the employer’s first impressionof you.» Use the comment section to demonstratethat you’ve done research on thecompany and the industry.» Use quotes from letters ofrecommendation in your cover letter orresume.» Follow up your electronic application witha personal email to the recruiter. A followup phone call is acceptable if the ad doesnot say, “No phone calls.”6

Writing Impactful ResumesA resume is a marketing tool for job seekers. More than achronicle of work history and educational background, aneffectively written resume will leave an impression of howyour acquired experience and skills connects to their jobopening and/or company.STAR MethodWhen writing your resume, apply the STARmethod for developing strong statementsthat describe your past and presentexperiences. Avoid listing only job duties.Instead, describe accomplishments andoutcomes. Recruiters and hiring managersprefer to read success stories, not a list oftasks.Situation – The situation or setting; thebackground for contextTask – Tasks or tactics used to approachor assess the challengeAction – Activities or actions used to effect the changeResult – The outcome, a sense of scale,the quantifiable benefitFor exampleA weak resume statement:“A successful builder of high-performanceteams that can address challenging clientsituations”You have just “bragged” on yourselfwithout context, an example or any senseof scale or success. Convert it into a STARstatement A strong (STAR) resume statement:“Assigned as a new project leader to aclient who was dissatisfied with the firm’sservices, rebuilt the project team andrewrote the application to the customer’ssatisfaction, resulting in an 3 yearcontract extension.”Broken down into STAR components:Situation: assigned to a dissatisfied customerTask: to solve a technical issue (program)and a client issueAction: pulled together a good team tosolve the technical issueResult: achieved customer satisfaction andgot a contract extension7Keywords for ResumesUse action words to describe yourexperience and accomplishments and toeffectively demonstrate your level ofresponsibility. Here are some actionwords to use:» achieved» acquired» adapted» addressed» administered» analyzed» assembled» assisted» audited» budgeted» calculated» centralized» changed» collaborated» composed» condensed» conducted» constructed» converted» coordinated» created» cultivated» demonstrated» designed» developed» devised» discovered» doubled» drafted» edited» eliminated» ensured» established» evaluated» expanded» explained» forecasted» formed» founded» generated» guided» hired» identified» implemented» improved» informed» interpreted» interviewed» launched» led» maintained» managed» marketed» minimized» motivated» negotiated» obtained» operated» organized» originated» oversaw» performed» planned» prevented» produced» programmed» provided» publicized» published» reorganized» reported» researched» selected» simplified» supervised» trained

Foster MBA Resume FormatUse the Foster MBA resume template to easily developyour resume in a professional format. Below are key tipsto help you develop your resume.Contact Information» Formal name, centered at the top of theresume in bold letters and large font size» Email address (professional, preferablyyour UW account)» Use current mailing address» Phone number (with a professionalvoicemail greeting)Education» Start with “Michael G. Foster School ofBusiness” and anticipated graduationdate (month and year).» Formal degree title on the next line –Bachelor of Science in BusinessAdministration, not BSBA; explaininternational degrees that may beunfamiliar in the U.S.» Major/minors» GPA or GMAT, if noteworthy» Honors» Awards» Study abroad (include a generaldescription of the program and anyspecific focus of study)Experience» Begin with the company name and jobtitle, followed by bullet point descriptionsof your accomplishments and results.» Include as much professional workexperience as possible, highlightingtransferable skills related to the job youare seeking. For example, customer serviceexperience obtained from food service orretail is valuable training for the businessworld. Identify how the skills you acquiredin previous roles (customer service, peertraining, time management) can betransferred to your next career move.» Include part-time and full-time work.» Unpaid volunteer positions and projectwork can be listed if they resulted insubstantive business skill development.Activities» Include athletics, professionalsocieties, student organizations» Highlight all leadership positions/roles.Skills» Computer skillsW R I TI N G I M PAC TF UL RE SUME SFrequently Asked QuestionsWhat if the resume won’t fit on onepage?» Minimize top and bottom margins to0.5.” Continue to use a single blankline between sections.» Remove phrases listed under yourexperiences that do not relate to thetypes of jobs you will be seeking.» Remove activities or honors thatare older than four years or do notrepresent applicable skills or interests.Where do I show my Applied StrategiesProject on my resume?» List your projects as a section undereither Experience or Education.» Evaluate your resume and the otherexperiences and activities you’ve had,as well as the position or industry towhich you are applying, to determinethe most appropriate placement.» Language skillsYour resume should be:» One page» Specify permanent work authorizationin the United States, if applicable.» Concise, accurate and professionalResume Style Guide» Abbreviate states (WA in place ofWashington) except in your bullet points(e.g., “.sales responsibility for Illinois,”not IL).» Customized to the specific positionyou’re seeking» S pell out names of countries» Capitalize languages (Spanish, French)» Action and results oriented – seekeywords (page 7)» Proofed carefully for grammar,spelling and conformanceYour resume should NOT:» Include a References section» Include personal information (e.g.,age, height, weight, race, maritalstatus).» Be written with personal pronouns(e.g. “I”, “me”, “we”)8

Foster MBA TemplateW R I TI N G I M PAC TF UL RE SUME S9

Business CommunicationWhen you are searching for a job, demonstrating strongcommunication skills is essential, yet most people onlyunderstand this concept superficially. To be a goodcommunicator, you should:Know your audienceWhether you are writing a letter, interviewingor presenting, the number one rule of businesscommunication is to know the audience– the people who will be receiving yourcommunication. Research the company. Inaddition to reading the company’s website,find out about the culture and learn abouttheir specific business problems. They arehiring people who can solve businessproblems. What do you have to offer them?Also, do you fit with their culture?PrepareGood presenters and writers prepare inadvance. They rehearse presentations andtweak their writing until they feel theirmessage is clear and compelling. Even ifyou are a charmer, no one will be impressedif you demonstrate little preparation forthe interview. For interviews, predict thequestions you could be asked, preparefor them and practice answering them. Inletters,customize your message for thatparticular audience.Go beyond basic research and use a littlepsychology. That recruiter you’re talkingwith has been flying around the countrytalking with one person after another,day after day. Can you put yourself in thatperson’s shoes? He or she wants to talkwith an interesting and confident personwho’s ideal to work with and who standsout from the crowd. You’ve made his or herday if you turn out to be the right person tobring in for a second interview.Be concise and organizedYou’ve heard that time is money. That’swhy business people won’t have patiencefor a disorganized and wordy paragraphor a rambling answer during an interview.Avoid wordiness. Consider whether or notheadings, subheadings and bullets in yourwritten correspondence will help the busyreader easily navigate your message. Ingeneral, make the first sentence of yourparagraphs the main point and thensupport that point.In the cover letter and interview, brieflyconvey your knowledge of the companyand communicate information thatdemonstrates your fit with the company andthe advertised position.Know yourselfYou can’t effectively communicate whatyou have to offer an organization if youdon’t know your own talents, strengths andweaknesses. Know what makes you uniqueto effectively differentiate and sell yourself.In the cover letter and the interview, provewith examples and results that you haveskills to help business professionals solvetheir business problems.Be accurate and truthfulIf someone discovers you’ve lied, you’lllose your credibility. Proofread, or you’llbe perceived as someone who doesn’t payattention to details.Know when to listen and when to talkGood communicators have differentpersonalities. Some are outgoing andsome are thoughtful listeners. The bestcommunicators can listen to the otherperson and keep a conversation going. Onestrategy for keeping a conversation flowingis to demonstrate interest by asking goodopen-ended questions. Really listen, andyou’ll learn a lot about the job and thecompany.By Sharon McMillen Cannon, Lecturer of Management Communication and Director, Washington University.10Frequently Asked QuestionsTo whom should I address my coverletter?» Address your letter to a specificindividual within the organizationwho has the responsibility for the hiringdecision. Look for the contact nameon the job description or on the FosterMBA Jobs posting.If you do not have a contact name, itis accepatable to address the letterto “COMPANY NAME Recruiter” or“COMPANY NAME Hiring Manager”How long should my cover letter be?» Similar to a resume, cover lettersshould be no longer than one page inlength.When should I send my cover letter?» Always send a cover letter with yourresume when applying to an internshipor job opening, even if not specificallyrequested by the employer. It’s anotheropportunity to market your experiencesand fit for the position and a meansto differentiate yourself from othercandidates.I’m submitting an application via email,how should I attach my cover letter andresume?» If not specified by the employer, usethe body of your cover letter as thebody of your email and attach yourresume to the email.

Email EtiquetteBU SI N E SS C O M MUN ICATIO NWhen you are using email for business correspondence, keep the following tips in mind:Include an appropriate salutation.Use titles for prospective employers andothers whom you don’t know well. Reserveinformal salutations, such as “Hi” forpeople you know well.Use bullets for information that can bepresented in list form.Use correct spelling, grammar andpunctuation.Keep your email concise. onsider sending lengthy messages asCan attachment – write a brief executivesummary email to describe the attachment.Avoid sending negative or confidentialinformation by email. se an appropriate closing.UInformal closings, such as “later,”should be reserved for nonprofessionalcorrespondence and not used with hiringmanagers or business contacts.Include contact information in yoursignature. This is another way for recipientsto identify who you are and how you can bereached.LinkedIn email is a good way to connect professionally with alumni and other contacts.Here are some tips for effectively using the LinkedIn email feature:1. K eep your LinkedIn email short (1paragraph or less). Tell:» Who you are – I am a Foster MBAstudent.» What you want to do/why you’recontacting them» Ask if they would be willing to set upa phone call to talk.» Tell them you appreciate the help.2. The email should be about asking foradvice. Ideally, a meeting in person (ifpossible) is the next logical step (coffee,lunch, etc.). If not possible, arrange fora phone call when convenient for yourcontact.11

Cover Letter GuidelinesBU SI N E SS C O M MUN ICATIO NA cover letter is one of the most important tools in your job search. Don’t make themistake of investing significant time developing your resume but preparing your coverletter in haste. Cover letters allow you to tell a story beyond your resume.Your cover letter.» Serves as a mini-interview on paper toexpound upon concepts highlighted inyour resume and further market yourstrong fit for the position.» Represents an initial opportunity tocommunicate with a potential employerthat allows you to make a favorablefirst impression, which can lead to a jobinterview.» Allows you to generate additional interestin your application by highlighting yoursuitability and making it easy for thereader to see how well matched yourexperiences and interests are for the role.» Allows you to showcase skills andaccomplishments not included onyour resume.» Provides evidence of your strongcommunication skills.Step 1: Analyze the position andthe company.» Underline key words or phrases in the jobdescription that offer clues as to what theemployer wants or requires.» Identify why you are interested in theposition.» Identify the recruiter or hiring manager forthe position.» Identify any contacts you have within theorganization.Step 2: Compare your credentialswith the position.» List at least three key accomplishments orexperiences relev

Foster MBA Jobs is an esssential tool for students because it allows them to view a wide variety of jobs from employers that are interested in hiring Foster MBA students. Job Postings You can apply for opportunities by submitting your resume and other requested documents through Foster MBA Jobs. The process is simple,but is driven by timelines