These Career Center Partners have generously supported Michigan Tech students!

These Career Center Partners have generously supported Michigan Tech students!

Plant Trips and Job Offers Tips for second interviews and understanding benefit packages

Tips for second interviews

and understanding benefit

packages

Second Interviews aka: Plant Trips Purpose of plant trips Company has more time for in-depth assessment of you You can decide if this is the right organization and location

Purpose of plant trips

Company has more time for in-depth assessment of you

You can decide if this is the right organization and location

Preparing For Your Visit Review initial interview notes Employer’s web site Annual report Promotional material Industry/business publications Alumni or contacts within company

Review initial interview notes

Employer’s web site

Annual report

Promotional material

Industry/business publications

Alumni or contacts within

company

Resources for Company Information Dun & Bradstreet (dnb.com) Directory of Executive Recruiters Bizweb.com Hoover's Online LexisNexis People

Additional Resources S&P’s Register of Corporations, Directors, & Executives Fortune ’s 500 biggest U.S. co. Bus. Week ’s 100 best small U.S. companies Inc . list of 500 fastest-growing U.S. companies Forbes ’ list of best small companies in America

S&P’s Register of Corporations, Directors, & Executives

Fortune ’s 500 biggest U.S. co.

Bus. Week ’s 100 best small U.S. companies

Inc . list of 500 fastest-growing U.S. companies

Forbes ’ list of best small companies in America

Understand Your Arrangements Using email is preferred for communication A detailed itinerary Who makes travel / hotel arrangements? Is the company financing your travel? Pre-paid or reimbursed? Keep all receipts! Married? Will your spouse accompany you?

Using email is preferred for communication

A detailed itinerary

Who makes travel / hotel arrangements?

Is the company financing your travel?

Pre-paid or reimbursed?

Keep all receipts!

Married? Will your spouse accompany you?

Details about your trip Important details Directions to the company Dates/times and places you are expected to meet Recommended way to get from airport to hotel or company (shuttle, limo, cab) Expected dress code Required materials you should bring

Important details

Directions to the company

Dates/times and places you are expected to meet

Recommended way to get from airport to hotel or company (shuttle, limo, cab)

Expected dress code

Required materials you should bring

What to take ? ID, credit cards, some cash Resumes, transcripts, other supporting materials Appropriate clothing and shoes Professional binder with note pad and pens Briefcase vs. backpack

ID, credit cards, some cash

Resumes, transcripts, other supporting materials

Appropriate clothing and shoes

Professional binder with note pad and pens

Briefcase vs. backpack

Arrival and Hotel Details Use hotel alarm clock & wake up call Avoid room charges Local calls, room service . . . Movies??? Do not bill long distance calls to your room

Use hotel alarm clock & wake up call

Avoid room charges

Local calls, room service . . . Movies???

Do not bill long distance calls to your room

BIG Hint You are being evaluated during EVERY part of your trip Everyone from hotel staff to cab drivers to janitors may communicate with your prospective employer if negatively impressed

You are being evaluated during EVERY part of your trip

Everyone from hotel staff to cab drivers to janitors may communicate with your prospective employer if negatively impressed

The Interview Day May need to check out of hotel that morning Know how you will get to facility Day is usually very full with no breaks Two types of plant trips Individual Group visits

May need to check out of hotel that morning

Know how you will get to facility

Day is usually very full with no breaks

Two types of plant trips

Individual

Group visits

Individual Interviews Average 3 to 5 one-on-one interviews with people from various levels such as: Potential supervisors Department managers VP or plant managers Be knowledgeable about the company’s products, services and competition Ask appropriate questions Avoid questions about pay, benefits, etc.

Average 3 to 5 one-on-one interviews with people from various levels such as:

Potential supervisors

Department managers

VP or plant managers

Be knowledgeable about the company’s products, services and competition

Ask appropriate questions

Avoid questions about pay, benefits, etc.

Individual Interviews Asked same question many times Remain upbeat and energetic Don’t worry about repeating your answers Dining with the company You are always being evaluated

Asked same question many times

Remain upbeat and energetic

Don’t worry about repeating your answers

Dining with the company

You are always being evaluated

Group Interviews Usually 20 – 40 candidates May have one-on-one interview time Company will observe your behavior in a group: Who asks questions Who communicates easily with others Who dominates conversations Who hides in the corners, etc.

Usually 20 – 40 candidates

May have one-on-one interview time

Company will observe your behavior in a group:

Who asks questions

Who communicates easily with others

Who dominates conversations

Who hides in the corners, etc.

Individual /Group Interviews Both types will involve a facility tour Testing Psychological profile inventory Aptitude test Drug test (hair or urine)

Both types will involve a facility tour

Testing

Psychological profile inventory

Aptitude test

Drug test (hair or urine)

After your trip Write a thank you note to your main contact Send brief notes to others who had significant meetings with you

Write a thank you note to your main contact

Send brief notes to others who had significant meetings with you

The Waiting Game Find out when the company expects to make a decision No news yet? Contact the company a few days after the deadline to see if any other information is needed

Find out when the company expects to make a decision

No news yet? Contact the company a few days after the deadline to see if any other information is needed

Negotiating the Offer You do not have to take first offer You may be given a week or more time to make your decision How to delay a decision Ask for more time—contact the Career Center for advice Consider all your options

You do not have to take first offer

You may be given a week or more

time to make your decision

How to delay a decision

Ask for more time—contact the Career Center for advice

Consider all your options

Salary and Cost of Living Resources www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html Calculates cost of living comparisons between actual cities. www.quintcareers.com/salary_negotiation.html Lots of information about salary negotiation tips www.careerjournal.com (Click on the Salary and Hiring Information tab, then salary by title) Wall Street Journal data www.monster.com (Click on Career Advice tab, then targeted advice, then salary center) Can get free basic salary report or pay for more detailed report. Provides salary data specific to materials engineers of varying degrees and experience levels

www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html

Calculates cost of living comparisons between actual cities.

www.quintcareers.com/salary_negotiation.html

Lots of information about salary negotiation tips

www.careerjournal.com

(Click on the Salary and Hiring Information tab, then salary by title)

Wall Street Journal data

www.monster.com

(Click on Career Advice tab, then targeted advice, then salary center)

Can get free basic salary report or pay for more detailed report. Provides salary data specific to materials engineers of varying degrees and experience levels

Salary and Cost of Living Resources Career Center’s Salary Information at www.career.mtu.edu: Salary Survey with recent grad data Remember to fill out a job offer form on the Career Center’s web site!

Career Center’s Salary Information at www.career.mtu.edu:

Salary Survey with recent grad data

Remember to fill out a job offer form on the Career Center’s web site!

The Value of Benefits— Salaries Are Only Part of the Picture! Ingrid Cheney, Director of the Benefit Office at MTU

Ingrid Cheney, Director of the Benefit Office at MTU