Informational Interviews: Benefits and Strategies for Success

July 4, 2014 Management Career Services 2 Comments

Informational interviews are crucial networking tools to receive guidance (and possible job opportunities) when developing your career. Although they may seem challenging, informational interviews can be truly interesting and valuable.

Not convinced that informational interviews are worth the time and effort? Think again and discover the many benefits to using informational interviews as a key tool in your job search and career planning:

5 Reasons Informational Interviews Are Important (via Mashable)
The Benefits of Informational Interviewing for Students and Recent Grads (via TalentEgg)
The Hidden Benefits of an Informational Interview (via Career Attraction)

Once you believe in the power of informational interviews, you need to make the most of them. First, you need to line up the interview by figuring out who the right people are to talk to and get them to agree to meet or speak with you. Tip: The Halifax Chamber of Commerce , LinkedIn, and industry associations are great resources to find professionals and their contact information to request informational interviews.

How to Ask for an Informational Interview (and Get a “Yes”) (via The Muse)

Once you’ve lined up one or more informational interviews incorporate the following tips to maximize the potential of each meeting and reap the networking rewards!

1. Do Your Research. Never go into an informational interview unprepared. Find the person you are interviewing on LinkedIn (or other social media platforms), and familiarize yourself with their professional experience and job titles, this information will help you develop your questions. It is important to also research the company/industry that the interviewee is working for as well as any common interests you might share (if available).

What to ask in an informational interview (via Youtern)
25 Important Questions to Ask in an Informational Interview (via Fortune)

2. Be Positive and Show Interest. The best way to avoid awkward informational interviews is to connect with the person you are interviewing and create genuine conversations. The key to achieving this is to listen to their responses and ask questions that legitimately interest you. Don’t be afraid to stray from your prepared questions, the best advice is usually given in these conversations.

3. Remember to Listen. Be mindful of interrupting the person you are interviewing and focus on letting them finish a response before prodding for more information. The purpose of the informational interview is to absorb knowledge, however, in most cases the interviewee will give you plenty of opportunities to contribute.

4. Do Not Ask for a Job. Be professional when conducting informational interviews. This means that you must arrive on time, dress appropriately, and take notes. Although you should prepare as if you are attending an interview, remember that this is not a job interview. That said, your interviewee may ask about your qualifications and career aspirations, so be prepared to discuss these. This can help you make a positive and professional impression and potentially land you a job or earn you a positive recommendation in the future.

This Is How I Landed a Job through an Informational Interview (via Business Insider)

5. Always Follow Up. Showing your gratitude to the interviewee for the time/guidance they have given you is important when trying to make a lasting impression. This is done most effectively through a hand-written and personalized letter. This medium is more sincere than an email or phone call and will show that you truly appreciate the opportunity to speak to that person. Ideally, the letter should be sent within 24 hours of the interview.

Want to learn more about interview tactics and strategies for success? Check out our collection of e-learning seminars covering a range of job search and interview-related subjects.

Student Spotlight: Josh Mitton

June 27, 2014 Management Career Services 1 Comment

Meet Josh Mitton. Josh is a current CRMBA student in the midst of his corporate residency as a Student Entrepreneur at Innovacorp. With his extensive background in educational programs and his entrepreneurial spirit, Josh was able to start PlatoPath: a business that links grade-school curriculums with modern apps and games. In light of his success, Josh offers encouragement to those also striving for positive entrepreneurial corporate residencies:

“To have a positive corporate residency experience, you have to daydream. Picturing where you will be in 1, 5, 10, and 20 years will reinforce why you are doing what you are doing on tough days, and also keeps you focused on your overall goals and ambitions.”

Progress Magazine recently awarded Innovacorp’s Student Entrepreneur in Residence program with its Innovation Award for New Initiative for demonstrating a creative way of encouraging innovation in Atlantic Canada.Josh attributes his positive experience to the engaging environment at Innovacorp and his ability to interact with and learn from his peers in the workplace.

“Innovacorp provides resources such as space, supplies, advisory teams, connections, and capital for a candidate to start their own business, while also exposing them to investment practices, pitches, and analysis work.”

“My advice to first–year CRMBA students is this: think of others before yourself. You will quickly make friendships and connections that can impact the rest of your life if you follow this principle. A textbook can only teach you so much; people can teach you forever.”

“You get what you put into your residency; that’s a cliché for a reason. “

Let MCS help you find post-grad employment

May 26, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Congratulations, graduates! Graduation is an exciting event where many students celebrate the completion a major milestone in their career development and a time to look forward to the next steps in their professional career. Although this is a time to rejoice, there are some graduates who feel uncertain and stressed when thinking about what they want to achieve after school. Others may feel anxiety towards their job search now that they are outside the University environment.

Fortunately, Management Career Services is committed to keeping alumni connected with their services and premier employment opportunities! Here is a list of a number of easy ways to access the “Alumni Advantage”.

Join the Dalhousie Management Career Services LinkedIn group to keep yourself updated on the newest Grad job positions.

Follow @Dalmcs on Twitter for career development information as well as out weekly #Fulltimefriday tweets outlining the latest Grad jobs available.

Dalhousie even provides alumni with access to myCareer, where graduates can visit the Career and Leadership tab to view the latest Grad job postings.

Management Career Services also offers graduates career development opportunities such as e-Learning seminars so that they can can continue to strengthen their development skills. MCS takes graduate involvement even further by offering alumni mentoring and networking sessions so that grads can share their knowledge with current Dalhousie students!

As you’re preparing for your post-graduation career, Management Career Services is with you every step of the way.

Do You Have a Record?

May 22, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

At Dalhousie University, we understand that learning experiences go well beyond the classroom. With so many volunteering, community engagement and campus related opportunities available for students to participate in, it’s really no surprise that many students have become very involved with Dal’s extracurricular experiences. Choosing to participate in these activities would be a positive decision for any student to make, however; much of the student body at Dalhousie is not aware of just how beneficial it can be to their job search.

With Dalhousie’s Co-Curricular Record (CCR), students can have their extracurricular activities recognized in a formal document that shows employers just how involved they are outside the classroom. Finally, a better way to present your involvement than a bullet point on a resume! It also compliments a traditional academic record very nicely.

Although it does look great paired with an academic transcript, the Co-Curricular Record has one fundamental difference: you can build it yourself in myCareer. You create it, Dalhousie validates it.

To access and build your Co-Curricular Record:

Log into myCareer
Click on the Co-Curricular Record tab
Search for positions or click the Advanced Search tab

In addition to this convenient process, there are different ways to build your CCR!

Have your extracurricular activities recognized! Your future employer will be impressed.

Student Spotlight: Tory Dowling

May 21, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Meet Tory Dowling, a second year BComm student from Toronto who came to appreciate the value of attending an employer information session. During the fall semester, Tory attended the TJX info session and after learning about the company and networking with a recruiter, Tory went on to secure her first co-op placement at TJX. Here’s what Tory had to say about employer information sessions:

“I had a great conversation with the HR Recruiter and told her how much I would love to work at TJX. I showed my true passion for this industry and then I emailed her my resume to look over. They then asked for my references, following which I was offered a co-op position.

The information sessions are a great way to make connections for not only co-op positions but for future jobs as well. Attending information sessions is very important because you learn more about the companies than if you had just looked at their website or a job posting. It gives you a chance to interact with future employers and make strong connections.”

Connect with Dal Business Students Through Our New Virtual Information Session Service

March 18, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Virtual information sessions offered by Management Career Services provide a new opportunity for students and employers to connect; allowing employers from around the world to share information, give presentations, and hold seminars for free without ever having to leave the office!

Some may wonder whether a virtual information session would take away from the quality of the presentation, but with MCS, our virtual information technology maintains the dynamic and interactive nature of an in-person presentation plus, for employers located outside the Halifax region, it represents a significant saving on travel costs.

Our easy-to-use virtual information software features:

Application sharing (able to see both the presenter and the PowerPoint, video, pictures)
Multi-point video (ability to have multiple users display video)
Universal accessibility (access from almost anywhere in the world on most devices)

Discover whether hosting a virtual information session is right for you. Ask our Employer Development contacts for more information or to schedule a session.

“An Incredible Opportunity” – Halifax Corporate Tour Winter 2014

March 13, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Friday, March 7 saw 30 engaged students from Dalhousie’s Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Management Programs take part in the Winter 2014 Halifax Corporate Tour. The tour was divided into two tours because of its popularity as a great career exploration opportunity. Eight local organizations representing different industries were visited over the course of the day. It was a fantastic experience for those students who took part in it.

Tour One participants at CEED.

All of the students met shortly after 8:00 am to get a briefing on the day’s activities. The early start was necessitated by the first visit scheduled at 9:00 am, but it didn’t put a hamper on anyone’s enthusiasm. The eight organizations visited were CEED, Colour, Labatt, NTT Data, PwC, RBC, T4G, and TD Bank.

The participants were impressed by the reception they received at each of the organizations. They were treated to networking and presentations by representatives from different positions within each organization. Representatives ranging from senior management, recruiters, front line employees, Dalhousie alumni, and in some cases, Dalhousie co-op students all took the time to meet with them. The hour and a half at each stop passed quickly, but it was great to get a taste of the culture, physical work environment, industry challenges, and varied career paths of the people they met.

Group shot of tour participants at Colour.

Tour Two participants at Colour.

Yiran Chen, Bachelor of Commerce student said, “The Halifax Corporate Tour gives me much more than I expected. This is an incredible opportunity to learn about the companies and to show them our personalities as well.”

Yiran Chen at CEED.

MacKenzie Dundas, Bachelor of Management student said, “Overall an amazing opportunity-would recommend to everyone in this program.”

MacKenzie Dundas at T4G.

To discover more about the Halifax Corporate Tour student experience watch our You Tube video, and check out our Facebook album and search #HfxCorpTour on Twitter.

Interested in participating in a corporate tour? Registration for the Toronto Corporate Tour is open until 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 18, and there are still spots for the Accounting and Marketing streams. For full details on the tour and registration, visit our website.

Upcoming Events for Employers

February 10, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Corporate Residency MBA Open House

Wednesday, February 12, 2014
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
3rd floor, Room 3089
Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building
6100 University Avenue
Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

Meet the Top Talent You’ll Want on Your Team!

Learn more about the MBA program and how it can meet your recruitment needs as you connect with current MBA students, MBA alumni, faculty and staff. Refreshments will be provided.

Click here to RSVP and be sure to select the ‘Networking Event’ option.

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David Darst, CFA, former Managing Director & Chief Investment Strategist for 17 years, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management:

“Asset Allocation and Investment Strategy for 2014 and Beyond”

Presented by the Dalhousie Investment Society (DALIS) with the generous support of the Mackay Lecture Series.

Tuesday February 25^th, 2014 – 7:30 pm
Room 1020, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, 6100 University Avenue
Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

RSVP: ermgmt@dal.ca

David M. Darst, CFA, served for 17 years as a Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, with responsibility for Asset Allocation and Investment Strategy; was the founding President of the Morgan Stanley Investment Group; and was the founding President of the Morgan Stanley Investment Group; and was the founding Chairman of the Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Asset Allocation Committee. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1996 from Goldman Sachs, where he held Senior Management posts within the Equities Division and earlier, for six years as Resident Manager of their Private Bank in Zurich. David is the author of eleven books and is a frequent interview guest on many major business media channels including CNBC, Bloomberg and Fox.

The Dalhousie Investment Society (DALIS) is a 70+ member student-run society that focuses on educating its members beyond the classroom about the complexities of the Capital Markets Industry. DALIS manages a mock $100 million portfolio in the Rowe School of Business RBC Bloomberg Risk Lab while utilizing a variety of options trading strategies and structured products. The society also distributes its new monthly publication, The Schooner, to industry contacts and Dalhousie Alumni across North America. View the October Edition of The Schooner and subscribe if you wish.

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Dalhousie Management Society’s 7 Speaker Series

The Dalhousie Management Society’s Seven Speaker Series invites business, political and community leaders from across Canada to engage with Management students and business community members. The eclectic mix of speakers’ offers a unique opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of business.?

All events run from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. in Room 3089 of the Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building.

Wednesday, February 26^th

Bruce Lawson, Executive President, Counselling Foundation
Julia Rivard, Olympian & Founder of Norex

Thursday, March 6^th

Hope Blooms, from ‘Dragons Den’
Derick De Jongh, Director, Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership at University of Pretoria

Thursday, March 13^th

Bill Bean, President & CEO, QEII Health Science Centre Foundation
Peter Conlon CEO, Nautel Limited
Dr. Richard Florizone, President & Vice Chancellor, Dalhousie University

Corporate Tour Blog Series: Casey Gallagher

January 27, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

Over the past week, we heard about the experiences of five different students that attended last years Corporate Tours. These students have given us great insight into the benefits of going on a tour, remarking on the useful business skills and knowledge they gained that has helped them both professionally and academically. For the final day of the Corporate Tour blog series we’ll hear from Casey Gallagher and about her experience on the Toronto Corporate tour. Here’s what she had to say.

“People say the number one way to get an amazing co-op is through connections and the Corporate Tour is the best way to gain these connections.”

Casey Gallagher

(Toronto Corporate Tour)

1. Connections – On the corporate tour you will end the day with a pile of business cards and an entire new network of people.

2. Networking – Before the tour I really didn’t know how to network efficiently. During the 3 days you really learn how to network, and quick. These skills will continue with you for the rest of your lives, I know I have used them in many networking sessions since the tour.

3. The Mock Interview – This is like a dry-run that will only help you – seems too good to be true. My interviewer told me things I did right as well as things I could improve. This helped with my nerves going into interviews this September as well as confidence in my answers.

4. Knowledge of the Industry – During the tour you get to see the inside of all these corporations you have never been inside of. Seeing the dirty work and speaking to real employees could make or break your decision of what you want to go into.

5. Relationships With Your Peers – Even though the days are long on the tour, I got to know my fellow commerce students on a different level and we had a ton of fun.

The Corporate Tours are a great opportunity for students to get ahead. By going to any one of the three tours you will gain valuable networking experience, learn about different industries and how they operate and have a fun and fulfilling time with your peers. Click here to get more information about the Halifax, Toronto, and Calgary Corporate Tours, and visit the myCareer calendar to register to attend today’s (January 27) info sessions.

Corporate Tour Blog Series: Katie Robertson

January 24, 2014 Management Career Services Leave a Comment

For the fifth day of the Corporate Tour blog series, we’ll hear the top five things Katie Robertson had to say about her experience on the Calgary Corporate Tour.

“A great opportunity! A valuable look into potential careers and organizations.”

Katie Robertson

(Calgary Corporate Tour)

1. It’s a great opportunity to connect with Dal alumni and current students you may not have known before. You also hear upper year students and alumni explain their co-op and internship experiences and give you tips on how to ensure a successful work term.

2. You realize the employers are friendly, personable people (not as intimidating as one might think).

3. It opens your eyes to the many careers out there (we visited Aon and I had never thought of insurance before, but was very interesting).

4. Gets you out of your comfort zone and more experience with networking.

5. The tour allows you to network in an environment where the amount of energy, thought and willingness you put in will be accepted and reciprocated by the working professionals.

The Corporate tours are a great opportunity for students to get ahead. By going to any one of the three tours you will gain valuable networking experience, learn about different industries and how they operate and have a fun and fulfilling time with your peers. Click here to get more information about the Halifax, Toronto, and Calgary Corporate Tours, and visit the myCareer calendar to register to attend our upcoming info session on January 27. Check back on Monday for the next installment in our Corporate Tour blog series.

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