Presented at
Diana Initiative 2019,
Aug. 10, 2019, 9 a.m.
(60 minutes)
Almost every interview has a version of the request, “Tell Me About Yourself.” People often have trouble articulating their journey and how it has made them a great employee. After my recent experiences having to answer it myself innumerable times as well as mentoring others at all career levels, I have developed tips for turning vague stories into a polished pitch. As a software engineer who went to art school, it’s critical that I articulate my skills clearly before I am dismissed by technical recruiters. This workshop starts with a presentation, but then quickly becomes interactive. I start with a warm-up question, then ask for a volunteer to tell their story. I give direct feedback which helps everyone absorb the main points by connecting it with the live example.
The key takeaways are:
Everyone is better than they were before. At every job you were in, you learned something, even if technically you moved laterally or even down.
If you worked as a barista, you learned customer service, multi-tasking and problem solving.
Your skills are more important than how you used them.
Instead of focusing on the task (e.g. folding clothes at a retail store), turn it into the skill (in that example, attention to detail and quality control).
Remember that you are interviewing them as well. If a manager cannot appreciate your diverse skills, find the one who can.
Presenters:
-
Michelle Brenner
- Senior Backend Engineer at ChowNow
connecting them with customers to discover their delicious creations. She has previously served as both an engineer and a manager for the last 7+ years in entertainment technology. She has worked tirelessly to help movies and television get made faster and cheaper, saving productions millions of dollars. A Philadelphia native, she has a background in Media Arts and is a self-taught Python developer. Michelle is now working to give back to her community through mentorship and conference speaking.
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