Field Study Student Resources : Interview Preparation

Application Process

• General Tips for Applying
  • Apply to 3-6 Sites 
    • Organize your search using an Excel spreadsheet or Google Sheet 
    • Site name and #
    • Address (if in person)
    • Main contact name, title and email
    • HOW TO APPLY  
  • Have a top choice and a couple of back ups 
• Follow Instructions 
  • Pay close attention to the “How to Apply” section of the catalog and follow their requests! 
  • If you are asked to send an email
    • Always include the placement period dates for the quarter you are applying for
      • Ex: Fall Quarter (September 20 to December 3)
    • Be prepared to send a resume and cover letter with every email inquiry, even if they did not ask for it. 
      •  File names
        • Cover_Letter_FirstName_LastName
        • Resume_FirstName_LastName
      • Make sure to personalize your cover letters and tailor your resume to the position you are striving for.
    • Be professional! Check grammar, tone, and format of your emails and other application materials.  
    • See an example here:

• How to Follow Up with Sites
  • If you submitted an application and have not heard back from the site supervisor, sending a follow up email to politely inquire about the status of your application and to reiterate interest in the position shows that you are proactive and eager to work with them
  • Follow Up 
  • After 5 business days from your original inquiry 
  • Call 3 days after the follow up email 
  • Be assertive NOT aggressive
• Example: 

• Accepting or Declining a Position
  • Please notify a site if you are declining their offer to host you as a field study intern so that they can give that position to another student.
  • Always include thanks and appreciation
  • If accepting, reiterate the terms of offer (e.g., start date) and show enthusiasm for the position
  • If declining, keep it simple and to the point
  • Try to let them know ASAP
    • Provide brief reason → no need for a thorough explanation
    • EX: “I have accepted another position that fit my research/interests better”
• If you have an interview soon for another position, be transparent!
  • EX. “I have another interview soon. When do you need to know my decision by?” 
  • Always thank them for their time!

Application Materials

• Resume
  • How to Develop a Resume
  • All Resume Samples from DCP 
    • Social Ecology Example 1
    • Social Ecology Example 2
    • Minimal Experience Resume
  • Tip: What may help you in the future is to make a “master resume” with ALL your experiences. This way, when applying for a certain opportunity, you can create another document and copy and past only the relevant information to it without altering your master resume
• Cover Letters
  • Cover letters are letters detailing your related experience and your interest and reasons for wanting to be the job you’re applying for. This can allow you to highlight your strengths and show that you are serious about an opportunity. 
• How to Write a Cover Letter
  • Cover Letter Samples
  • Cover Letter Structure

Interview Process

• Interviewing
  • Big Interview: an online system that combines training and practice to help you improve your interview technique and build your confidence through:
    • Challenging, virtual mock interviews for all experience levels and dozens of industries
    • A database of thousands of interview questions with tips on how to answer them
    • The ability to rate and share your interview answers for feedback
    • Comprehensive video training curriculum covering all aspects of landing a job
    • Step-by-step interview Answer Builder for crafting answers to behavioral questions
  • More Interview Resources:
    • Types of Interviews
    • Dress for an Interview
    • Interview Techniques
    • Accepting the Offer
    • Informational Interviews
    • Career Toolkit
• Thank You Letters After Interviewing
  • Keep it clear, concise, and free of typos or grammatical errors
  • Be genuine and authentic
  • Send within 24 hours; email is typical delivery
  • Content: 
    • Express gratitude for the opportunity to interview or for job search assistance
    • Reaffirm your interest in their company, employer, or industry
    • Jog the person's memory to remind them of your conversation and mention aspects of the interview, conversation, or meeting that were of particular interest to show you were listening
    • Clarify an answer or add something that you may not have mentioned during the interview or conversation that is relevant to your job search or to your application
  • Sample Thank You Letter:

• For more help, visit the UCI Division of Career Pathways
  • Attend an Event
  • Review the Career Toolkit
  • Make an Appointment with a Career Advisor
  • List of Services

Sources:

• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (February 2020). Applying for the Job: Resume Help. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_ResumeHelp.pdf. 
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (2019). Resumes and Samples. career.uci.edu/undergraduate/develop-a-resume-cover-letter/resume-and-cover-letter-examples/.
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (2019). Upgrade Your Resume with VMOCK. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_ResumeHelp.pdf. 
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (July 2018). Applying for the Job: Write a Cover Letter. /career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_WriteACoverLetter.pdf
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (2019). Cover Letters and Samples. career.uci.edu/undergraduate/develop-a-resume-cover-letter/writing-a-cover-letter/
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (2019). Big Interview. career.uci.edu/undergraduate/prepare-for-an-interview/big-interview/ 
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (February 2020). Applying for the Job: Types of Interviews. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_TypesOfInterviews.pdf
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (July 2018). Applying for the Job: Dress for an Interview. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_DressForAnInterview.pdf
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (February 2020). Applying for the Job: Interview Techniques. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_InterviewTechniques.pdf
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (July 2018). Applying for the Job: Accepting the Offer. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_AcceptingTheOffer.pdf
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (May 2021). Planning Your Future: Informational Interviews. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/QT_InformationalInterviews.pdf
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (2020). Career Toolkit. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/CareerToolkitWeb.pdf
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. Attend an Event. career.uci.edu/about/events/
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. Meet With Us. career.uci.edu/undergraduate/counseling-appointments/
• UCI Division of Career Pathways. (May 2021). Division of Career Pathways Services: Students. career.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/QT_Students.pdf