CENTER POINT THE CENTER FOR SELF-CHANGE NEWSLETTER
Vol. 4, No. 5 - May, 2010
San Diego State University Business Alumni Network Professional Development & Networking Seminar
Held on April 27, 2001 | 6:00 - 8:30 PM | SDSU Alumni Center
Panel Discussion with Mark Dewey, Keith Harris, and Marisa Vallbona
HOW TO INTERVIEW, PITCH & PRESENT FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS Part II: Seminar Transcript & Reading List
MODERATOR'S QUESTIONS AND PANELISTS' RESPONSES
Questions Presented by Jen Martino, Event Moderator Transcript Provided by J. Kingston Cowart, BAN President-Elect
Initial General Questions
Whenever we are participating in an interview, making a pitch, or giving a presentation, it is vital to know to whom we are speaking and what motivates them. How do we find out what we need to know about the people we are going to be in front of?
• Visit the company website for an overview-and look at its news releases if they are available. • Check the archives of the Wall Street Journal and other business publications for stories that will tell you what's going on with the company and in the industry. Identify company leaders and other key personnel, especially those whom you are likely to encounter. • Google those people and create a personal profile for each of them through which you can become familiar with them. • Use sites like LinkedIn to identify people within the firm who have connections or interests in common with you and ask them for advice and additional information for your profiles.
• Visit the company website for an overview-and look at its news releases if they are available.
• Check the archives of the Wall Street Journal and other business publications for stories that will tell you what's going on with the company and in the industry. Identify company leaders and other key personnel, especially those whom you are likely to encounter.
• Google those people and create a personal profile for each of them through which you can become familiar with them.
• Use sites like LinkedIn to identify people within the firm who have connections or interests in common with you and ask them for advice and additional information for your profiles.
What's the best way to dress for each of these activities [interviewing, pitching, presenting]? Is it the same for all of them?
• It is generally is best to dress to match your audience. You usually wouldn't want to show up in gym clothes for a financial consulting presentation at a dinner meeting. • Sometimes, however, you may wish to dress in a manner befitting your product or pitch. Gym clothes might easily be appropriate for a pitch demonstrating the value of new workout equipment. • When it comes to interviewing, there is nothing wrong with asking the interviewer ahead of time what kind of attire is expected of job candidates at his or her firm.
• It is generally is best to dress to match your audience. You usually wouldn't want to show up in gym clothes for a financial consulting presentation at a dinner meeting.
• Sometimes, however, you may wish to dress in a manner befitting your product or pitch. Gym clothes might easily be appropriate for a pitch demonstrating the value of new workout equipment.
• When it comes to interviewing, there is nothing wrong with asking the interviewer ahead of time what kind of attire is expected of job candidates at his or her firm.
Interviewing - Keith Harris
Successful interviewing is a two-way conversation. We don't want to be perceived as passive in the process. What are the most important questions to ask the interviewer?
• "What is the most important concern for this company?" • "What is the primary issue for your department?" • "Who is your top employee-and what makes him or her stand out?" • Show your own knowledge of the firm/industry by asking about something you noticed in a recent press release or news article. • Inquire as to the company's position with respect to the competition-and what contributions a new employee could make in that regard.
• "What is the most important concern for this company?"
• "What is the primary issue for your department?"
• "Who is your top employee-and what makes him or her stand out?"
• Show your own knowledge of the firm/industry by asking about something you noticed in a recent press release or news article.
• Inquire as to the company's position with respect to the competition-and what contributions a new employee could make in that regard.
What should we be sure to do in preparing for an interview?
• Once again, research the company website. Find out the number of employees, organizational structure, everything you can about the department and the job you are applying for. • Learn everything you can about the competition. This will not only show that you are knowledgeable and have done your homework, but you may also find additional opportunities of interest to you. • Research the interviewers. Check their alma maters, organizations, past firms. See if any papers they have written are posted in connection with those places. • See if you know anyone who attended the same schools around the time they did, or interned with the same organizations. Those contacts might help you learn more about them.
• Once again, research the company website. Find out the number of employees, organizational structure, everything you can about the department and the job you are applying for.
• Learn everything you can about the competition. This will not only show that you are knowledgeable and have done your homework, but you may also find additional opportunities of interest to you.
• Research the interviewers. Check their alma maters, organizations, past firms. See if any papers they have written are posted in connection with those places.
• See if you know anyone who attended the same schools around the time they did, or interned with the same organizations. Those contacts might help you learn more about them.
What can we do to make sure we really stand out to the interviewer?
• Dress sharp. • Ask insightful questions. • Demonstrate confidence. • One way to do that is to take along a "lucky charm," some sort of talisman that you have had with you when good things have happened. This could be a pen or other gift from someone special, your "good luck boots," anything that is meaningful to you.
• Dress sharp.
• Ask insightful questions.
• Demonstrate confidence.
• One way to do that is to take along a "lucky charm," some sort of talisman that you have had with you when good things have happened. This could be a pen or other gift from someone special, your "good luck boots," anything that is meaningful to you.
Pitching - Mark Dewey
Once we get in front of someone and make our pitch, what's more important-the deal or the product?
• The deal! • In pitching, the deal always includes the product, the support, the projections, and everything else.
• The deal!
• In pitching, the deal always includes the product, the support, the projections, and everything else.
Please tell us how you keep a captive audience when pitching?
• See to it that all doors and windows are closed. • Make sure that all cell phones are turned off. • Know your stuff! • Be passionate about your pitch. • Speak with conviction. • Keep up a good presentational flow-but change your rhythm from time to time. • Never turn your back on the audience to deal with Power Point slides-or for anything else. • Never read bullet points to the audience. They are visuals. Don't turn them into audibles. Reading them bores people.
• See to it that all doors and windows are closed.
• Make sure that all cell phones are turned off.
• Know your stuff!
• Be passionate about your pitch.
• Speak with conviction.
• Keep up a good presentational flow-but change your rhythm from time to time.
• Never turn your back on the audience to deal with Power Point slides-or for anything else.
• Never read bullet points to the audience. They are visuals. Don't turn them into audibles. Reading them bores people.
What is the most effective way to prepare for the pitch?
• Learn by doing. • Experience is invaluable. • Get in front of as many audiences as possible, including friends and family at first. • Start with yourself in the mirror if necessary.
• Learn by doing.
• Experience is invaluable.
• Get in front of as many audiences as possible, including friends and family at first.
• Start with yourself in the mirror if necessary.
Let's say we have a really great product or proposal. Where do we go with it? Who's got all the money these days?
• The old saying is true: "There's a million dollars in every room. You just have to find it." • In order to find it, decide which room you want to be in-which field you want to play on. • Then focus on the players. • And play the numbers. The more times you pitch, the more likely you are to succeed. • Remember to network. Networking is a great way to reach out for help.
• The old saying is true: "There's a million dollars in every room. You just have to find it."
• In order to find it, decide which room you want to be in-which field you want to play on.
• Then focus on the players.
• And play the numbers. The more times you pitch, the more likely you are to succeed.
• Remember to network. Networking is a great way to reach out for help.
Presenting - Marisa Vallbona
How do you determine how long your presentation should be? Is it up to those who invited you or do you tell them?
• It is almost never up to you. • Just as with this BAN event tonight, your hosts will tell you what topic they want you to speak on (the one for which they sought you out) and how much time you will have. • In the very rare instance when they "speak for as long as you like," be sure to keep it brief. It is far better for them to wish you had said more instead of less.
• It is almost never up to you.
• Just as with this BAN event tonight, your hosts will tell you what topic they want you to speak on (the one for which they sought you out) and how much time you will have.
• In the very rare instance when they "speak for as long as you like," be sure to keep it brief. It is far better for them to wish you had said more instead of less.
When time is shorter than you might wish, and some things have to be left out, what do you make sure to emphasize?
• Ask ahead, "What are your goals for this presentation?" • Try to find out what's keeping them up at night, what kind of information they really need most. • Hit those things first. Then, if your time is cut for some reason, you have covered the high points-and they will remember you for that.
• Ask ahead, "What are your goals for this presentation?"
• Try to find out what's keeping them up at night, what kind of information they really need most.
• Hit those things first. Then, if your time is cut for some reason, you have covered the high points-and they will remember you for that.
How do you practice your presentations in order to get them just right?
• Repetition and improvement. The more often you rehearse and review, the better you get. • For Power Point slides, make sure they have a lot of white space so that the bullets can be easily read. • Write out detailed information for each slide. • Go over them out loud every chance you get. • Become so thoroughly familiar with every aspect of them that you never have to even glace at a single slide during the presentation. • That way they are just an adjunct to what you have to say.
• Repetition and improvement. The more often you rehearse and review, the better you get.
• For Power Point slides, make sure they have a lot of white space so that the bullets can be easily read.
• Write out detailed information for each slide.
• Go over them out loud every chance you get.
• Become so thoroughly familiar with every aspect of them that you never have to even glace at a single slide during the presentation.
• That way they are just an adjunct to what you have to say.
How do you handle interrupters or people who have private conversations during your presentation. Does that sort of thing throw you off?
• You can ask them to hold their comments and questions for later in the program. • If people are conversing in the back of the room, I sometimes ask if they want to share their thoughts with the rest of us. That usually works pretty well.
• You can ask them to hold their comments and questions for later in the program.
• If people are conversing in the back of the room, I sometimes ask if they want to share their thoughts with the rest of us. That usually works pretty well.
Questions from the Floor
Are Facebook and other social networking sites really helpful?
• Yes-but you have to be very careful. • Check the site often to delete any undesirable photos or comments. • Be sure to keep your personal and professional pages completely separate. • If you are going to use these sites you will have to monitor yourself in public at all times. A photo of you sipping from a wine glass and smiling during an ordinary conversation can make you look like you were totally drunk when it shows up out of context on Facebook. • How do you avoid getting lost in the great mass of mob applicants these days? • In the short run, contact interviewers, recruiters, and HR people directly-and politely. Send letters, emails (if possible), and make phone calls. • Long term, volunteer with organizations they belong to and get to know them. Then when you are job hunting you're not a complete stranger to them. • Network as much as possible.
• Yes-but you have to be very careful.
• Check the site often to delete any undesirable photos or comments.
• Be sure to keep your personal and professional pages completely separate.
• If you are going to use these sites you will have to monitor yourself in public at all times. A photo of you sipping from a wine glass and smiling during an ordinary conversation can make you look like you were totally drunk when it shows up out of context on Facebook.
• How do you avoid getting lost in the great mass of mob applicants these days?
• In the short run, contact interviewers, recruiters, and HR people directly-and politely. Send letters, emails (if possible), and make phone calls.
• Long term, volunteer with organizations they belong to and get to know them. Then when you are job hunting you're not a complete stranger to them.
• Network as much as possible.
How do you develop the mind set needed to succeed in your field or to impress interviewers and audiences?
• Find ways to be in the room with people who are already successful. • Exposure to them will change your outlook after a while. • Socialize with them whenever possible. Their mindset will rub off on you. • Read and absorb everything you can about them and the field you are in. As you internalize the information, you will externalize the attitudes and behaviors that lead to the success you seek. • It takes time-but not a lot of time. And it's worth it.
• Find ways to be in the room with people who are already successful.
• Exposure to them will change your outlook after a while.
• Socialize with them whenever possible. Their mindset will rub off on you.
• Read and absorb everything you can about them and the field you are in. As you internalize the information, you will externalize the attitudes and behaviors that lead to the success you seek.
• It takes time-but not a lot of time. And it's worth it.
When you have gone to a meeting with multiple interviewers, to whom do you send your thank-you card?
• Send it to the coordinator of the meeting.
The SDSU Business Alumni Network is very grateful to our panel of experts for this professional development event.
Mark Dewey, Veniquity, is very well versed in making and receiving pitches. He is currently working with the Tech Coast Angels, an Angel investment group that provides funding and mentorship for entrepreneurs.
Keith Harris, a recruiter for Google, is an expert on the interviewing process. He joined Google after nearly a dozen years of success in sales and consulting of hardware, software & professional services.
Marisa Valbona, President, CIM Inc., is an award-winning public relations counselor with more than 23 years of experience, who has created successful marketing communications programs for clients in multiple fields. She is a member of the APR, and a PRSA Fellow.
Many thanks to our event moderator.
Jen Martino, principal at Project X Media, is a branding strategy consultant who creates successful brand identities for clients through website design, SEO/SEM services, internet marketing, and interactive marketing. She was recently named to San Diego Metropolitan Magazine's "40 Under 40" List.
RECOMMENDED READING LIST
Compiled by J. Kingston Cowart, BAN President-Elect
Interviewing
Allen, Jeffrey G. Instant Interviews: 101 Ways to Get the Best Job of Your Life. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Beshara, Tony. Acing the Interview: How to Ask and Answer the Questions That Will Get You the Job. AMACOM (American Management Association), 2008. Bowers, Paul. Winning Job Interviews. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press, 2010.
Kennedy, Joyce Lain. Job Interviews For Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, 2008.
Stein, Marky. Fearless Interviewing: How to Win the Job by Communicating with Confidence. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. Yate, Martin. Knock 'em Dead 2010: The Ultimate Job Search Guide. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2009. Kennedy, Joyce Lain. Job Interviews For Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, 2008.
Pitching
Bayley, Steven and Roger Mativity. Life’s a Pitch: How to Sell Yourself and Brilliant Ideas. London: Corgi, 2008.
Beckwith, Harry. You, Inc. The Art of Selling Yourself. New York: Warner Business Books, 2007.
Kawasaki, Guy. The Art of the Start. New York: Portfolio/Penguin Group, 2004.
Peppers, Don. Life’s a Pitch—Then You Buy. New York: Doubleday, 1995.
Steel, John. Perfect Pitch: The Art of Selling Ideas and Winning New Business. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2007.
Presenting
Carnegie, Dale. Public Speaking: A Practical Course for Business Men. New York: Association Press, 1926.
Koegel, Timothy J. The Exceptional Presenter: A Proven Formula to Open Up and Own the Room. Greenleaf Book Press, 2007.
Kushner, Malcom. Public Speaking for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2004.
Maxey, Cyndi and Kevin E. O’Connor. Present Like a Pro: The Field Guide to Mastering the Art of Business, Professional, and Public Speaking. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2006.
Weisman, Jerry. The Power Presenter: Technique, Style, and Strategy from America's Top Speaking Coach. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2009.
http://www.score.org/pdf/AmExOpen_Pitch%20Your%20Biz.pdf
JOIN THE CENTER CIRCLE
It's easy. Every Wednesday for a few minutes between 10:00 and Noon sit down and turn inward - through prayer, meditation, self-hypnosis or any modality you choose - and send out good thoughts to everyone else in the circle.
I'll be there. How about you?
J. Kingston Cowart 619.561.9012 Post Office Box 19005 San Diego CA 92159 jkcowart@self-change.com
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