Summary of Personal Branding & Interview Communication - Google SoftSkills Program

Main Ideas and Concepts

Professional Branding and Interview Communication: The course aims to equip participants with essential skills for enhancing their professional branding and improving their interview communication.
Instructor Background: William, the instructor, shares his journey from high school to his current role at Google, emphasizing the importance of networking and personal branding in his career.
Goals of the Course:
- How to make your resume stand out.
- Techniques for effective networking.
- Strategies to ace interviews.
The Importance of Differentiation: In a competitive job market, it’s crucial to differentiate oneself from other candidates through a strong resume, networking, and interview skills.

Methodology and Instructions

How to Make Your Resume Shine

Purpose of a Resume:
- Enable a step change in your life.
- Open doors for interviews.
Building a Resume:
- Expansive Thinking: Gather all achievements, projects, extracurricular activities, and certificates.
- Reductive Thinking: Prioritize and condense information to fit a one-page resume.
  - Include high-level descriptions.
  - List achievements in descending chronological order.
  - Remove unnecessary details.
Resources: Utilize templates from top universities (e.g., MIT, Stanford) as guidelines but tailor them to your personal experiences.
Online Presence: Build a strong online profile on platforms like LinkedIn and GitHub to enhance visibility.
Anatomy of a Resume:
- Personal identity.
- Professional summary or objective.
- Skills and qualifications.
- Work or internship experience.
- Educational background.

Networking Strategies

Key Networking Opportunities:
- Join college clubs and extracurricular activities.
- Develop relationships with seniors who can provide job referrals.
- Utilize LinkedIn effectively.
Elevator Pitch:
- Create a concise 30-second pitch that includes:
  - Who you are.
  - Your objectives.
  - Strengths and accomplishments.
  - Your passion.
Record Your Pitch: This helps identify areas for improvement.

Interview Preparation

What Employers Look For:
- Relevant experience and knowledge.
- Soft skills such as critical thinking, adaptability, and teamwork.
Types of Interview Questions:
- Behavioral Questions: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure answers.
- Hypothetical Questions: Assess problem-solving approaches.
- Case-Based Questions: Common in consulting, requiring a structured thought process.
Preparation Tips:
- Tailor preparation to the specific role and company.
- Dress professionally and arrive on time.
- Prepare success stories using the STAR method.
- Ask insightful questions at the end of the interview.

Conclusion

The session emphasizes the importance of hard work, differentiation, and continuous improvement in professional branding, networking, and interview skills. Participants are encouraged to practice and refine their resumes, networking pitches, and interview techniques to enhance their career prospects.

Speakers/Sources Featured

William: Strategic Partnerships Manager for Google Search and Google Assistant, instructor of the course.

Notable Quotes

— 00:49 — « In Indonesia, we have a saying: 'Tak Kenal Maka Tak Sayang' or how can you love someone if you don't know them. »

— 10:37 — « Always, always, always tailor your resume based on the job description. »

— 27:36 — « The reason they call it an elevator pitch is because you need to make sure that you can pitch to the CEO from the time the door closes until the door opens. »

— 29:54 — « Employers look for relevant experience or knowledge, critical thinking, judgment, initiative, flexibility, adaptability, resilience, resourcefulness, positivity, team player, and results. »

— 41:25 — « It's okay to take a moment to think before answering; this is your only chance to show a good impression. »