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    How Meritage Homes Is Diversifying the Home Building Space One Job at a Time

    There are a lot of factors to consider when determining where you want to work. Location, salary, position, and culture are all crucial details that will impact your experience with a company and ultimately, the trajectory of your professional career.

    In addition to these crucial factors, one characteristic that everyone seems to be looking for in a company is an inclusive environment. As we’ve come to understand, fostering a culture that acknowledges and supports people from different backgrounds leads to incredible growth for the company, the employees, and oftentimes the industry as a whole.

    But what does an inclusive company look like? And how are you supposed to know if your particular background and individuality will thrive there?

    In order to find out, we spoke with Meritage Homes Vice President of Inclusion and Culture, Regina Rivera, and Assistant Construction Manager, Madison Martin, about what diversity means at their company. In our conversations, they spoke about the company’s interpretation of diversity, why it’s important, how the company supports it, and all the benefits gained from embracing inclusion.

    Diversity of Skills, Behavior, and Experience

    One of the most fascinating pieces of information that arose from our conversation with Regina is how Meritage Homes interprets diversity. Regina emphasized that they don’t singularly look at someone’s particular race or background; they also focus on their skills and experiences.

    Being that we think and behave based on our life experiences, this made perfect sense. While someone’s race or gender may have led them to particular experiences in life, Meritage Homes focuses on the results of those experiences. Regina described how they think about diversity “not just through the race and gender lens, but the diversity of behavior” as well.

    She went on to talk about how professionals from outside the industry “can speak and share different perspectives and comment on the work from a different angle.” At Meritage Homes, this is what they believe will help drive innovation.

    Why Diversity And Inclusion Is Important

    At Meritage Homes, the end goal isn’t to meet some quota or percentage. While they do care about increasing representation in their company, Meritage Homes doesn’t base their success solely on numbers. They base it on how well the values of their company are being embraced and demonstrated by their employees’ values that are enhanced by collaboration and a supportive network.

    Regina spoke about one of Meritage Homes’ behavior anchor statements regarding “playing to win” and “collaborating as a team.” She stated, “To live out the concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion is to live our [Meritage Homes’] values.” The whole idea of collaboration is to create with people who can provide different perspectives and insight than you. What better way to do that than by creating a workforce filled with people who had different experiences and come from a variety of backgrounds?

    While diversity is important in its contributions to the growth and profitability of the company, one of the most important differences it makes is to the employee experience at Meritage—their level of comfort, belonging, and connection in the workplace.

    How They’re Supporting Diversity and Inclusion

    So it’s clear that Meritage Homes knows what diversity and inclusivity look like and why it’s important, but how do they support and empower it? Meritage is committed to weaving diversity, equity, and inclusion into the company fabric. They emphasize to their team members and leaders that DE&I isn’t something extra that they must do but is a part of strategy and operations every day.

    Raising awareness has definitely been a starting point. The willingness to have conversations, acknowledge one’s bias (both conscious and unconscious), and actively take steps to pause and consider alternative ways of doing things is essential.

    Through regular communication, training, micro-learning, modeling, linking and labeling behavior, Meritage is sharpening an inclusive leadership mindset and building DE&I skills throughout the organization. 

    Today, Meritage Homes continues to lead this inclusive revolution by not only diversifying their employee base but training them to lead in a way that reflects Meritage’s core values as well.

    The Benefits of Diversity

    While the benefits of Meritage Homes’ actions and initiatives towards diversity are felt in the workforce, marketplace, and workplace, we’d like to concentrate on the workplace as it has the most immediate influence on what the day-to-day will be like as an employee.

    Madison Martin, an Assistant Construction Manager, is a perfect example of how Meritage Homes’ inclusive ideals were beneficial. When Madison first came across the job listing, she wasn’t sure if homebuilding was right for her as she had preconceptions about the construction industry.

    However, during the interview process, Madison realized that Meritage Homes doesn’t believe in one particular background for any of its roles. 

    Madison said this discussion about the value of people with different backgrounds and areas of expertise ultimately helped her make the decision to join the Meritage team.

    Madison shared that she immediately felt welcomed and was treated like a member of the team. She has felt both challenged and supported as she has learned her new role. 

    Madison joined Meritage Homes as an intern and after a few months, she was offered a full-time position as an Assistant Construction Manager. 

    By redefining what diversity means and reshaping what an inclusive environment feels like, Meritage Homes has created a revolutionary culture that is bound to send waves across the industry.

    Their lens is a unique one and their mission is a brave one. Will you join Meritage Homes as they seek to enhance the home building industry one job at a time?

    Start browsing open positions and internships today. More

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    In Three Words: Dow Jones Interns Break Down Their Summers

    Landing an internship at Dow Jones is an opportunity to work for a company that makes a worldwide impact. As a global company with over 5,500 employees, our mission is to provide the world’s most trusted journalism, data, and analysis to help people make decisions.

    Whether it’s helping our readers make decisions through our flagship publications, The Wall Street Journal and Barron’s Group, or helping companies make decisions with our world-class data and analytics services, we educate and inform people to make choices and form opinions everywhere.

    At Dow Jones, it doesn’t matter what area of business your internship is in, you can be certain it will be an immersive experience with meaningful and impactful work. During your internship, you will be working hands-on with real projects and business objectives. Additionally, you will learn how to grow and harness your skills through professional development sessions and networking events with executives and our CEO, Almar Latour.

    For insight into the “real” Dow Jones internship experience, read what former interns who have since transitioned into full-time employees have to say. Here’s how they described their internship experience in three words. More

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    How An Assistant Vice President Launched His Career with WayUp

    There is no one set path to your dream job. As you move through life, college, and your early professional career, new avenues will appear and opportunities will begin to show themselves.

    While there are several places to look for these new avenues and opportunities, one place that a lot of early career candidates are using to find jobs is WayUp. One individual who used WayUp to find his dream job is Louis Smith, an assistant vice president at multinational universal bank, Barclays.

    Recently, we got the chance to chat with Louis to hear all about how he went from intern, to analyst, to assistant vice president in just three years. In our conversation, Louis mentioned some career tips and insights into the job-hunting process, what his internship was like, and why he loves working at Barclays so much.

    The Job Search

    In late 2018, Louis knew he wanted to explore finance, work in New York, and thought that it would be cool to work at a bank. He knew what he wanted, but he didn’t necessarily know where to find it. What he ended up doing, and now recommends to current job seekers, is find out everything he wanted out of a job – industry, location, position, etc. – and narrow down the search as much as possible.

    Luckily, WayUp provided him with the perfect place to do that.

    As a lot of college students, early career professionals, and job seekers will find, it can be hard to figure out what kind of job you want. What made things easier for Louis was scanning the market with WayUp, finding out what he did and didn’t like from job applications and filters, and shooting his shot from there. Eventually, he came across Barclays and their summer analyst internship.

    An Internship of a Lifetime

    While Louis had past job experience, his summer banking internship at Barclays in 2019 was his first major job in an office setting. Besides the fact that he was working in Manhattan, just a few blocks away from Time Square, and doing what he had always wanted to do, Louis didn’t really know what to expect during his summer at Barclays.

    As it turned out, Barclays’ summer analyst internship was the perfect combination of exploration and support. Louis was able to explore new territory, learn new concepts, and make significant contributions to the business all at the same time. 

    Whether it was financial analysis and modeling or valuation and client due diligence, Louis’ time during Barclays’ summer internship program exposed him to the world of corporate banking and all the opportunities that existed within it. Something that made his time at Barclays even better, however, is the culture, environment, and people at Barclays.

    What Makes Barclays Different

    The finance and banking industry is massive. That means that there is no shortage of places to work and grow your career. However, each of these institutions has something that sets them apart. For Barclays, it’s the culture and people that make their company stand out so much.

    For Louis, going to work meant he would be surrounded by people who don’t just care about performing their jobs, but uplifting and helping one another grow as well. In turn, this helped him appreciate his own role at the company and stay motivated to contribute to the company’s goals as well as his own.

    A Community Perspective

    While this people-forward mindset is certainly prioritized at Barclays, it goes a step further with employee resource groups. These employee-led organizations, whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organizations they serve, have proved to have enormous benefits for employees.

    As is the case with the employee resource groups at Barclays, Louis has certainly gained a lot with his involvement in the Black Professionals ERG. Specifically, as it pertains to his interactions with people he didn’t normally get to interact with.

    Additionally, Louis’ involvement in the Black Professionals Group has also allowed him to take on new roles and responsibilities. From leading panels and hosting discussions, Louis has been able to grow his skills in massive ways all while demonstrating his capabilities and competence in front of senior stakeholders. Once an intern but now an assistant vice president, Louis attributes part of his success to experiences like this.

    What Will Your Path Be?

    Although Louis Smith’s path to success was ideal, there are several different routes young professionals can take to achieve their goals. What every ambitious individual should take from his story is to make the most of the opportunities available to you.

    If you’re looking for new opportunities that could very well be the jumping-off point for a lucrative career, create your WayUp profile today and check out some of Barclays’ open roles. More

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    Why Are Undergraduates So Excited About Oxford’s Summer Internship?

    When you’re contemplating what kind of internship is best for you, there are a lot of questions you might ask yourself. Is this going to look good on my resume? Will I partake in meaningful work? Will it be enjoyable?

    Your time is precious. Especially those summers during college when you’re setting yourself up for future success. This being the case, it’s natural to have questions like these and wonder if a company is truly able to give you what you want out of an internship.

    Recently, we dove deep for answers. In our conversations with a few current interns at Oxford, one of the leading staffing and consulting companies across North America and Europe, we learned why they chose to work at Oxford and how the company has supported their careers.

    What we learned is that meaningful work, mentoring, the encouragement of future growth, and Oxford’s work-hard-play-hard attitude are all factors that contribute to the appeal of Oxford and its internship program.

    Doing Real Work With Substance

    Lyla Krol, a current intern with Oxford and student at the University of South Carolina, originally thought “interns would do mundane tasks, like printing stuff and going to get copies.” However, this preconception was quickly flipped on its head when Lyla found herself doing work that directly contributed to Oxford’s bottom line like assessing job openings and resumes in order to find matches or assisting account managers in securing sales.

    For Chloee Swartz, who is also a current intern with Oxford and an undergraduate student, working with coworkers, consultants, and cold call recipients who she had never met before helped her grow her skills as a communicator which will benefit her in any and all future opportunities she might embark on.

    While there are plenty of work-related interactions between interns and employees, there were also training and advisory interactions in which interns got the chance to shadow full-time employees to learn a little more about what their jobs are like.

    Shadowing & Mentorship

    The opportunity to follow an experienced professional along in their daily role to find out how to perform a role right and wrong is an invaluable experience. So the fact that Oxford allowed their interns to shadow full-time employees meant a lot.

    For Evan Johnson, a current sales and recruiting intern at Oxford and student at the University of Wisconsin, shadowing full-time employees gave him a better scope of what the company was all about and how all the departments worked together.

    When we spoke with Chloee about what shadowing was like, she explained how they would listen in on recruiting phone calls, and afterward, the recruiter would walk her through the call and how it went, if it was good or bad, and what they could have done better.

    Being able to see what these recruiters’ jobs were like firsthand gave Chloee knowledge that she uses today in her current role. In fact, the knowledge she gained may have even contributed to her receiving the role she is in now.

    Setting You Up For Future Growth

    You may have noticed that Chloee, Evan, and Lyla are all still current interns with Oxford. That’s because they were all given job extensions following their summer internship, an offering that is reserved for the most exceptional candidates but also given out to several of those who participate in the internship.

    Currently, all three of them are working from campus, earning money, and working flexible hours while gaining real experience that they can take with them into their future careers.

    What’s unique about Oxford is that they want you to succeed no matter what, whether that’s with them or somewhere else. When we were chatting with Evan, he mentioned that some employees he interacted with said they would connect him with people in other industries or write a reference letter if he needed it for another job. While it sounds unusual for someone within a company to offer help getting a different job, this just goes to show that Oxford employees truly look out for the interests of one another.

    Work Hard, Play Hard

    Yes, internships and jobs are meant to be something you put a lot of effort and hard work into, but they should also be enjoyable experiences. At least that’s what Oxford thinks.

    In our conversation with Lyla Krol, she spoke about how the community aspect and social integration at Oxford’s Beverly, Massachusetts office made her experience that much better.

    For Evan, those lunches were valuable to him because he got to interact with people he normally wouldn’t be able to interact with. Evan stated that “a lot of the time you wouldn’t really talk to anybody else on other teams because you’re focused on your task at hand. But with those lunch opportunities, we got to network with more of the office which was really beneficial for me.”

    It’s clear that Oxford creates an environment where people can grow not just as professionals, but as people too. They are a company that understands if the place you work is fun and enjoyable, then employees will show up and reciprocate that positivity in their work and daily interactions.

    If this is a company that you could see yourself working for, one that grows and supports your success every step of the way, then check out some of Oxford’s open roles. More

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    How Bloomberg’s Early Career Programs Prepare You for Success in Business

    Early career programs are designed to empower students with the invaluable skills and resources needed to succeed in the workplace. These programs enable participants to develop the professional know-how they don’t always receive in a classroom setting, while also providing exposure to various job and networking opportunities.

    Bloomberg, a financial technology company, offers a range of career-readiness programs for underrepresented college students and recent graduates who are interested in business and finance. The content is targeted to all years, with the ultimate goal of providing participants with career coaching, insight into Bloomberg’s workplace and culture, and access to company leadership.

    One example is the First-Year Insights Series, a career workshop aimed at diverse first-year and/or first-generation college students. In this program, students are introduced to professional skills they can use to gain a headstart when launching their careers. By attending a session, students become eligible for tailored developmental opportunities including one-on-one coaching and resume review with a Bloomberg recruiter. 

    The company also offers hands-on professional learning experiences for students further along in their college journeys. Sophomores can apply for business externships, short-term programs that provide firsthand exposure to the daily demands of a role with the company. In addition to gaining insight into a potential career, externs also receive early access to apply and secure an internship for the following summer.

    Bloomberg internships are generally available to juniors and offer more in-depth project work, skills training, and networking opportunities. Unlike the First-Year Insights and externship programs, which occur over a few days, most internships last ten weeks, thereby giving students more time to develop their skills and knowledge, forge a professional network, and make a positive impression that could lead to a full-time job offer after graduation.

    Bloomberg has further demonstrated its commitment to nurturing diverse talent through its flagship Discover Bloomberg: Accelerate and program. An all-expense-paid, three-day immersion event at the company’s New York City headquarters, Discover Bloomberg allows upper-level students and recent graduates to learn more about company culture and gain deeper insight into the day-in-the-life of their desired roles. The event concludes with participants interviewing for either a business internship or an entry-level position.

    We interviewed a few Bloomberg employees who participated in these early career programs to better understand how those experiences have impacted their careers. During these conversations, we learned that the mentorship and skills training received during these programs has positively contributed to their professional development and success.

    Reliable Support Networks

    Finding a supportive network of mentors is a critical part of growing a successful career, especially for young professionals who often lack extensive professional experience and a network. Underrepresented talent doesn’t have as many opportunities to build those valuable connections that could be a source of encouragement, career planning, and perspective. Bloomberg’s early career programs help close that gap.During his externship, Robert Ashamole, an Account Manager, formed an important relationship with a Bloomberg executive who encouraged him to accept a full-time role at the company.

    Robert’s experience is just one example of the peer-to-peer support that exists at Bloomberg. Daniela Arias, an Account Manager, participated in both Bloomberg’s externship and internship programs, through which she also received strong professional support.

    Daniela stated that, at Bloomberg, she would always have someone who she can count on for support. When it comes to advancing your career, this type of network is invaluable.

    Opening Doors to Careers in Finance

    Bloomberg employees work with some of the most innovative technologies used in the financial markets. Participants in these early career programs receive early exposure to these tools, like the Bloomberg Terminal, which gives them a leg up on transitioning more smoothly into full-time roles at Bloomberg or across the finance industry.Laneika Lyons, a Data Engineer and Analyst, credits her participation in these programs as part of her seamless transition into Bloomberg.

    Start Your Journey

    There’s no doubt that Rob, Daniela, and Laneika all gained incredible insight and experience during their participation in Bloomberg’s early-career programs. From skills development to networking, these programs have formed the foundation of their successful tenures at Bloomberg. 

    If you’re curious about what Bloomberg does and what business career opportunities are available with the company, explore its Discovery and Diversity programs for underrepresented talent.

    Your road of accomplishments is right ahead of you. You just need to start walking.

    Check out all of Bloomberg’s current opportunities on its profile and get your journey started. More

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    5 Reasons Why Springboard Is Your Ticket to a Dream Job in Tech

    You just can’t get one-on-one mentoring, highly-technical training, and a job guarantee like the way Springboard offers it.

    As more employers look beyond college degrees as criteria to work at their companies, aspiring professionals have begun seeking alternative methods to learn new trades and qualify for roles. But the questions remain – what are the best ways to learn a new skill and how do you know if what you’re doing is worth the time and money?

    As e-learning programs and online workshops come and go, Springboard has risen as the premier destination in online learning for the tech industry’s most in-demand careers. With comprehensive, mentor-led programs in software engineering, data science, UI/UX design, cybersecurity, tech sales, and more, there is a lot to love about Springboard’s unique offerings. 

    But Springboard’s robust curriculum isn’t the only reason why aspiring professionals are flocking to the groundbreaking e-learning platform. From the self-paced speed to their job-match guarantee, here are all the reasons why you should choose to enroll in Springboard’s online boot camps.

    Go As Slow/Fast As You Want

    Once you’re admitted into a boot camp, students have the freedom to set their own pace and go as fast as they feel comfortable going. Whether it’s because of time restraints or just to absorb as much information as possible, this factor of Springboard’s boot camps really stands out for students. 

    Ability to Pivot into Any Industry

    One of the biggest reasons why Springboard is so sought after these days is because it enables people to pivot into any industry they choose. Take Vianey Luna for example. When Vianey found Springboard, she was teaching English as a foreign language in China and South Korea. A few years into her career, Vianey felt inspired to make a career shift into cybersecurity and was able to use Springboard to help her make that leap.

    Another great example of someone who made a massive career change with Springboard is Hastings Reeves. Hastings was studying to become an opera singer until the pandemic hit and he was forced to reassess his situation. With a three-year-old daughter, Hastings knew he needed to find income. After taking part in Springboard’s Data Science Career Track, Hastings found the job of his dreams.

    From singing opera to working in data science, Springboard made it possible.

    The Mentors

    Of course, where an educational or training program is going to provide some of the most value is in the mentors and peer guidance that is offered. And when it comes to the mentors that Springboard staffs, no exceptions are made.

    Using a system created in-house, Springboard makes sure to stay on top of quality control and the overall caliber of its mentors and teachers throughout the entirety of their tenures. Additionally, Springboard looks to hire people with experience in an industry and a passion to lead.

    Career Coaching

    One of the best parts about Springboard’s e-learning platform is that it isn’t just an e-learning platform. When you sign up for Springboard, students are matched with a career coach who works with them 1:1 to seize the job of their dreams.

    Throughout your entire enrollment in the boot camp, you will have regular meetings with your career coach to discuss things about your CV, resume, and general job-hunting tips. When you complete the boot camp, your career coach ups their involvement in your search and really starts helping you get applications out and taking shots for that dream job!

    Whether it’s with help with interview tips or suggestions on how to execute an elevator pitch, Springboard’s career coaches are there for you until you sign a contract. 

    Job Guarantee

    Perhaps one of the most alluring features of Springboard’s online learning platform is the job guarantee that they bestow on nearly every one of their students. It is one thing to trust an education system or provider to give you valuable knowledge and skills but the fact that Springboard guarantees a job offer or your money back just goes to show how much they trust their program.

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    Under these circumstances, it becomes much easier for Springboard’s students to fully engross themselves in their education. Without the gnawing feeling of whether or not a job awaits them at the end of their curriculum, students have nothing else to worry about besides gaining a valuable and marketable trade.

    Why Is Springboard Right For You?

    Whether it has to do with the wide range of tools and resources that Springboard equips you with or the degree of quality in its curriculum and mentors, there are several reasons why Springboard is such a great option to advance your career.

    But the most important reason to enroll in Springboard is the desire to grow yourself in one way or another. If you have the desire, Springboard is ready to fulfill it.

    At Springboard, you either get a job or your money back. Start exploring career tracks and open-enrollment boot camps today! More

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    Space, Missiles, and Fighter Jets – The Compelling Work of Travion Crutcher, America’s Top Intern of 2022

    Growing up in the shadow of the Boeing JetPlex in Huntsville, Alabama, Travion Crutcher often found himself with his eyes on the sky, contemplating ideas about air travel, or fixed upon the latest toy that he was deconstructing and putting back together. 

    Travion always knew that he loved to build things, but it wasn’t until his mother sent him to space camp that he realized his passion could be turned into a pursuit. A pursuit that would involve him finding the answers to the questions he often asked himself regarding the way things worked in the world.

    This passion-turned-pursuit would eventually manifest itself into a role at Boeing, the same company he grew up a few miles away from, working on everything from fighter jets to missile defense systems at one of the most cutting-edge aerospace companies in the world. 

    As WayUp’s Top Intern of 2022, Travion Crutcher exemplified everything companies look for in an ideal candidate. He applies his passions, he is brave in his decision-making, he tempers wisdom with curiosity, and he exudes confidence with everything he does. 

    Recently, we got the chance to speak with Travion regarding his rocket-sized dreams and how they came to fruition during his tenure with Boeing. In our conversation, Travion reveals what it takes to be recognized by your employers and peers on a national level and sheds some insight on the exciting work he took part in the past two summers.

    Setting His Sights for the Stars

    In addition to the support of his mother, the factors that Travion felt amplified his potential the most are his early involvement in leadership and education-based programs, his organization and execution skills, and his unquenchable curiosity for the unknown.

    Travion’s responses to my questions would increasingly shed light on the confidence he had. When I asked him if he had always been this way, he answered in the affirmative and went on to highlight the leadership positions he held from a young age.

    Holding down a leadership role in his community as well as immersing himself in the world of engineering, Travion maintained a busy schedule even from a young age. I inquired about how he kept himself on track and he pointed toward his organizational skills.

    Although he may not be the first person to use this method, Travion would employ the “aim and shoot” method in which every day started with a list of goals on a whiteboard that would get checked off as tasks get done.

    In addition to his commitment to developing everything he learned during his immersions as a young man, Travion’s undying curiosity can also be attributed to propelling him towards success at Boeing and WayUp’s National Intern Competition.

    “I was always curious how planes fly or how these big rockets get all the way to space. That’s what pushed me to pursue aerospace and aerospace-related subjects. Growing up my mom got me involved in a lot of stem-related things. I even got involved in a week-long NASA experiment camp where I met people all across the world.”Travion Crutcher, WayUp Top Intern of 2022

    Eventually, when the chance came, Travion knew he had to take his passion and everything he learned to the next level. So he set his sights on the company he grew up knowing so well for their accolades in engineering – Boeing.

    Do I Need Clearance For That?

    As an intern in both 2021 and 2022, Travion Crutcher’s work with Boeing spanned from fighter jets to missile technology. Although he wasn’t able to tell me much about the work he took part in this past summer, as it relates to top secret advancements in military technology, that only made what he did or didn’t do seem that much cooler. 

    What Travion could share with me, however, is how working across different sectors provided him with an advanced understanding of engineering concepts and a deeper appreciation of the things he was developing.

    At times, it was hard to believe that I was talking to an intern as the experiences that Travion described to me were in no way minimal. But that is the beauty of companies like Boeing – they empower employees at every level to succeed and achieve greatness in whatever realm makes them most passionate. It was clear that Travion felt this way as he would remark on his appreciation of the company that got him to where he is very often.

    Earning a well-deserved vacation, Travion will be spending part of his prize money on an ATV excursion out in Houston where he will be celebrating his anniversary with his girlfriend. If you take anything from Travion Crutcher’s story, know that passion will always fuel your efforts. So if you love something enough, pursue it, and maybe you too can ride off into the Texas sunset with a bag in your hand.

    Stay tuned for 2023 as our competition unfolds again and a new queen or king is crowned! More

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    5 Interview Secrets for Landing a Job at Capital One

    Interviews can be exciting, intimidating, life-changing, and sometimes, all three. As you make your way into the professional world, chances are you will go through tons of different interviews and hiring processes, each one different from the last. 

    But if you happen to be fortunate enough to land an interview with Capital One, one of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the financial services industry, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

    From preparation tactics to presentation skills, here is a list of the 5 Ps that recruiters, hiring managers, and employees suggest familiarizing yourself with if you want to land a job at Capital One.

    Preparation

    First and foremost, you want to be prepared going into a Capital One interview. But prepared for what? According to Anna, an associate software engineer, she found success by familiarizing herself with life at Capital One and doing plenty of research prior to her interview.

    By digging deep and finding some relevant information about the company, Anna prepared herself to have meaningful and in-depth conversations with her recruiter. In doing so, she portrayed herself as both informed and interested in the position, two things that recruiters love to see. 

    In addition to gaining hard knowledge of the company and the role you will be undertaking, another thing you can do to stand out is familiarize yourself with the culture of the company. For example, maybe a company does monthly outings or other social events. Mentioning something like that, which may not have to do directly with your position, is a great way to show you want to work at a company and are looking at it from all aspects.

    Presentation

    Once you’ve dedicated enough time to prepare for the interview, then comes the time to present your knowledge, skills, and most importantly, who you are. In our conversation with Abhishek, a Senior Associate and Enterprise Services Project Manager, he shed some light on what he thinks is the best way to present yourself during an interview.

    Abhishek went on to say how at the end of the day, everyone is similar to one another in the sense that we all have lives and interests, and to present yourself as such helps form a connection that will ultimately work in your favor.

    At the same time, you don’t want to come off as overly familiar or unprofessional. By combining a personable and friendly attitude with a professional and corporate one, you will be able to check off even more boxes as a candidate.

    Patience

    Hand-in-hand with presentation skills comes the ability to be patient. Without it, you risk giving off the wrong impression or missing the chance to demonstrate the full extent of your worth. But interviews are nerve-racking! And oftentimes stressful. So what is an eager prospect like yourself to do?

    According to Senior Recruiter Kelly, the best way to remain and appear patient in an interview is to listen.

    Kelly spoke about how much of a turnoff it is for her as a recruiter when a candidate constantly cuts her off or interrupts her. But she agreed that a lot of the time it’s unintentional. So when you’re interviewing, remember to take a breath, take your time, and try not to worry about filling empty space or replying so quickly. 

    There are several things that public speakers suggest in order to help ease this burden. For example, repeating back the question, using a filling sentence like “that’s a great question,” or “let me think about the best example of that” all are ways you can buy time and make sure you answer the question correctly.

    Passion

    Throughout every conversation we had with the Capital One employees, there was one common trait that they all shared: passion. Passion not only for what they do at Capital One as employees but as individuals and what they do in their personal lives as well. 

    Although it may not seem like it, exuding your passions, whatever they may be, will get you very far in Capital One’s hiring process. Just ask Abhishek.

    “My recruiter and I connected on a very personal level after I mentioned my love of motorcycles. It was then that I realized that the people at Capital One are real people too with interests, passions, and beliefs of their own.”Abhishek, Senior Associate and Enterprise Services Project Manager

    Whether or not you end up sharing interests with your recruiter doesn’t matter. What Capital One wants to see out of people applying is that they can get excited about something, no matter what it is. So if there is something you love and are passionate about, don’t be afraid to mention it during the interview!

    Personality

    One factor that bears a lot of resemblance to your passion is your personality. And although they are similar, your personality has to show so much more than what you’re passionate about.

    We spoke with Student and Graduates Recruiter Addison regarding what the best steps are to show your personality during an interview and she responded with an ode to authenticity.

    Recruiters are able to tell when something sounds rehearsed. And it prevents them from getting a true understanding of who you really are. So during your interview process, make sure you’re confident in portraying yourself not only as a professional but as your true authentic self as well.

    Putting It All Together

    While all of the tips shared by these exceptional associates at Capital One are invaluable, there is one critical piece of information that everyone should remember, and that’s to apply.Now is the time to explore opportunities and really see how far your capabilities can get you. So what are you waiting for? Start browsing open opportunities at Capital One today and find the job of your dreams. More