Spring 2025 Week 6 Circle G - SujeethFoundation/sujeethfoundation.github.io GitHub Wiki

Meeting Recording

Transcript Summary

The meeting focused on interview preparation and personal experiences. Jim discussed his background as a pastor and his career shift to corporate life after his husband's death in 2010. Bren and Jim practiced answering interview questions, with Bren highlighting his adaptability in sports marketing and Jim emphasizing his community outreach and fundraising experience. They also discussed strategies for addressing weaknesses, such as being cautious and not asking enough questions. The session concluded with advice on LinkedIn connections and a reminder to fill out a survey by August 4. The mentor emphasized the importance of preparation and self-advocacy in interviews.

Action Items

  • Complete the program survey by August 4th.
  • Connect with the facilitator and other mentors on LinkedIn to expand the professional network.

Outline

Spring Break Plans and Personal Backgrounds

  • Unknown Speaker and Speaker 2 discuss their readiness for spring break, with Speaker 1 planning to visit friends at the University of Illinois (U of I) in Champaign.
  • Speaker 2 shares their personal history, including growing up near the Quad Cities, moving to Central Illinois, and later to Belleville, outside St. Louis.
  • Speaker 2 reveals their past as a Presbyterian pastor for 17 years, serving a church in Belleville for nine years before transitioning to corporate life.
  • Speaker 2 explains the challenges faced after their first husband's death in 2010, leading to a career shift from pastoring to corporate work.

Spring Break and Basketball Discussions

  • Speaker 2 and others discuss their excitement for spring break and the possibility of Missouri reaching the basketball finals or tournament.
  • Speaker 1 shares their experience of watching a painful basketball game, while Speaker 2 mentions their affiliation with the University of Kansas.
  • The conversation shifts to the challenges of balancing personal life and professional responsibilities, especially for pastors in the current climate.
  • Speaker 2 expresses relief at no longer having to preach about societal issues every Sunday.

Meeting Introduction and Agenda Setting

  • Speaker 2 introduces the meeting, noting it is the last day before spring break and asks for feedback on previous sessions.
  • The group discusses the importance of practice and real-life experience in interview preparation.
  • Speaker 2 proposes activities such as connecting on LinkedIn, practicing interview questions, and sharing personal interview experiences.
  • Speaker 1 and Speaker 3 express interest in practicing interview scenarios and learning from Speaker 2's experiences.

Interview Question Practice: Greatest Strength

  • Speaker 3 selects a job description for a graduate assistant position in sports marketing and answers the question about their greatest strength.
  • Speaker 3 highlights their ability to adapt to different career fields, citing experience in event coordinating and sports marketing.
  • Speaker 2 provides feedback, emphasizing the importance of showing how the strength aligns with the job requirements.
  • Speaker 3 shares a specific example of adapting during an event coordination role, demonstrating their quick decision-making skills.

Interview Question Practice: Greatest Weakness

  • Speaker 2 discusses the challenge of answering the question about the greatest weakness and provides tips for choosing a weakness.
  • Speaker 3 shares a past response about being too knowledgeable to a fault, which Speaker 2 finds a good example of a weakness that can be mitigated.
  • Speaker 1 discusses their struggle with not asking enough questions during an internship, which Speaker 2 suggests can be framed as a learning opportunity.
  • Speaker 2 emphasizes the importance of showing self-awareness and having strategies to address weaknesses.

Interview Question Practice: Why Should You Hire Me?

  • Speaker 1 selects a job description for a community outreach intern position with the Chicago Fire and answers the question about why they should be hired.
  • Speaker 1 highlights their experience in community outreach and fundraising, including managing a team and raising nearly $7,000.
  • Speaker 2 provides feedback, noting the importance of using keywords from the job description and providing quantifiable results.
  • Speaker 3 and Speaker 2 praise Speaker 1's response for its focus on relevant experience and specific achievements.

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

  • Speaker 2 shares personal experiences of successful and unsuccessful interviews, emphasizing the importance of preparation.
  • Speaker 2 advises the group to fill out a survey and connect on LinkedIn to widen their professional network.
  • Speaker 3 and Speaker 1 express gratitude for the guidance and support provided throughout the sessions.
  • Speaker 2 encourages the group to reach out for further assistance and wishes them a good spring break.