Module 4: Professional Presence and Interviewing

First impressions often begin before you meet an employer. Your online presence, professional communication, and interview performance all shape how others perceive you. Together, they should tell a consistent, authentic story about your experiences, skills, and career interests.

This module will help you prepare to make a positive impression throughout the hiring process and communicate your qualifications with confidence.

Please note: This module includes two homework options. Mentors and mentees should discuss which option best fits the mentee's interests, goals, and current needs. If time allows, you are welcome to complete both.

听听Resources

听听Homework Option 1 (Online Professional Presence)

  • Mentee (optional for Mentor): Use AI to create, update, or evaluate your LinkedIn profile.
    • Sample Prompt: Create a Complete LinkedIn Profile:听
      • Act as an experienced LinkedIn career strategist and recruiter. Help me create a compelling LinkedIn profile that is optimized for recruiter searches while remaining authentic.听
      • Ask me any questions you need before writing: My Background, Education, Current Position, Previous Experience, Skills, Industries of Interest, Career Goals, Accomplishments
      • Then write: headline (5-10 options), About Section (2 versions 鈥 professional and conversational), Experience descriptions with accomplishment-oriented bullet points, Skills to feature, Keywords to include for SEO, Suggestions for featured content and profile improvements.听

听听Discussion Option 1

  • Review each other鈥檚 LinkedIn profiles and provide constructive feedback.听
    • What are the profile鈥檚 greatest strengths?听
    • What can be improved?听
    • What skills/experiences could be added or emphasized?
  • Search for each other online (using Google or another search engine). Review the first page (or more) of search results and discuss what an employer might learn about your professional presence.

听听Homework Option 2 (Practice Interview)

  • Using the job posting and tailored resume from the previous Module:
    • Mentor: Come up with 5-7 interview questions for the mentee.听
      • If unsure of questions to come up with, you can upload the job posting and company info to an AI tool and ask it to generate questions.听
    • Mentee: Prepare for the practice interview.
      • Research the organization, brainstorm responses to likely questions, ask an AI tool to create interview questions, familiarize yourself with the STAR method, prepare questions to ask the 鈥渋nterviewer,鈥 etc.

听听Discussion Option 2

  • Complete a practice interview during your meeting time.听
  • Discuss how it went.听
    • What responses felt the strongest?听
    • What questions were the most challenging?听
    • Were there any questions that caught you off guard? How might you prepare for similar questions in the future?
    • What feedback does the mentor have regarding communication, professionalism, confidence, and overall interview performance?

听听Extra Credit

  • Mentee & Mentor: Do a mock interview using Quinncia AI Mock Interview Tool听
    • Mentor Note: Alumni are currently limited to one resume upload and one mock interview in Quinncia.听
  • Mentee: Write a short professional biography (150鈥250 words) describing yourself as you hope to be in five to ten years. What expertise do you hope to have? What types of organizations or issues do you hope to work on? Compare your future bio with your current LinkedIn profile and discuss what experiences would help bridge the gap.
  • Mentee: Review the 麻豆免费版下载Engineering Career Hub鈥檚 Interviewing & Negotiation page. Even though it is geared towards engineering students (ex: technical interviews), it has a lot of helpful resources for anyone.听

听听Module 3: Application Materials and Job Search听Module 5: Networking, Career Growth and Changes听听