FirstGen Ahead
February, 2020
Founder’s Message
In previous messages, I’ve communicated the vision, strategy, and operations of FirstGen Ahead. This month my message focuses on our impact measures. The measures extend beyond the pilot phase and include outcome measures as well as input/process measures. The metrics are at an individual level (for students and coaches) and at an organizational level. Data are collected through monthly coach and student reports, surveys, online coach and student sessions, and student assignments.

For student outcomes, we’re interested in both tangible results (e.g., acquired a summer internship) and self-perception (e.g., career self-efficacy) over the course of the program. For the tangible results, we’re interested in understanding whether the students' social networks have grown over the course of the program based on an expansion of their network map. Students drew their original network map in October. Bottom-line tangible outcome measures include acquiring a summer internship (paid and in career field of interest), and obtaining a strong, full-time first job post-college (where a college degree is required, benefits are offered, and there are opportunities for growth). For the perceptual measures, we have baseline data on all students from the beginning of the program, and we will re-administer the career self-efficacy survey in December, 2020. The final perceptual outcome measure for students is satisfaction with participating in FirstGen Ahead. We have collected information on the perceived value of the first three months of the program (as reported in the last newsletter) and students will be asked to complete additional assessments in May and December. As of now, one student has committed to a summer internship and another student has an eight-week semester internship.

Outcome measures for coaches are: 1) interest in participating as a coach after the pilot phase has completed; 2) satisfaction with their involvement in the program; and 3) recruiting other coaches for future cohorts of students. Data on these measures will be collected in December, 2020.

At an organizational level after the pilot phase, the key outcome measure is a sustainable/stable funding base and a scalable or replicable model.

We are also tracking input/process measures. One of these measures for both students and coaches is participation rates. For example, as of February 1 st , the rate of students participating in the monthly online sessions is 63% and the participation rate of coaches on the monthly coach support calls is 76%. For students, we are also tracking follow-through on assignments, agreements reached with coaches, and ratio of applications submitted to job offer rate for both internships and first position post college.

At an organizational level, the input/process measures that are being tracked is conversion rate (attempted/realized) for coach volunteers, students, organizational partnerships, and grant proposals. At this stage, the conversion rates are 58% (coach volunteers), 72% (students), and 100% (organizational partnerships).

Understanding our impact is critical for our mission, strategy and operations going forward and necessary to secure future funding. 
Susan Gershenfeld, PhD
“Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.”
― John Quincy Adams
How to Handle
One-Way Video
Job Interviews

As a replacement for or as a supplement to a phone screening interview, job seekers are increasingly asked to participate in a one-way video where they video record answers to predetermined questions for the employer to later assess at their convenience.

While the benefit to the employer in increased efficiency, a significant disadvantage for the job seeker is an inability to interact with the employer.

Click here to learn the 12 tips recommended Laura DeCarlo, founder of Career Directors International, for handling one-way job interviews.  
Common Screening Interview Questions
To help narrow the pool of candidates, employers will often screen job applicants during a 15-20-minute phone interview or through one-way video interviews (see article above). With either method, some common interview questions with video links are identified below.

Tell me about yourself . Be concise and answer this question in 2 minutes or less. Start with who you are professionally. Include your top selling points for the position. Describe what you’re looking for now in your job search and why.

Why do you want to work here? What do you know about our mission? You want to demonstrate that you did your research before applying for the position. “About Us” on an organization’s website is a great place to start. Share 2-3 key facts on what you learned about the organization and why it excites you.

What are your strengths? Take the time to evaluate your most impressive areas (experience, talent, soft-skills). Bring those strengths to action through the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format.

What is your greatest weakness ? How you answer this question is revealing. Identify a weakness that is appropriate for the job at hand. Articulate the weakness in a way that it’s fixable and what you’re doing to work on it. It shows you are self-aware and looking for ways to grow and improve. Be concise.

Tell me about a time … (Behavioral questions) What are your best stories? What are your proudest professional accomplishments that demonstrate multiple competencies relevant for the position in which you are applying? Tell the story utilizing the STAR method.

What type of work environment do you prefer? Either describe an environment that you feel is similar to theirs or demonstrate that you can work well in a variety of environments, if you believe that is the case. 

What salary do you expect?   Do not answer this question with a specific number during a screening interview. Salary negotiations happen after you’ve been offered the position. Instead, a reply should look something like this, “I am most interested in finding a good fit for my skill set that will allow me to grow. I’m confident that you’re offering a competitive salary for the current market.”‍ Advertised positions often include a salary range and websites such as Payscale.com , ‍ Glassdoor.com , ‍ Salary.com‍ provide market salary ranges for your industry, the size of the company, your location, and experience level.
 
For phone interviews, you’ll most likely be asked, “ What questions do you have for me?” Always have 2-3 key questions for the interviewer. It shows your interest in the position. For example, you can ask about the company’s culture, how your performance will be measured, what an ideal candidate for this position looks like, and other matters that are important to you.

Also for phone interviews, end your interview by asking when you can expect to hear back on next steps in the interview process. You’ll have less anxiety while waiting after the phone interview and you can always follow-up by email to ask for feedback if that time has passed.

Don’t forget to send a thank you letter or email within 24 hours of the interview. Doing so shows the employer you appreciate their time (or the opportunity to answer questions in a one-way interview), and it reaffirms your interest in the position. 
Stay Curious a Little Longer
Before Giving Advice

As experienced hiring managers and coaches for FirstGen Ahead, we have a lot advice to give our college juniors. Before giving advice, however, Michael Bungay Stanier, author of The Coaching Habit recommends saying less and asking more. This can change the way we lead, whether it’s at an organizational or individual level. Of course, multiple questions at a time shouldn’t be asked nor should questions be asked in an interrogation kind of way. Here are some of his top questions to ask, which are supported by research, that seem particularly helpful for coaching FirstGen Ahead students: 1) What’s on your mind?  It’s a question that says “Let’s talk about what now matters most to you.” 2) And what else?  It’s important not to assume the first answer is the only answer or the best answer. By asking this question again, it can uncover and create new possibilities while slowing down the natural desire to give advice. 3) What’s the real challenge for you? This question helps focus on the real problem and not the first problem. 4) What was most useful to you? By asking this question, it forces the student and coach to extract the value from the conversation that leads to remembering and learning. There are other useful nuggets in The Coaching Habi t , a hands-on and easy-to-read book.

Meet Coach Carolyn!

Carolyn Brandes is a professional problem-solver, educator, trainer, lawyer, and mediator. She currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy Coalition ( MIRA ) and has provided legal services to people in low-income, high-conflict, or other complex situations. She also serves as a FirstGen Ahead coach because she believes that “education is the most effective way to contribute to the community and develop life-sustaining skills for oneself and family.” She routinely mentors people who have dreams they want to turn into reality.

The student Carolyn coaches is interested in a career involving education, research, and health care. Carolyn believes she has best been able to coach her thus far by helping her revise her resume so that past experiences can be better translated into marketable skills. Based on her experience to date as a FirstGen Ahead coach, Carolyn says, “It is important to think about the big picture, which means finding time each day to do something more than what is on the daily to-do list. This means both taking active steps towards planning for the future and also stopping for self-care.”

Carolyn’s advice to first-generation college students preparing for the transition from college to career is, “Start early, network widely, and experiment boldly. The world is full of endless opportunities, each one leading to the next in ways that are hard to predict. Listen to what is being offered, say yes and see where it takes you.”
What Would You Do?

Your internship primarily is a team project. Another intern on your team has been taking all the credit and your ideas are sidelined by this person with a “louder voice” than you. What would you do?

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Sunday, February 23, 7:30-8:30pm
Online student peer session will be facilitated by Dr. Susan Gershenfeld. The last forty minutes of the session will include three guests speaking and answering questions about their early career experiences: journalist Bianca Flowers , opportunity youth coordinator   Cameron Mendes-Moreau , and entrepreneur Manu Edakara . A Zoom link reminder will be sent to all students.

Sunday, March 8, 7-8pm
Online coach support session will be facilitated by Dr. Lois Benishek. A Zoom link reminder will be sent to all coaches. Please email questions to Dr. Susan Gershenfeld at susan@firstgenahead.org . 
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