Ready For Your Interview?

The first exposure most IMLPs have to GE is through their interviews.  It can be a nerve-wracking experience, so the IMLP bloggers wanted to give some advice that helped us through the process.

RésumésThe best thing you can do is go into your interview with confidence - look how relaxed these people are!

 Nothing will sink your chances quicker than a sloppy résumé.  If you have typos, grammatical errors, or seemingly slapped it together in a few minutes, this will show.  Remember, this is a reflection of you, and you want to put your best foot forward.  Taking a few hours to hone your content and design will pay off big time.

 In my role reviewing résumés, I see a few common mistakes that you should learn to avoid.  First, avoid generic terminology.  Saying solely that you “excelled in a fast-paced, challenging environment” doesn’t really tell us what you did.  Secondly, don’t be afraid to highlight your accomplishments.  While you should never exaggerate what you’ve contributed to a project (it will be obvious, and burn you in the interview), you shouldn’t be overly bashful.  If your intern project saved a company a million dollars, tell us that!  Finally, make sure the experience you highlight on your résumé matches what the job you’re applying to is looking for.  If you have technical skills, definitely put them on your résumé – but don’t bury your non-technical skills (or vice-versa).  IMLP looks for candidates who are well balanced, so show that.

Interview Tips

First of all, relax!  You wouldn’t have been given the interview if we didn’t see something we liked from your résumé.  I was pretty nervous going in to my interview, but once I got comfortable, I did a much better job explaining my past roles and experience.  It also helps to prepare beforehand – it seems straightforward, but this goes a long way.  You should be able to talk about the specifics of your past roles, and how you were able to contribute to successful projects.  If you go into an interview knowing that you’ve prepared, it’s a lot easier to relax.  

Additionally, think about what you want to get out of IMLP (or any job you interview for).  This is your opportunity to turn the tables and interview your potential future employers.  You might have questions about off-program positions, the relocation process, or other GE businesses, and now is your time to ask.  If you don’t think that GE sounds like a good fit for you, we won’t be offended – and you would rather find out sooner rather than later.

What questions do you have about the interview process?  Is there any other advice you would want to share with candidates?  Best of luck!

IMLP Latin America Champion Interview - João Lencioni

Here we are with one more episode of our interview series with GE Leaders! Have not read the previous editions? Check them out:

Matt Brooks - IMLP Global Program Manager

Beth Desormeaux - Manager for Learning and Development at GE

Tommy Tang - IMLP China Rep

Credits: Márcio Bruno - Photographer

 1. Could you give us a quick overview of your career (before and within GE)?

My background is in Electronics Engineering and I have a post-graduation extension in business. For about 10 years after graduation I was very involved with the design & integration of various types of computing systems in industries like Telecom, Aerospace and Automotive. Then I migrated to Financial Services to develop systems and solutions for banks till I joined GE in Brazil in 1998 to start-up GE Consumer Finance operations. In GE, I have worked for GE Capital and Corporate in EUA, Latin America and Germany. Since 2006, I have led Corporate IT for Latin America and since 2009, I accumulated Indirect Sourcing responsibilities as well.

2. What are the key differentiators of being an IMLP for an IT employee at GE?

Like other leadership programs in GE, IMLP provides the opportunity to accelerate your learning by exposing the trainee to different businesses environments, leadership styles, and business problems during the course of the rotations. This is a great opportunity to learn how to adapt quickly into a new environment and deliver under tight time constraints. People know that IMLPs went through those hurdles and therefore trust their capacity to take even more stretch challenges ahead.

3. What attributes are required for someone to apply for the IMLP in the region? 

Great education background and academic performance and willingness to get yourself immersed into very dynamic and matrixed business environments that will stretch your capabilities. A prospective IMLP should also have a lot of initiative and like technology and how it can be applied to improve business results.

4. What is expected from an IMLP during and after the program?

During the program: do not get satisfied with a glass half full! Ask for more stretch goals if you are not challenged enough. Push back if you see things that do not make sense. Put your thoughts out there… don’t be afraid to bring in new ideas.

After the program: Understand that you will not be CIO first day out of the IMLP program. It is certainly supposed to be a career accelerator but you still will have to go through jobs and experiences before getting there. Continue to stretch yourself into more challenging positions each time and continue to learn how to leverage technology for business results. There are many fantastic experiences and people you can leverage throughout the organization.

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Interview with Angela Grisafi, IMLP Business Champion for GE Oil & Gas

Angela Grisafi, GE O&G IMLP Business Champion

After IMLP Blog’s interviews with Matt Brooks - IMLP Global Program Manager, Beth Desormeaux - Manager for Learning and Development at GE, and Tommy Tang – China IMLP rep, we bring you an interview with another GE leader.

I recently had the opportunity to interview Angela Grisafi, the IMLP Business Champion for GE Oil & Gas in Italy, to learn about herself, her background, and her plans for IMLP at Oil & Gas. Get to know Angela with us! 

What inspired you to become the IMLP Business Champion for O&G?

I’ve always been part of the IMLP family, since I joined GE. After I graduated IMLP, I became the O&G site representative, participating in recruiting events in Italy. In 2008, I became the program champion at GE O&G, serving as a mentor for IMLPs and interns, facilitating the discussion between Energy Program Manager and the O&G CIO, helping with rotations, and identifying the IMLP pipeline.

How did IMLP impact your career?

I was initially hired for a full time job in GE O&G IM Global Supply Chain as systems analyst, working on legacy systems. I covered that role for just 5 months and then I interviewed for the Energy IMLP program. Thanks to the program, I had the opportunity to work on the biggest ERP implementation (at that time the MRP/BOM project in Italy), had a 6 months assignment in Atlanta with the IM Energy Services team, and worked in Finance and Services. I wouldn't have seen all of those things without the program. 

How do you organize the work and the interaction with IMLPs?

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IT Learning Program - Interview with Beth Desormeaux

We had the chance to conduct an interview with Beth Desormeaux. She is responsible for identifying common learning & development needs for the information technology and sourcing functions across GE. She also works with the custom development and procurement of high-quality curricula and learning experiences for the Advanced Information Management Class (AIMC), Experienced Information Management Program (EIMP), and other leadership programs like IMLP.

Here's the interview:

1. As an IMLP, what IT training and certifications would be available to me?

We offer extensive training and resources to IMLPs and other employees. This includes:

• Over 2000 courses, 13000 online references (IT specific library for research – IT publications, white papers, study guides)
• Study pads, live mentors, practice exams, express guides for over 125 certification exams study path Diverse range of topics from ERP systems to Networking and Programming.

2. Do IMLP's get more training than the average employee?

All employees have access to training and get a lot of it. The Leadership Programs get much more, especially while on program (see response to hours of training employee’s log).

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Preparing for Your IMLP Interview

GE on Campus Recruiting Banners: Live @ Syracuse UniversityPreparing for an interview is a multi-step process, filled with a variety of resources that can help you out.

1) Campus Career Center: Your college's career center is a great place to start for advice. Not only can you set up a mock interview, have someone review your resume and give you tips - but chances are they've done the same for someone else who's interviewed at GE.

If you're not at a campus right now, or if you're looking for additional assistance, visit and read up on career center blogs at different universities and leverage some good content. Check out Dan Schwabel's Student Branding blog as well for some tips.

2) GE Reports: To learn more about GE and what the company is up to, visit GE's official "blog - GE reports, watch a few of the YouTube videos, and consider following GE Reports on twitter if twitter's your thing.

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