Upcoming Career Fairs

www.career.gatech.edu -> Students -> Career Fairs

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Career Fair – Tue Jan 17 and Wed, Jan 18
Location:Klaus Advanced Computing Building Atrium, First Floor
For additional information and registration, please go to: http://www.ece.gatch.edu/careerfair/

GTSBE Fair (Georgia Tech Society of Black Engineers) – Wed Jan 18 and Thu, Jan 19 Location:Student Center Ballroom (Student Center – 3rd floor) For registration and additional information, please go to: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFBzYnhramhpN0lvMjNFUW41d3p2d2c6MQ

GT Internship & Co-Op Fair – Tue Jan 24 and Wed, Jan 25 Location:Student Center Ballroom For registration and additional information, please go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2012internshipcoopfair

Georgia Tech Virtual Career Fair – Wed Feb 1 and Thu, Feb 2 Location: For registration and additional information, please go to: http://gatech.careereco.net/employers/virtual-career-fair-details/

GT Student Foundation Finance Career Fair – Fri Feb 3 Location:College of Management 10:00 AM – noon For additional information, please go to: http://gtsf.gatech.edu/ For registration, please go to: https://gtalumni.org/registrations/financecareerfair/responses/new

Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Career Fair – Mon Feb 13 Location:Student Center Ballroom 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM For additional information and registration, please go to: http://gtiie.org/sponsorus.html

Preparing for Career Fair:

Update your resume; have someone review it

• Create resumes with customized objective statements for targeted companies, and bring others with a general objective statement for employers who catch your eye

Know your companies

• Research companies: What does organization do, what positions might be open
• Familiarize yourself with employers attending the fair

Strategize

• Devise a plan to visit employers at career fair
  • Review registered companies
  • Prioritize about 10 target companies
  • Have a secondary list of 5-10 companies

Elevator Pitch (practice, practice, practice!)

• A relevant 20-40 second introduction
• Used at career fairs, info sessions and other networking events
• Always relate your statement to whom you are speaking and showcase your skills in a manner that relates to company needs

Consists of:

• Greeting
• Your Name
• Major and Class Year
• Relevant experiences—work, classroom (such as special or technical projects), extracurricular, and leadership activities
• Goal
  • To obtain a co-op, internship or full-time position
• Why you want to talk to this company
• Inquire about available positions

Examples:

“Hello.  My name is Katie Speigel, and I’m a senior biomedical engineering major at Georgia Tech.  I’m looking for a summer internship in the southeast.  I’m particularly interested in medical product design.  When I was reading your website, I noticed that Kelly Medical designs and manufactures a variety of such devices.  Can you tell me about biomedical internship opportunities at Kelly Medical?”  

“Hi, my name is Zach Jones. I’m currently a sophomore student at Georgia Tech. My major is in business with a minor in art. I have volunteered with the student credit union throughout my sophomore year. Last summer I completed an internship with The Museum of Modern Art, and I’m hoping to find an internship in finance this summer in the Boston area. I have always had an interest in art, and I’m also finding that I have a knack for business. In the future, I’m hoping to find a career that includes both.”

Day of Career Fair:

What to Bring and Wear

Bring:

• Leather binder/portfolio with a notepad
• Resumes (25+) on high quality white or cream resume paper
• List of employers

Wear:

• Conservative color suit like black, grey, navy, brown
• Match suit/shirt with a conservative tie
• NO short or tight skirts; skirt to or below knee
• NO tight pants
• NO low necklines
• Comfortable, closed-toed, professional shoes
• Minimal perfume and jewelry
• Neatly groomed hair

At the Fair:

Upon Arrival

• Leave backpack at door
• Survey layout of employers at the fair and determine the order in which you will approach identified employers
• Consider meeting with your top employers first thing, but be flexible as lines are typically long for companies that are many other students’ top choices

Making a Good Impression

• Arrive early (Tip:  Come in the morning, if possible, and reserve a 2+ hour block)
• Walk with your head up and confidently
• Build rapport with each recruiter: smile, make eye contact, firmly shake his or her hand
• Introduce yourself with Elevator Pitch and offer your resume.
  • Tip:  Don’t say, “So tell me about your company. . .”
• Don’t interrupt—wait for pauses in the conversation before interjecting questions/comments
• Be enthusiastic

DO Ask Questions

• Be cognizant of other students waiting
• Don’t skirt GPA question
• ALWAYS ask about next steps as well as for a business card or email
• When ready to leave, collect giveaway items
• Network! Make connections with employers/recruiters, fellow job seekers, etc.

Sample Questions

• What kinds of co-op or internship opportunities exist within your company?
• What qualities does your company look for in a candidate?
• Does your company hire on a continual basis or just at certain times of the year?
• How many co-ops or interns is your company looking to hire?
• What courses do you suggest in order to be a successful candidate?

Best Practices:

• Enthusiasm works
• Preparation is key
• First impressions last
• Keep good notes after each meeting

After the Fair:

Send thank-you notes to each recruiter via mail or email

• Attach your resume

Reflect and regroup

• Assess experience at career fair
• Review strategies, interactions, results

General Outcomes of Career Fair

• Often told to apply on company website, P2D2 or CareerBuzz for positions
• Often told about upcoming on-campus interview dates
• May be asked for an interview

Good luck!!

When: Wednesday, August 10th  from 9AM-1PM

Where:  GTRI Conference Center

Don’t delay in applying as a job seeker (or as a hiring startup if you are in that camp!).  And if you know of anyone looking for an awesome gig, forward this blog post to them right now!

This is a guest blog post by Kate Wharton.  Kate is Economics & International Affairs  major who interned in Dhaka, Bangladesh in Spring 2011 for JAAGO Foundation .

My Experience

I worked abroad in Dhaka, Bangladesh for the Spring 2011 semester.  After completing a four-week program at the Grameen Bank, I decided to work for a local NGO rather than being placed with a Grameen sister company.  After my first visit to JAAGO Foundation, I was hooked and accepted an internship position working with the new Volunteer for Bangladesh program.  At JAAGO, I worked at the head offices in Rayer Bazar slum, at the English Medium School.  I worked directly with the General Secretary, who was responsible for the Volunteer for Bangladesh program.  Because the program had just been approved for a large grant from the US Embassy in Dhaka, I was able to contribute to the development of a new program and understand the inner workings of a well-run, well-known, and innovative NGO working in an urban setting in the developing world.  In addition to gaining general project management and organizational development/strategic skills, I was able to make frequent trips into two slums in Dhaka, participate in discussions with the community, interact with the children at the school through extracurricular activities, and gain a network of Bangladeshi students and volunteers.

Work Culture

The Bangladesh work culture is much more relaxed than in the US.  Often, work does not start until 10am, and time is a relative matter.  A meeting scheduled to begin at 4pm may not begin until 5pm or even 6pm.  Tea breaks during work hours are frequent, and while they are wonderful for building personal relationships, they do not promote the sense of urgency and efficiency common in the work environment in the US.  Bureaucracy is another issue and may prevent  you from being able to speak with anyone higher than your immediate supervisor.  I experienced this at Grameen Bank, but JAAGO was much less hierarchical, and I consulted frequently with the founder.  The larger challenge regarding working within a hierarchy is  the lack of communication.  Often, decisions made at the top were not passed down, so that work became irrelevant or repetitive.  Finally, communication may be complicated by language barriers.  Although most high-ranking leaders have good knowledge of English, this cannot be assumed.  When meetings include both English and Bangla native speakers, they may drift into Bangla with little regard to the non-Bangla audience.

Living Environment

This spring, Dhaka was ranked the second least-livable city in the world. After having lived there for four months, I whole-heartedly agree.  The experience is truly extraordinary, but be prepared for a physical and mentally challenging environment.  Between traffic, pollution, and a constant awareness of poverty.  As a foreigner, you will be constantly addressed, prodded, stared at, and even harassed by intrigued Bangladeshis.  Street kids and beggars will particularly single you out and linger to watch you, especially in heavy traffic.  On the bright side, everything in Dhaka is cheap.  A two-hour taxi or CNG ride may cost only a dollar, and fresh vegetables less than a quarter.  While imported goods are at or above the price you would pay in the US, there are plenty of wonderful local options.

General Tips

• Do not bother bringing shorts or tank tops.  Very conservative attire is expected, particularly when venturing from the Banani-Gulshan area of Dhaka.
• Learn your directions in Bangla and always have a street map on you.  Rickshaw and CNG drivers will act like they know where your destination is, but they often have no idea.  Also, they do not know the names of restaurants, etc.  Direct them to an area of the city, and then give specific directions from there (right, left, straight, etc.)
• Use a backpack rather than a bag to prevent theft.
• Do not expect high-speed internet.  It does not exist in Bangladesh.  It is much easier to buy a phone card, as calls to the US are only about 7 cents a minute.
• When buying a phone card, buy the scratch off ones and input information yourself rather than giving out your phone number.  Anytime you give out your number – even to someone selling minutes – you will receive several anonymous calls.  As a general rule, keep all personal information private.

Interested in working abroad?  If so, contact the Georgia Tech Work Abroad Office to get started!

This is a guest post by Cameron Butler.  Cameron was a member of the Georgia Tech Division of Professional Practice Internship Program.  During his time at Tech, Cameron interned with Ingersoll Rand, Georgia Pacific and Bank of America.  He graduated in May 2009 with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering with a certificate in Entrepreneurship.

“No matter who you need to know, somebody you know knows somebody who knows that person.”

The above quote might be a mouthful, but it accurately depicts the power of TRUE networking. Networking is a mutually beneficial relationship between two people. Since there is a lot that can be said about networking, I have devised two lists below regarding networking: ‘What is Networking’ and ‘What is NOT Networking.’ I will share my personal experiences along the way. I hope you enjoy!

What is Networking?

1. Doing Someone a favor

2. Providing encouragement – This can include wishing someone luck on a project, when they earn a certification, or even a personal goal like running a marathon. You will find that even in the work world, people will share personal goals, and it means a lot when you can truly remember what is important in the life of someone other than work.

3. Sharing valuable information

4. Asking for help and advice – Everyone needs help. You, me, everyone. I’m not saying go up to someone about your personal problems, but you will be surprised at how much people would be willing to help if you need career guidance, advice on taking a job, or even how to deal with a difficult coworker. When you ask others for their expertise and insight it makes them feel important and valued from your perspective.

5. Making a recommendation/referral – I recently experienced this with finding my new job. I interviewed for a role, and I asked a mentor of mine, who I trust, to make a recommendation on my behalf. Although I was qualified for the position, it didn’t hurt to have someone of his status back me up. I’m sure his quick email meant a lot to my future manager.

6. Introducing people – A good networker is always thinking of ways to connect people. Whether you know someone moving to a new city, starting a new job, or going to a new school, a good networker will always be trying to get others plugged in.

7. Sending notes/maintenance – This is a good approach to keeping in touch with people with not a lot of effort. At work every three months, I have a reminder to send out a ‘Hey, how are you doing’ email to my main contacts. Some people you hear from and some you don’t, but it’s a good way to stay on people’s radar and it’s usually a pleasant surprise to hear from someone and that can turn into coffees, lunches, happy hours, or even new opportunities.

8. Community and professional events – Any volunteering event, professional society, or even a friend’s house party – always use these opportunities to meet someone new. The good thing about structured events is that you usually already have something in common, because there’s a common reason why you are there in the first place so it should be easier to start a conversation.

9. MEANINGFUL conversations with people – You should always leave a conversation feeling like you learned something or got to know someone. No one likes a boring conversation. I think you should always leave a conversation wanting to know more about someone. For example ‘Well, we should definitely get lunch together sometime so you can tell me about the great project you are working on. Sounds fascinating!’ This is a great segue into another meeting and it makes it less awkward to keep the relationship going.

10. Giving

11. Quality – Usually the saying is quality not quantity, but with networking you can argue that both are important.  A good networking knows a lot of really valuable people and goes the extra mile to develop those relationships. 

What is NOT networking?

1. Keeping score

2. Being manipulative – You should never go into a networking relationship (or any relationship for that matter) trying to get something out of people. It never usually ends well and it doesn’t work out well for your reputation.

3. Pointless relationships – Always try to make a real connection with the people you meet. Don’t try to meet everyone and expect to be able to keep up with them all. Then you will become THAT guy/girl who just floats around. These types of people think they know everyone…when in reality they don’t know anyone.

4. Obligations

5. Putting people on the spot

6. Being demanding

7. Take, take, take, but never give – Networking is a two way street. Don’t expect a great relationship to evolve if you are constantly taking, taking, taking from someone.

8. Sharing secrets

So now that we have a better understand of what is and what is not networking, stay tuned for my next post on Characteristics of Good Networkers, how to meet people, and how to exactly maintain these relationships. However in the meantime, I’m interested to hear of other examples of how you network. How has networking benefited you in your personal, academic, and/or work life? We want to hear from YOU!

Check out more posts like this about successfully navigating your way through the work-world on the college advice blog: The LI$T!

-Cameron Butler

Name:  Elle Creel

Major:  Business Administration

Year: Junior

Company:  Egypt’s International Economic Forum

Location:  Cairo, Egypt

Semester:  Summer 2010

Take us through an average (or an exciting!) day:

There really was no typical day for me.  I was working Monday through Friday, 9-5, but that was the only consistent part of my schedule.  I was only there for seven weeks and wanted to maximize my time, so every afternoon was different adventure.

What were some of the best experiences you had?

I don’t even know where to begin!  Spending three nights in the Black and White desert, floating down the Nile in a felucca, visiting the pyramids, having a traditional Egyptian meal with a family in Khan-el-Kalili, going to a Sufi dancing performance- the list truly goes on and on.  But most of all, my favorite memories are of the incredible friends that I made there.  Egyptians are so warm and welcoming and I am so thankful for the patience and hospitality that was continually extended to me during my stay.

What were some challenges?

The language barrier was tough.  I don’t know any Arabic and it is a very difficult language to pick up!  I relied a lot on my Egyptian friends to help me book taxis, pay my landlord, renew my visa, etc.  Even the smallest of tasks becomes nearly impossible when you can’t communicate.

How did you go about finding this position?

I found this internship through AIESEC.

What advice would you give to other students?

Consider working abroad!  It’s a much more immersive cultural experience than vacationing or even studying abroad.  You will learn so much about yourself and what you are capable of when you completely disassociate yourself from your typical life and identity.

As a Quality Engineering Intern, an employee of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, a worker in Boeing’s South Carolina facility, and perhaps most importantly, a Georgia Tech student, I’m writing this little Q/A for the DoPP blog.

Me with a 747 Dreamlifter in the background

Q:  What is it like to be an intern at Boeing?

A:  That depends on what your job is, and where you are. Boeing’s commercial airplane business is relatively new to South Carolina, although it’s been supporting C-17s in the area since 1994. Seven years ago there was nothing on the North Charleston site except trees. Beginning in 2006 the site contained two separate operations: One called Vought Aircraft Industries, and another a joint venture between Vought and Alenia called Global Aeronautica, both subcontractors to Boeing.  In 2008 Boeing bought Vought’s share of the Global Aeronautica joint venture.  In 2009 Boeing bought the Vought Aircraft Industries’ North Charleston operations and that same year announced that the company would build a new 787 Final Assembly & Delivery facility at the site.  Later in 2009, Boeing broke ground on this new facility, making North Charleston, South Carolina only the third location in the world where wide-body commercial airplanes are assembled and delivered. The people who are interning alongside me are the first ‘class’ of interns for Boeing South Carolina.

That being said, some departments weren’t really sure what to do with an intern.  Most of us are pretty much treated like regular employees.  Some people think higher of us than normal employees.  Especially in more established locations, the intern program is really a jumping-off point for going far within Boeing.  From what I understand, interns who do at least marginally well are either retained or rehired as full-time employees when they’re done.  A lot of them end up going into management quicker than they would if they just got hired full-time from the start.  In general, people ask me when I’m coming back to Boeing, not if.

Some interns are given a summer-long project they work on.  Some are given the task of aiding in a specific team or department, and work long hours alongside other engineers.  Mine has mostly been treated as an educational experience.  Quality encompasses everything from production inspections (making sure things are done right) to analysis (looking at reports of what is good and what is bad to see if things can be improved) to corrective actions (looking at things that are done wrong and coming up with short and long-term solutions for them) and so on.  I move around the building, answering to different people, helping out someone different every few days, and always learning about the process.

Q:  What project(s) are you working on?

A: All of them.  Or so it seems.  I’m working on several diverse projects at the same time.

Q:  What is your favorite aspect of the internship so far?

A: Being around airplanes.  Being an Aerospace Engineer, I’m one of those kids who walks around looking at the sky all the time.  Living very near my work place means that I have Airport, Air Force Base, and Boeing Commercial traffic flying over my head all the time.  I’ve seen lots of passenger jets, lots of C-17 (huge cargo planes), a Beechcraft Starship (look it up, it’s crazy), the Dreamlifter (Boeing’s custom 747 cargo plane that carries parts of 787’s around, it looks like a beluga whale with wings)  Just recently, I finally got to see a finished product (the first 787-8)!

Me at the welcoming ceremony for 787-8 ZA001

Q:  What is the most unexpected aspect of the internship?  What do you wish you’d known when you started?

A:  The thing I was probably least prepared for was the emphasis on efficient manufacturing by everybody.  At school, it seems like most classes give you a very theoretical knowledge of planes and kind of assume that someone else will be building our designs, or that we can learn about manufacturing processes later (at least in AE).  Here, everybody talks constantly about LEAN manufacturing techniques, and constant improvement, and the 5 “S”’s.  I suppose I should have realized that being in a factory would be like this, but I wasn’t really thinking about it.

Q:  What is the most challenging aspect of the internship so far?

A:  Acronyms.  They’re different at Boeing than they are at Tech, so I feel like a RAT walking around wondering what things like ECE and CEE and IPST mean.  Except here it’s me wondering if I’m looking for a person, place, or thing when someone asks me to find ERMs or an EPD that used to be a WT and an NCR.

Q:  What is a typical day like?

A:  I go in between 6 and 6:30 AM, which is rough.  On average, I spend half my day filling out documents or analyzing documents or figuring out charts and trends.  I spend an hour or two following somebody around and learning about what they do, which varies.  I spend an hour in a meeting of some sort, where people talk about production or other issues.  I spend an hour a day walking around looking for or at something or someone, or inspecting something, and I usually have a quick breakfast and lunch break somewhere in there.

Q: What’s your work environment like?  What are your coworkers like? Do you work with other co-ops and interns?

A: The worst part about my work environment is the lack of windows in the building.  The 787 is a composite plane, and UV radiation degrades unpainted composites, so there is no UV radiation in my building.  Since I go in before the sun rises usually, it’s sometimes 4 PM before I see the sun.

The people are one of the best parts.  People who worked at other locations say that coworkers can be hit or miss, but here everybody seems to love life.  I mean, come on, we’re making an awesome plane in a beautiful city, why wouldn’t they?  Also, GT is well represented.  A recent alumnus has a desk very near mine, and there are two other interns in my building who attend GT.  My manager even got a graduate degree from Tech.

Q: What advice would you give to underclassman who would like to intern at Boeing in the future?

A: Work hard, take initiative, and pay attention.  This is one of the best ways to learn about the industry and get experience that is really useful.

Recent college grads as well as students seeking internships and co-ops may want to pay special attention to these Fortune 100 companies who have at least 350 openings each, totaling more than 96,000 jobs!

J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. - Current openings: 15,550

Best Buy - Current openings: 13,919

General Electric - Current openings: 8,320

IBM:  Current openings: 8,320

Hewlett-Packard - Current openings: 6,583

Target - Current openings: 6,300

Microsoft - Current openings: 6,000

Dell - Current openings: 4,887

Bank of America Corp. - Current openings: 4,720

Citigroup - Current openings: 3,560

Verizon Communications - Current openings: 3,164

Intel - Current openings: 3,033

TOP GEORGIA COMPANIES:  Many of these companies will be coming to campus to recruit this fall.  Be sure to mark your calendar for our huge Fall Career Fair, which will be Monday, September 12 and Tuesday, September 13 in the CRC.  Also, be sure check out the list of fall Employer Info Sessions, which will be posted by the beginning of September.

My name is Courtney and I am a full time hire.

But you can’t tell that just by looking at me. Even though I have all of the benefits of a full time hire (fat salary, vacation time, sick time, etc.) I still walk, talk, and act the part of the intern.

I didn’t realize this was the case until a not-so-polite co-worker of mine pointed out to me that I was a scrub. I know that sounds kind of harsh (trust me, I didn’t like it when he said it) but I believe he was correct.

Until this past week, I had all of the common signs of intern-itis:

- wore casual, yet work-appropriate clothes

- slouched at my desk

- carried a backpack around (with the company logo)

- wore work boots all day long

*Disclaimer: I work at an industrial job, work boots are standard on the job site and occasionally worn in the office.*

Thankfully, I now know the cure to intern-itis and I’m on the road to recovery. After I received this helpful yet harsh feedback I decided to immediately make a change. I’d implore any of you who are actually interns or co-operative education (co-op) students to focus on your work appearance now. You never get another chance to make a first impression. You don’t want your first encounter with a manager or VP to be with you dressed up like one of the guys in Office Space.

Here’s my LI$T of 7 Ways to Look More Professional on the Job:

1. Wear work-appropriate (low heel, neutral colors) business shoes while in the office. If you have an industrial job, bring a change of shoes with you that you can change into for meetings.

2. Always, always, always iron your shirts! I am embarrassed to admit that I did not always practice this before a few weeks ago.

3. Leave a pair of slacks with you in your office. This is for customer meetings, presentations, or impromptu visits from higher level management. Just in case you forget to dress up one day, you always have a spare.

4. Bring a laptop bag or briefcase with you to work. I loved my company backpack but apparently it didn’t give off the “I’m not in college anymore vibe”…go figure?

5. Be assertive and engaged in every meeting that you attend. Now I take notes in meetings. It makes it seem like I’m engaged in what’s going on (even when I’m really dreaming about beating the next level in Angry Birds when the meeting is over).

6. Make sure your hair is presentable. Ladies: take that extra step to do your hair (however you maintain it) the night before work or early that morning so it looks presentable. Gentlemen: make sure your facial hair and haircut is well maintained. Check in the mirror before you head into a meeting so you know you look your best.

7. Perfect your elevator speech. If you step onto an elevator with a VP and you can’t describe your occupation in the time it takes he or she to reach their destination it makes you look like a novice on the job. You want to come off as a polished, well-spoken, focused newcomer. A concise elevator speech can help you achieve this easily.

—-

I don’t want you all to think I am a scrub. I’m really not. I have always dressed up to meetings in the past and made sure to put my best foot forward when managers were present, but I had become complacent on the job. Hopefully this LI$T will help you if you’ve become complacent too.

Have you learned any quick tips about looking more professional at work? If so, leave a comment.

Check out more posts like this about successfully navigating your way through the work-world on the college advice blog: The LI$T!

~ Courtney Murray

PHOTO CONTEST RULES:  Have a photo taken of you at your work location.  Be as creative and original as possible!  Consider including your project, your lab, your plant, your colleagues or anything else that will visually show what your internship or work abroad experience is all about!   Photos can be from the Fall 2010, Spring 2011, or Summer 2011 work term.  Email submissions to Ed Hamilton at ed.hamilton@dopp.gatech.edu by August 19, 2011.

VIDEO CONTEST RULES:  Create a one to three minute video portraying your Summer 2010 co-op, internship or work abroad experience.  We want to see your work experience filmed in an entertaining and original way.  Be as creative as you want!  Video entries can be scripted masterpieces, spur of the moment video shots, or music videos.  For work abroad entries, be sure the entry is in English or includes English subtitles.

Videos can be submitted online or burned onto a CD by August 19, 2011.  Be sure to submit your name, GTiD, major, employer, and work location with your submission.

1.      Email:  Email your video to ed.hamilton@dopp.gatech.edu.

2.    YouTube:  Post your video on www.youtube.com, and send us the url.

3.    Submit your entry burned on a compact disc or saved on a flash drive to Georgia Tech, Division of Professional Practice, Attn: Ed Hamilton, Savant Building, 1^st Floor, 631 Cherry Street, Atlanta, GA 30332.

Additional Opportunity:  Do you like to write?  Have you ever blogged?  We are looking for students who are working this summer to write a guest blog post for this blog.  Blog posts should be approximately 500 to 1,000 words in length and can be about any aspect of your internship, co-op or work abroad job.  If you’d like more info, please email Ann Blasick at ann.blasick@dopp.gatech.edu. 

Have you used social media to land an internship?  We’d love to here your story!  Please add a comment to this post.