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The Technical
Job & Internship Search
Holly M. Justice
Engineering Career Counselor
Career Services
259 Capen Hall
Agenda
• Preparing for the search
• Timeline
• Job & Internship searching strategies
• UB Career Services resources
Preparing for the Search
• Professional Materials– Resume, Cover letter
• Research your industry and employers
• Increasing your competiveness in the employment market– Get experience!
– Develop your network of contacts!
• Identify the industries/companies you plan to target & pursue
• Technical Interview Skills
Timeline
When do I begin to apply for
opportunities?
Timeline• First year / Freshman
• Second year / Sophomore
• Third year / Junior– Fall – Early Fall attend Tech Fair and begin applying
to company opportunities
– Winter Break – Assess the progress of your Fall search, attend networking events, & prepare to search aggressively in the Spring
– Spring – continue to apply to companies
• Fourth year / Senior – Fall – Job searching, applying to graduate school, or
both
Job & Internship
Search Strategies and Resources
The search is challenging…
For success, equip yourself with search
strategies and resources…
Search Strategies • Find Opportunities • Target Companies
Search Strategy 1
Finding Opportunities
Search Strategy 1: Find Opportunities
• UB Career Services Website / BullsEye system
– Internships posted & On-Campus Interviewing
– Additional Specific Job Search Engines
– Professional Association websites
– Career Fairs
• Career Fairs at other universities
Search Strategy 1: Find Opportunitiescontinued
• Commercial Websites– Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, hound.com– collegerecruiter.com, collegegrad.com,
aftercollege.com, – craigslist.com– Indeed.com, simplyhired.com,
• Specific sites / companies you know– www.employflorida.com
• What about Recruiters/Headhunters/Staffing Agencies?*
Search Strategy 2
Targeting Companies
Search Strategy 2:
Targeting Companies • Identify companies and create a list of
companies to pursue.
– Review their website
• if they currently have openings – Apply!
• If no current opening - Submit your resume to
their database anyway where possible.
• Create a profile on their site. – Stay organized! Lots of passwords etc…
Search Strategy 2:
Targeting Companies continued
Resources for Identify companies:
• Your “professional” network of Faculty, Staff, friends, family, acquaintances…
• UB Career Services – Meet-a-Mentor program
• UB Career Services – “CareerSearch” tool
• For International Candidates – H-1B visa database– www.myvisajobs.com
• Job Choices Magazine (list of companies by occupation)
• Professional Associations
• Fortune 500 list
• Internet – Google, vault.com…
• www.Linkedin.com
Search Strategy 3
Networking
Networking-
the connections you have that will
help you reach your goals.
Networking-
together each of us
attains more.
NETWORKING• Getting noticed by a potential employer
through someone that employer already knows
and trusts.
• Employers use networking to recruit.
• Don’t look for a job, look to meet people who need your help.
• Network by “Industry”
Search Strategy 3: Networking• UB Career Services – Meet-a-Mentor program
(Bullseye)
• Family, friends, friends of friends, etc.
• Professors, guest lecturers
• Professional Associations
• Alumni Association
• www.Linkedin.com
– http://learn.linkedin.com/students/step-1
• Facebook – the dangers & usefulness• You already know someone who knows someone
who may know about a job opportunity…
NETWORKING
How to get started…
Make at least one “call” a day.
Getting started…• Establish rapport or commonality
– Ex. friend of a friend; alumni from same institution;
• Ask to follow up later– Be clear about what you’re asking for
– Collect business cards
– Leave the ball in your court
• Types of follow-up– Meeting in person (most effective)
– Speaking via phone (effective)
– Email exchanges (effective)
What to say
• Prepare a “30-second commercial”, also
called the “elevator pitch”
• Should contain:
– Your name
– Educational background
– Summary of skills, experience, strengths
– Explanation of immediate goals
– A question to keep the conversation going.
NETWORKING TIPS & TECHNIQUES
• Be specific about your goals
• Ask how they got started
• Ask if there are any projects/special events coming up that you can help with.
• Do class projects that can put you in contact with a potential contact/company.
• Combine two seemingly diverse areas of interest in your life
Think long-term
• Does this process seem
like a lot of effort? - It can
be.
• It’s never too early to start
• Don’t give up too soon
• You’ll improve your
networking skills the more
you practice them!
Search Strategies • Find Opportunities • Target Companies
UB Career Services
Services & resources to help you.
Career Services Resources• Individual Career Counseling* • Express Career Consult*
– 12:00pm-4:00pm M-F– 20 minute, Same day appointments
• Workshops & Seminars • Practice Interviews*• On-Campus Recruiting • Career & Job Fairs (www.ub-careers.buffalo.edu)
• Resume & Cover letter critiques• Career Library • Career Services Website
– Including BullsEye and CareerSearch
• Meet-A-Mentor Program
Individual Career Counseling• Resume creation & critique
• Cover letter creation & critique
• Discuss academic major
• Internship & Job search strategies
• Preparing for an interview
• Strategies for Career Fairs
• Post graduation plans– Job Market
– Graduate School
– Volunteer / Service
– Other
Express Career Consult • One on one meeting
• 20 minute same day appointment
• Monday – Friday 12:00-4:00
• Call 716-645-2231 or walk-in to the office (259 CapenHall) to make an appt.
• Great for resume reviews, cover letter reviews, graduate school preparation, salary questions, etc…
Individual Career Counseling-
Practice Interviews
• Make an appointment for a practice
interview
• A Career Counselor will ask you interview
questions while you are being
videotaped.
• Then you and the Career Counselor will
review the tape together to identify
areas of improvement.
Practice Interview New Tool:
*Interview Stream*
• Online tool to practice interviewing
• 3,500 interview questions available, in
specialized categories including Job Fair
Preparation, Engineering, Nursing,
Business, etc..
• Access through UB Career Services
BullsEye system
Career Fairs
Events• Career Fairs
– Tech Fair - Fall semester
– Part-Time Job Fair /On-Campus Job Fair –Fall
– CareerFEST – All Majors Career Fair – Spring
• Career Conversations
– Networking event with Alumni & Students
held in different cities around New York State
– Career Conversations in NYC, Buffalo,
Rochester, & Albany
Where is the
UB Career Services office
located?
(Raise your Hand! )
Quiz question!
ANSWER
259 Capen Hall
(Behind Student Response Center)
Contact Career Services• Contact us:
– 259 Capen Hall 8:30am – 5:00pm M-F
– Call 716-645-2231 to schedule an appointment
– Email us at [email protected]
• Website resources – www.ub-careers.buffalo.edu
• Individualized appointments
• Express Career Consult • 20 minute same day appointment
• Monday – Friday from 12:00pm-4:00pm
• Call or stop by to make an appointment
Thank you for your time.
Good Luck!
Holly M. Justice
Engineering Career Counselor
Career Services
259 Capen Hall
