ECS

Engineering Career Services

ECS Orientation Meeting

John Archambault and Kathy Prem

M1002 ECB608.262.3471,

https://ecs.engr.wisc.edu

ECSEngineering Career Services

• Serve freshmen through PhD’s; current students and alumni

• Main focus is engineering– Also serve computer sciences, physics, pharm sci and MBA OTM

• PostDoc/Exchange Students – limited service

ECSEngineering Career Services

• Main offices located on the mezzanine level of the Engineering Centers Building (ECB) – room M1002 – Eng. Student Development Suite

• On-Campus Interview Suite – room 1002• ECS Locker rooms

– Monday through Friday, 8 AM – 4:30 PM

ECSEngineering Career Services

• Connect students and employers for– Summer internships, co-ops and professional (after graduation) employment

• Advise students and provide resources on all aspects of the job or grad/prof school search– Resumes, interviewing, considering job offers and grad/prof school applications• John Archambault, Director

– Advises CEE, CMPE, EE, GLE, IE and MSE

• Kathy Prem, Associate Director– Advises BME, CBE, EMA, EP, MS&E, ME and NE

ECSEngineering Career Services

• Provide campus recruiting software, myECS, to – Post resume profiles (AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYERS SEPT 13)• Complete by this date for max opportunities

– Search all job listings– View campus visits, such as career fairs, campus interviews and information sessions

– Ease student sign-up for campus interviews– House database of employer who hire by major– Host other job search databases and resources

ECS

Employer Database• Campus Recruiting Employers• Job Posting Employers• Profile Access Employers• Outside Databases

– Hoover’s– Vault– GoinGlobal

ECSEngineering Career Services

• Membership required for access to myECS for campus interviews, advance career fair list, job postings, resume referral, other on-line resources

• You do not need to be a member for career fairs, staff appointments, ECS workshops, office resource library

ECSTo Take Advantage of myECS

• Attend an ECS Orientation Meeting• Provide a printed copy of Member Contract & Resume Profile to ECS– If you brought these documents, give them to a staff member at the end of the meeting

– If you did not, complete an attendance card anyway and give it to a staff member at the end of the meeting

• Pay the one-time fee of $20

ECSCalendar & Events Tips

• Today– Begin process of activating myECS account

• Continually update Profile throughout semester

– Begin your resume• Know difference between resume and myECS profile• Have resume polished by career fair• Resume reviews:

– Drop off by 9/9 pick up on 9/12– Drop off by 9/14 pick up on 9/19– Individual appointments or 48 hour review service after 9/26

ECSWhy do you need a resume?

• To obtain an interview– It’s an advertisement for you• Be honest and factual• Shows you in your best light

• Emphasizes strengths, qualifications, interests

– Post on myECS, submit directly to employers

• To hand out at career fairs– It’s your introduction

• Professional presentation – easily scanned

• Format and content are equally important

– Bring multiple copies to the fair• 1 or 2 versions?

ECSWhy do you need a resume?

• To prepare for and guide the interview– It’s an outline for your discussion• Tailored to each position – projects, experience

• Be prepared to talk about anything on your resume for 5 minutes

– Give a copy to everyone you interview with

• To follow-up after an interview– It’s a reminder

• Refreshes your recruiter on your interview discussion

– Send with your thank you for every interview

ECSWhat should you include?

• Name & contact Information• Objective• Education• Experience• Projects• Skills / Awards / Interests / Activities / Publications

• Anything else you think is important…– High school information ok to use as a freshman or sophomore

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Contact examples

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Objective• Write 2 – 3 phrases outlining the type of position you are seeking and your special interest areas– Co-op, intern or professional– Engineering major– Interests in particular industries or functional areas•Do not:

•Use words like “challenging”•Focus on what the employer can do for you

•Do:•Be straightforward•Customize to the opportunity•Indicate your interest areas

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Objective examples

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Education

BS Mechanical Engineering, expected Dec 2012University of Wisconsin - Madison

– Major GPA 3.5/4.0 Cumulative GPA 3.1/4.0

– Other Possibilities • Coursework – limited list only!• Academic projects – can also be a separate section• Areas of emphasis• Honors, scholarships

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Education example

University of Wisconsin-MadisonB.S. Engineering Mechanics, expected May 2012

– Engineering GPA 3.2/4.0, Cumulative GPA 2.8/4.0

– Academic Design Projects• Mars Wind Machine: Completed stress and displacement analysis of

Giromill airfoils. Determined most effective internal airfoil construction and material.

• High Voltage Power Line Hybrid Crossarm: Developed an efficient design process. Completed stress/strain analysis for worst case scenario; appropriate materials selection/dimension analysis.

– Selected Course Work• Advanced Strength of Materials, Finite Elements, Material

Fatigue, Aerodynamics

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Experience

• Highlight any engineering or relevant experience– Potential section titles (might change for each position):• Experience

Or… – Engineering Experience– Other Experience

Or… – Industrial Experience– Academic Experience

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Experience

• Format the same as the education• Use action verbs and phrases

– See pages 18-19 of ECS Job Search Guide

• Quantify descriptions whenever possible, using #, $ and %– Managed the operation of a municipal pool service over 1000

customers each day. Supervised a staff of 7 lifeguards. Required strong organizational skills. Saved $3000 for college expenses.

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Experience example

Developed low-stress, clear and textured optical quality polycarbonate film products used in display and data storage applications on state-of-the-art extrusion lines using Six Sigma tools.

• Team leader in commercialization of product with projected revenue of $4.8 million in 2002.

• Key team member in commercialization of product with projected revenue of $8 million in 2002.

• Trained all incoming staff (14) over course of semester.

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No experience?

• Everyone has experience!– Academic projects

• Also appropriate in education or own section

– Volunteer experience• Also appropriate in additional information

– Any work experience

ECSNot just engr. co-op/internship• All jobs are important

– Indicate strong work ethic– Shows skills like leadership, communication, time management, working with others, meeting deadlines, etc.

– May also balance a GPA below 3.0• Worked 20 hours/week while full-time student• Paid 80% of college expenses through part-time work

Silverspring Golf Course, Middlebury, ILCaddie, Summers 2005-2007

– Developed strong interpersonal skills in working with variety of customers and management.– Enhanced already strong work ethic by working 12 hours/day for 3 months each summer.

Saved $3,300 over 4 summers.– Promoted to caddy master in 2007.– Trained and supervised eight new hires.

ECSWhat skills do you have?• Computer skills

– Be inclusive: languages, platforms, programs

• Language skills• Convey the level of proficiency– Proficient– Fluent– Familiar with

ECSWhat else should you include?• Activities

– Engineering or community organizations

• Volunteer experience• Awards, scholarships, honors

• What else are you interested in/spend time on?– UW Marching Band, intramural sports teams, restoring old cars, and Eagle Scout

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Is the format important?

• Resumes are looked at VERY quickly– ½ content, ½ appearance– In general, one page for BS students, often 2 pages for MS students

– White space is necessary between sections– Quality printing on white or light paper so it’s easy to read

– Use bullets, bolding, etc.• But not too much…

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Is your resume ready?

• Proofread• Have a friend/roommate proofread• ECS

– Drop-off review– Appointment after Career Connection

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Career fair resume

• For the Career Connection only, include at the bottom of each resume:– Student ID– Work Authorization

• (See your profile for wording)

– Candidate Type• (co-op/intern/professional)

•Intern Will now or in the near future require sponsorship 902225558

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Final Product

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ECSInterviewing Preparation

• Prepare to Interview– Practice with friends/family

• Handbook review– 75 questions– Questions to ask

• Interview workshops/Mock Interviews– See ECS Calendar

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Interviews & myECS• Campus Interviews associated with career fair

• No electronic sign-up, not in myECS• Talk to employers at fair• Interviews on 9/22 & 9/23

• Campus Interviews AFTER career fair• myECS sign-up for interviews• You MUST sign-up for each interview you have• Interviews start 10/4 – sign up starts 9/27 (7 am)

– Posted on myECS in two places:• Datebook AND Job Postings

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Sign-up Possibilities• You can sign-up for a campus interview if you are either– Qualified to sign the interview schedule– Granted priority (invited) to sign the interview schedule

– Interview sign-up opportunities are different each day

– Sign-ups begin each weekday at 7 a.m.

ECS1st Day of Interview Sign-up

• Reserved for priority students– You will have only 1 day (24 hours) to sign-up– If you miss 24 hour sign-up window, no guarantee

• Employers grant students Priority– Priority supersedes qualification match

ECS2nd Day of Interview Sign-up

• Qualified Sign-up– Based on Employer’s Job Description Qualifiers• Major, degree level, work authorization and type of job sought (intern, co-op or professional)

• Compete against all other qualified students for remaining interview slots

• Alternate Priority Selections– Employer chooses at same time they make their priority selections

• Compete against other alternate candidates for remaining interview slots– Signing-up after other Priority students sign-up

ECSRequest Priority Sign-up

• How do I improve my odds of being granted priority by an employer?– Develop an excellent profile, with deliberate key words

– Request priority for the employer on myECS• You are allowed 50 requests each semester

– Talk to employers at the career fair– Contact employers directly – network!!