The Waiting Game

I still haven't heard back from the company I had a follow up interview with. I keep running through the phone interview in my head, and while I felt it went well I'm still questioning it. I think this waiting is the worst part. They told me that I would know one way or the other before the holidays, so I should be hearing back soon. I was really lucky with my other interview because I received the job offer the same day, which was great seeing as I am horribly impatient.

My plan for break is use CareerSearch to find 10 internship positions that are a little closer to home, and would save on the travel and housing costs. I'll keep you up to date on how that goes. I figure 10 seems like a completely achievable goal and I would REALLY REALLY like to stay closer to home. I know it sounds pigheaded but I don't want to have to move twice in one summer, that's too much additional stress without even taking school or work into account. I just need to decide what I want to do. The thing that scares me most would be turning down a sure thing and not being able to find another position. I still have time though to figure things out I just need to actually make a decision about it all.

Other than that it's officially break for me!!! At this point I can't wait to get home, see my dog and break out the Christmas decorations!



Hope you all don't get too stressed with finals and have an awesome break!
Happy Holidays!!!!

Oh Frustration

So yesterday I had a conversation with one of my very good friends... Let's call him Bob (his name's not really Bob FYI).

Bob is looking for a summer internship but refuses to use any of the CDC's resources. He looked in JobFinder once and there weren't any jobs that fit his very specific criteria, so he's done with utilizing WPI's help.

Rather than get extraordinarily frustrated with Bob, I can't help but think others might be in the same boat so I figured I would try to explain the different CDC services offered to WPI students. I know I just mentioned CareerSearch a few weeks ago, but it's THAT important that I should be mentioning it again!

JobFinder is a GREAT starting point in your job search. Sometimes there will be something great on there, other times positions listed might not interest you. That is completely fine! I know way to many people who resign themselves to the mentality of "I can't find a job." DON"T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU!!! JobFinder is the WPI system of connecting employers with students directly. Certain companies prefer to use our system while others would like you to use theirs. This is where CareerSearch comes into play. Yes it takes a little more effort on your part to find companies and apply to them, but it's really no harder than applying to colleges. A simple search generates TONS of companies. It might take some work to figure out exactly WHAT you want to search for, but once you do there should be about 20-30 viable company leads. CareerSearch gives you everything from a company summary, to their website, to contact information.

Check on these company's websites to see if they have a career page (as most do) and look at positions that way. There are going to be more than you are expecting there to be!



Sorry about the rant for today. It may sound really cheezy but I just really want my friends to find jobs that they're happy with... so I keep bothering them til they do what they need to. :-D

If you're unsure about how to use ANY of the services the CDC offers, or if you're having trouble with any of them (note: if CareerSearch returns nothing you're most likely having trouble with the system), please please PLEASE stop by the CDC and ask for help!

How to find a job over winter break!

While I've been having a little luck with my internship search, I know many of you are having a hard time finding internships and full time positions in this economy. I'm not going to lie - it's tough, but definitely not impossible. This hiccup just means that you need to put in a little more effort into your search. Don't rely on getting emails telling you to apply for jobs, go out and search for them yourself!

So I know all of you reading this are probably dealing with finals right about now, so I'm going to give you a few things you should start doing now to prepare yourself to go into full job search mode while you're on break.

First - GET YOUR RESUME CRITIQUED!! Even if you've had it checked in the past, I'm sure SOMETHING has changed. Get it up to date and have it critiqued before break.

Second - Learn how to write a cover letter! If the bulk of your searching isn't going to happen til break you really can't do this ahead of time as they should be tailored for each position. Talk to a CDC counselor and/or check out some of the handouts and samples available in the CDC.

Third - Try to go on a mock interview. I know that this is one of the more time consuming suggestions I have but it's really worth it to be prepared. The skills you gain during your mock interview will undoubtedly help you in all of your interviews.


Note: I've just suggested 3 things. There's a ton else you can be working on too, but stick with these if you aren't sure where to start. I know it's finals week, and that you are all probably stressed and don't want to think about finding a job, but it's much easier to do while you're on campus!! Put in a little effort now and you'll be prepared come the Spring fairs!

Good luck and PLEASE start working on this stuff NOW!

Follow up!!

Alright... so I just got out of my phone interview and all things considered I think it went really well.... except for the fact that I'm pretty sure I giggled somewhat incessantly throughout the interview. Well not giggled per say, but I was focusing on trying to smile throughout the interview as all the tips suggested and I think it came across kind of strange. We'll see how it goes though, I should be hearing about it shortly.

So now here goes my new found perspective on phone interviews. While they are extremely different from face-to-face interviews, you need to treat it as if they're the same. I think this is where I fell short. Things were very relaxed and it was extremely difficult for me to remain professional throughout it felt like a conversation and not really an interview. Here are my modified tips!!

- PRINT OUT YOUR RESUME
- PRINT OUT THE JOB POSTING
- USE A CDC INTERVIEW ROOM!!! This eliminates distractions and places you in a professional environment which definitely helped me a lot.
- Take notes on important points.
- Try to smile... but keep the giggling under control.
- Speak in complete sentences (this might seem like a DUH point but it's still useful!)
- I printed out correspondences I had with my interviewers via email (for their names, positions and well just because I could)
- I also printed out the quick glance facts sheet available on their company website
- I had a copy of my unofficial transcript lying around as well as the tips on phone interviewing sheet.


Anyway, I should be hearing within the next few weeks (they're deciding before the holidays) and I'll let you know how it goes. I'm going to work on my thank you notes very shortly, and I am keeping my fingers crossed!!


Also if you are going to be away C-Term, be prepared to have a phone interview!! Don't let being out of the country impact your job search. Companies understand that you are abroad and most are willing to set up alternate options for interviews.


I hope you all are having luck in your job search! This sounds super cliche but if you spend 10 minutes a day on your job search you will greatly increase your chances of finding a job you really love. Get to it!

Yay for new developments!

So for the last two weeks I have had THE flu. Of course getting sick at WPI makes getting back on track nearly impossible, but that's what I'm working like crazy on right about now.

While I was stuck in bed, I got an email from a company I had previously interviewed with asking for a follow up interview!!! As excited as I was there was also the small fact that I was on a lot of medication, and decided it would be in my best interest to wait a few days to email back. Needless to say I got a phone call while I was home requesting a phone interview!!!

So now as I am getting back on track, I am also trying to prepare for a phone interview. Professional phone calls kind of intimidate me for some reason, so I'm going to do my best to prepare ahead of time. In my previous internship I handled many of the professional calls, pitching things to other companies and setting up meetings, so that is going to help a little bit. I am also heavily drawing from my mock interview experience. If you haven't had one of these, I cannot suggest them enough.

It may sound simple enough but trust me:
PRACTICING FOR YOUR INTERVIEW WILL HELP YOU GET THE JOB!!!

Not only that but it will help you feel more prepared and have the confidence you need to ace the interview. I found a couple of great articles that I'll post below with great tips like smile during the interview even though you aren't face to face, stand up during the interview or sit up tall as it makes you feel more confident. Also make sure you have a copy of your resume and the job description in front of you!!! If you're going away for a term or just want to be prepared you should definitely read through them as they're helping me figure out what to do!

One of the CDC staff members sent me this article which is a great short and sweet reference guide (although I'd still highly suggest reading through the rest of the articles too).

ALSO know that you can use one of the CDC's interview rooms to stay in when you're on the phone. I'm planning on doing this so that I'm not just in my apartment lounging around when they call!

How to Prepare for a Telephone Interview

Phone Interview Tips

What to Expect & How to Prepare for a Telephone Interview

Things I wish I knew earlier!

So if you've been reading this blog you know that I've been considering a job offer for a while now. I don't think it's a great fit for me, so I'm working on exploring other options. One thing I wish I knew how to use earlier was how to utilize Career Search. Career Search is a database that WPI subscribes to that you can access through your Job Finder account (there's a link to it under the quick links section). One of the main reasons why I feel like this intership would be a bad choice for me is the location, as I would prefer to be close to either my home or school. Career Search to the rescue!! You can use it to search through over 4 million companies in specific geographical locations that are in certain fields.


You may be asking why on earth do I want a list of a few hundred companies to research????

The answer is simple - over 80% of jobs out there aren't posted on online sites such as Monster. THAT'S A LOT OF JOBS!!!! Where could you possibly find these postings? Through the companies' websites! Most companies want YOU to find THEM.

So you, yes you, stop complaining that you can't find a job... I've heard enough of it!!! With a little effort you can quadruple the number of positions you are elgible for, it's all up to you though! If you are serious about finding a job be it an internship, co-op or full time position, put forth the effort, who knows maybe you'll find something that has everything you are looking for!

The database is fairly simple to use, but I'd recommend watching the Podcast on Career Search (available through your Job Finder account) if you have any problems with it.





What are you waiting for GO!!!!!

How to make your job hunt easier!!!

My spam filter is usually pretty good about detecting bogus emails... usually. But lately I've been getting a few spam emails about various "job" opportunities that all sound a little too good to be true, and I've been hearing questions from friends thinking that some of the CDC's about job postings through Job Finder are spam (which is not the case!) so I figured I'd clear the air so to speak.


First off... if the email is titled something along the lines of "On-campus Recruiting Resume Submittal" and is signed by a Career Development Center staff person... it is NOT spam! In fact these are usually awesome opportunities for you to interview with a company on campus for positions ranging from internships to co-ops to full time positions. If you receive one of these emails, you should log into your Job Finder account ASAP and check out the job by clicking on the "On-Campus Interviews I Qualify For" on the "Shortcuts" tab on the home page. On-Campus Recruiting (or OCR) positions are the only ones where you may receive an email if you qualify for them.

However, if you'd like Job Finder to email you when new positions are posted that fit your criteria, it's easy to do, you just need to set up a "Search Agent." Follow these steps to set up your own:
1) Log into Job Finder (link can be found here or through the CDC's website).
2) Click on the "Jobs" tab at the top of the screen.
3) Click on the "Advanced Search" tab.
4) Choose the "save as" check box and type in a useful name to save the search as (mine is ME Internships 2009).
5) Go through and choose what parameters you want to search for. Ex. I searched for Internships in Mechanical Engineering located in either New Hampshire or Massachusetts (you can choose more than one option by CTRL-Clicking on the choices).
6) Hit "Submit."
7) Go to the "Search Agents" tab and then choose the "Schedule" button.
8) Check "Yes" to enable scheduling of the search agent.
9) Choose how often you'd like results emailed to you and if you just want new postings or if you want all (I'm going with once a week and all postings).
10) Hit Submit!

There you go 10 easy steps to make job hunting THAT much easier.

Even with the search agent, it's a great idea to check your Job Finder account periodically in case positions slip through the filters! Good luck to you all!!!

Good-bye Break :-(

I feel like it's been forever since I last posted, but honestly nothing is new. Break was good, too short and uninteresting but that seems to be the norm amongst everyone I know... I think coming back to the gloomy weather doesn't help get the term off to a great start :-(. My internship search hasn't been going too fantastically lately, but it's also taken a backseat to my classes and such at this point. I still have the one where I could be placed anywhere in the US and while it is a tempting offer, the more I think about it the less I feel like I am going to accept it. Where I am looking for a job the summer between my Junior and Senior years, I am kind of hoping to find something that could turn into a permanent position after graduation, and I know I don't want to be that far away. I'll leave those jobs for the more adventurous :-). Anyways that's about it for today, I'll keep you all posted on how things go from here on out.

Hope you've all had a great break and have an awesome B-Term!!!!

Yet another interview...

Good news and bad news. I shall start with the bad news first, I didn't get selected for an interview for an internship that I was pretty excited to learn more about.... Good news is that I have another interview later today!! Random side note for all of you though: do a better job making note of when you have interviews than I did. I almost completely forgot about this one due to the stress of finals and final projects. Needless to say the no-iron shirt is quite possibly my new favorite invention. It's a MUST for any job-seeking college student. Even if you have an iron, it saves you so much time!! Sorry for gushing about it but the fact that I could just throw on a shirt and go litterally made my day today and it takes a ton of stress out of the interview process :-).

Ok enough of my random comments (can you tell it's getting close to the end of term?) and back to my current dilemma, how to reasearch a company. There are a bunch of ways one can go about doing this, but I am going to make a huge assumption and say that you all probably are like me and wait to the last minute to do such things.

I am starting off with Company X's website. They've got a ton of info there concerning past projects that they've worked on, so I'm choosing a few that I find really interesting to read more about. I've also re-read the job description a ton of times so far in order to make sure I know what the interviewer is looking for in terms of the position and can better prepare myself to answer their questions.

Anyways it's almost time for me to head into the interview, I'll let you all know how it goes, but for now here's to hoping for the best!!

Well that was quick!!! Interviews/Thank-Yous/ACCEPTANCES??!?!?!??!

About 30 minutes ago I was planning on writing about how I felt like my interview went really well, and how much I felt like my mock interview helped me....

But now I can say that apparently I didn't just think that it helped but it DID, because I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm still kind of in aw, as I just had the interview a few hours ago and while I felt like it went well, there is NO way I was expecting an answer this quickly AT ALL. I really can't believe it and have read over the offer sheet I received a few times now already. Even though I've had an AMAZING internship in the past, the interesting thing is that it barely came up in the interview! We focused talking about my involvement in particular clubs, my definition of an engineer, and what type of work I saw myself doing long term. He seemed to be impressed that I am an engineering student that also does Drama and Theatre, and that along with my high school involvement with robotics seemed to seal the deal!! So for all of you out there who don't have a lot of related experience DON'T LET THAT HOLD YOU BACK, different employers look for different qualities in candidates, and you might just be perfect for something you didn't think you qualified for. You have no idea of what you've done that may or may not set you apart from all the other candidates, so let the interviewer be the judge!

Even so, I am attempting to keep a level head about the situation, as I have a few interviews scheduled for next week, and I am not planning on canceling them. I can't stress enough what a great opportunity this internship is and how grateful I am for it, but the location is to be determined, and to be honest I am not entirely sure how I feel about that. I need some time to think about it and figure out exactly what I want. I figure it's my last "summer" to spend with my family (which I am extremely close with) and I feel super dumb for using that as a reason why I would turn down an opportunity to travel,gain new experiences and work for a truly amazing company, but it's the truth. When everyone else says it, it seems like such a simple solution - go away, take the experience and the networking opportunities and make the absolute most of it. In actuality though it's going to take a little bit more than that before I can make my decision.

It's still sinking in, and I'll update you all as I figure things out for myself! I'm pretty freaking excited about it though!!!!!!!!!!!



But now, I've got to write my interviewer a thank-you note... I am always terrible at these. It's been a problem for as long as I can remember. Even when I was a kid and had those "fill in the blank" thank you cards - I struggled... badly. I'm currently working on this, but will update you all with all the great resources the CDC has to offer on thank-you notes pretty soon!


GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU AND KEEP APPLYING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post Mock Interview

So in the craziness that was last week, I had my mock interview.... and the following review of it...

First off, being video taped wasn't awkward, watching the video directly after it definately was though!!! I think the worst part about it was actually seeing how bad certain parts that I knew weren't great were. That being said, the whole experience was extremely helpful. To be honest I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to prepare for the interview, and I wasn't expecting that fact to show as much as it did. I am really glad I took the oppertunity to be interviewed though because as it turns out, I have two interviews tomorrow TWO!! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I have so much I need to do to prepare, but I think the biggest tip I can give anyone who has an interview coming up, is to review the packet on Interview Skills available in the CDC or on your Job Finder account and come up with various examples from different projects and experiences to answer the common questions listed. Also come up with a few questions YOU want to ask the employer too. These questions should never be "So what is this internship again?" or any variation of that question!!! Ask questions about how you will be interacting with collegues, other interns and mentors, what a day in the life of a person in that position is like: basically get creative but never suggest that you have not done research about the company!!!!!

Personally, I am still pretty nervous for tomorrow. Both interviews are for the same company, but for different positions. It's basically my top choice company at the moment, but I'm definately keeping all of my options open. Tonight in an effort to prep for the interview, I'm going to create lists of examples, iron my clothes, and GET SOME SLEEP so I don't say something stupid... which may or may not have happened during my mock interview.... whoops. Lesson learned: a good night's sleep makes the filter between my brain and my mouth work a bazillion times better.
On that note... I hope to post back later in the week, and let you all know how it went!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed, best of luck to all of you as well!!!!

Is it Friday yet???

I am having one of those weeks... You know the weeks where you have too much stuff to do and need another 10 hours in the day (15 if you want to get some sleep)? I know I wrote about how I needed to write my cover letter and I hate to say not much has changed in that department, it's just, as one of my friends puts it "You need to pass your classes before you can get a job." The thing that stinks about it though is that the job I need the cover letter for is practically my dream internship... I think. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for, so I'm keeping my options open but this one is focused around alternative energy, which is a field I would really like to learn more about. The only problem with this internship (other than the whole cover letter fiasco) is that it would be fairly far away. Normally I wouldn't have a problem with this, but money is tight lately and if I have the option, I'd rather stay close to my home or school so that I can save a little extra money. Like I said I am keeping every one of my options open, and I guess we'll see how it goes!!


Now onto happier news: I HAVE AN INTERVIEW!!!! I am super excited, but also wicked nervous because I haven't interviewed for anything in the past 3 years, and I think in total I've only had about three interviews. Needless to say, I have a mock interview scheduled for tomorrow. It's pretty interesting, because in addition to gaining an understanding as to what types of questions an employer might ask, the interview will also be video taped. I am still not too sure how I feel about this, as I feel like highlighting all of my nervous traits will just make me more nervous/self conscious about interviewing. A few of my friends have had mock interviews in the past and found watching the video to be extremely helpful, so I'm trusting them and going into it with an open mind... as nervous as I might be! The cool thing is that my mock interviewer is interviewing me for a job that I actually applied for, which will be helpful. I picked up an "Interview Process" handout from the CDC which has sample questions and helpful tips in it. I'd highly recommend looking through this packet if you have an interview coming up soon!


By the way, Mock Interviews at the CDC require 2 appointments (one initial appointment and then the actual interview), and if you haven't had one yet and would like one before an actual interview, make your appointment AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Companies don't always give you a lot of notice prior to scheduling interviews, and it never hurts to be prepared!!!


I'll keep you all posted on how things go for me, but until then good luck in your job hunting!!!

Post Fair Craziness: Now What?

So the Career Fair's officially over, but unofficially the work's just beginning! On campus interviews are popping up like crazy, due dates for jobs are fast approaching, and it seems that with every application I attempt to submit, there is some other document or piece of information I need to somehow obtain. Be careful about the deadlines listed in Job Finder!! I mistakenly put off applying to a job til the due date, just to discover that I needed to go through that company's online job application process as well. Most of the time this is a fairly quick process that would take less than an hour, except for one tiny detail: they are requiring a cover letter. Being the procrastinator I tend to be, I hadn't even thought about submitting one and now have a very short period of time to write one... Fun times...

Many of you might be asking, "What is a Cover Letter? What info should I include in it? Where are there samples??"

First things first, a cover letter is your preface or introduction to your resume. It states things that don't really fit in on your resume, like why Company X is your dream company, or what qualities you have that make you an excellent candidate, or maybe why you are pursuing a job in X field. Your cover letter inadvertently says alot about you as well. It can tell an employer how detail oriented you are (does your cover letter have a ton of typos), how your communication skills are (this is especially important coming from a technical school!!), and how organized you are (is there a flow to the letter, and clear organization of thoughts?). Quite possibly the biggest problem with Cover Letters is that unlike Resumes, you need a specific cover letter for each position you apply to (YIKES!). I am currently working on preparing 3 for internships that I'm interested in. ALSO, if you happen to see a text box below the resume submission part of Job Finder that says "Enter any extra notes you want the employer to see" THIS MEANS YOU NEED TO COPY AND PASTE YOUR COVER LETTER INTO THAT BOX!!!


On to how to write your cover letter.... The CDC has an extremely helpful handout available either in the office or online through your Job Finder account. Just go to "Documents" then "Podcasts and Handouts" and you can either view the podcast on cover letters, or view the traditional handout.

Also mark your calendars for...
THE HOW TO WRITE A COVER LETTER WORKSHOP!!!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
5 pm
SL 105


And now if you still don't know where to start, or just need to see more samples, you can go here to find a bunch of sample cover letters for both full time and internship positions!


When you've finished your cover letter, try to get it critiqued at the CDC. You cannot just drop off cover letters; you need to meet face to face with a counselor either during walk-in appointments or you can set up an appointment at another time.



I hope you are all applying like crazy right about now!!! Best of luck to all of you over the next few weeks, and I'll keep you posted when I start hearing about interviews!

I've got my resume but Unofficial Transcript????? And there's only 1 day left!

So there is one day left until the Career Fair, and I feel like I have been throwing this fact at you for a while now, so I'm going to move on to the APPLICATION phase (which for many companies happens before the Career Fair!!!).

I am ashamed to say for the first time in 3 years here at WPI I applied for a job using Job Finder. Insert gasps of horror and amazement here. I may use the system daily, but I found my previous internship through a family friend, and went about things that way. As many deadlines are fast approaching and several companies require you to apply in additional places (like through their website in addition to Job Finder).

I checked to see how my resume would look to potential employers to discover that the formatting was somehow changed in the process of uploading a word document onto Job Finder! Sometimes without warning it will change your margins or font on you during the upload process. Today I went back through and fixed this problem by going on a campus computer (my laptop doesn't have the capability), opening up my resume, and going to "Save As" and choosing "PDF or XPS Document." Presto problem solved!! I'd highly recommend this if you are uploading your own resume, especially if you are an upperclassman who has maybe possibly changed the margins to fit everything you've done on there (like me! :-) ). It's one of those things that only take a minute to do but will make you look more professional!

I also found a job posting that looked really interesting, and when I went to submit my resume I hit a major snag: they wanted to see my Unofficial Transcript.... what?? If you're like me and are thinking "How on earth do I do that??" So I tried and struggled to find the best way to do this. If you copy and paste it into Word, there are a ton of formatting issues, and it's the same with Excel... But finally I figured it out and am sharing it with all of you! Follow these fairly simple instructions!

1) Go on a campus computer (unless you have pdf/Snagit capabilities on your personal computer... which I don't).
2) Login to your Bannerweb Account, and go to "Student Services and Financial Aid" then to "Student Records" then to "Unofficial Transcript" and finally hit "Submit."
3) Open up "Snagit." If you aren't familiar with the program, now is a great opportunity to learn (if you are then you probably don't need the rest of these steps)!!
4) Choose the "Scrolling Window (web page)" under "Basic Capture Profiles."
5) Bring up the window with your Unofficial Transcript (make sure your scroll bar is at the top!), and then bring up the Snagit window.
6) Click on the giant red "Capture" button on Snagit, and then click on the middle of the window containing your Unofficial Transcript.
7) Let Snagit do its thing!!! Your Unofficial Transcript will scroll to the bottom.
8) At this point the Snagit Editor should be open.
9) Go to the "Image" tab in Snagit, and highlight your transcript from the top where it says "Transcript Data" to the bottom where it says "Unofficial Transcript" under the last semester listed.
10) Hit the crop button (top left of the toolbar).
11) Save as a pdf file! (Don't forget to save on your toaster drive... not the computer!)
12) Upload the document into your Job Finder Account as an Unofficial Transcript.

13) APPLY FOR JOBS!!!!!






Anyways... I hope this helps all of you to apply for jobs this term!

Best of luck at the Career Fair to you all!! If you dress for success, bring your resume, and are confident nothing can stop you! :-D

Resumazing!!!!

I decided to be nostalgic today and look back at my resume circa September 2008. What a difference a year makes!! My resume was practically all white space before my first critique... and now I barely have enough room to fit everything that I need to! I need to stress one fact very much: critiques help you increase the content on your resume. I haven't done too much other than my IQP since I started it, but after talking to each critiquer about different things I've done, I discovered that certain tasks do merit space on my resume. They've also help me reword some of my statements so I went from having "Researched various mold making companies and assisted a client in choosing the best company for them." as one of my statements to "Researched various vendors for ease of manufacturability assessing cost, strength, weaknesses, and ability to integrate into low volume production." You tell me which sound better???

Anywho... what I'm trying to get down to is that you should always view your resume as a work in progress. I have friends who have internships continuing from last summer who are convinced that they have no use for a resume... yeah right!!! As you work on projects or programs, periodically updating your resume will ensure that you remember all the great things you've done. You can also ask your boss questions about it too (maybe what certain common acronyms stand for or the proper terminology for something you're working on). Personally, I signed a non-discloser agreement about all of the projects I worked on, so I'd ask my boss for what I could state in my resume (ie calling projects "consumer products" or "injection molding product").


Now onto Resumazing!! It was so crowded, I waited for about 2 hours (and got a flu shot in the process haha). I was a little disappointed as I walked away with a resume completely free of mark-ups, but I guess this is a testament to how amazing the counselors at the CDC are.

My goal is to be completely ready for the Career Fair by Monday... I'll keep you posted though :-)


PS - CHECK OUT YOUR JOBFINDER ACCOUNT!!! Some companies are already accepting resume submissions online before the Career Fair! Don't miss out on great opportunities because you didn't check it out!!!

ONE WEEK?!?!?!?!??!

I have a slight confession to make.... I have nothing to wear to the Career Fair. I have dress pants and a couple of nice t-shirts but nothing that is both modest and professional. This leaves me with a week to figure things out. I'm going home this weekend to hopefully pick some clothes up, but as I know there are probably a bunch of you out there who don't have the option to go home for and pick things up and who don't have a ton of money to spare. Seniors, you all have no excuse not to have at least one outfit to wear to the Career Fair. YOU WILL NEED THESE CLOTHES IN JUST A FEW MONTHS ANYWAYS!! Start looking for classic pieces that fit well (I can't stress that enough). Buy a little large and find a good tailor and get them properly fitted. You can buy slightly cheaper items this way (think Old Navy vs. Banana Republic) but they'll make you look 100% nicer.


OK so I've made suggestions for the seniors, now what about the rest of you? Don't have any dress clothes or any form of transportation? Option 1 - borrow something from a friend. I know it's a limited option but it really should be your first. Option 2 - Take the Woo Bus!!!! It goes to the Target Plaza on Fridays and Blackstone Valley on Saturday. The bus is free, and you can probably grab dinner with your friends or something while there. If you're on a tight budget, check out Target. Few items are more than $20. You can also work with pieces that you already have. For men, if you own a polo shirt, a pair of black, grey or khaki dress pants can go a long way. For girls, a nice sweater or dress shirt will give a professional look. If you can afford it (or already own it) a nice button down shirt will always impress.

Other Side Notes:
- IRON your clothes. If you don't have one the wrinkle releaser spray works amazingly... Hanging up your clothes and steam them while your in the shower works too.
- Don't wear heavy perfume/cologne.
- Don't wear hats.
- GIRLS COVER UP!!! (this includes a hidden safety pin if your buttons might reveal something)
- Don't let not having something to wear hold you back from attending the career fair.
- Girls, don't wear heels if you can't walk in them!



Anyways that's my rant.... have fun above all!!!

For more info on Dressing for Success go here.

Get Started Already!!!

It seems like everyone I know is finally getting started on preparing for the Career Fair. If you haven't, what are you waiting for??? The weather's gross for this weekend, so you know you'll have extra time to work on it. If you haven't gotten started this is a great place to start. It outlines all of the content you should include in your resume. If you're staring at a Microsoft Office resume template (yes you know who you are), head here to check out different examples. You can also login to your Job Finder account and check out the resume packet there.

So you've got it started and you have a week to get it critiqued. That may seem like a long time, but let me tell you that it's NOT. Get started as early as possible, and DON'T forget that Resumazing is your last chance to get your resume critiqued before the career fair. Sophomores, keep that date in mind, as you need your resume critiqued to apply to do your IQP abroad. There will be a week after the Career Fair before your applications are due, so you're better off getting it fixed now and you can kill two birds with one stone.

No matter what step in the process you are, you've got a week and a half to get ready, USE IT WELL!!!

The Career Fair is only 2 weeks away!?!?!?!

So, lately my blogs have consisted of my epic journey to discover the perfect resume before the career fair... ok well maybe not perfect but as close as I can get to it. Today I had some down time and updated my resume with all of the suggestions I got from the last time I got it critiqued and added in my IQP. As I hope all of you know, Walk-In appointments are offered every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1-3 pm. Today, I checked the time and it was 2:15, and I thought "OK perfect I can fit in a critique before 3, AWESOME." Needless to say, by 2:15 all of the slots for critiques had already been booked. This happens every year once the Career Fair comes around, I just didn't realize that it was that time of year already!!

In case this has happened to you as well, I have a few suggestions.
1) DON'T GIVE UP. There are still plenty of ways to get your resume critiqued! Sitting around and complaining that you couldn't get an appointment will get you nowhere!
2) Resumazing may just be your lifesaver, as it's on September 17th from 1 to 7 pm.
3) Walk-Ins continue until the 16th, and if you get there early (and sooner rather than later) you shouldn't have a problem getting a spot.
4) There are a few appointments available if you can't make it to Walk-Ins (I can't stress enough that you need to act NOW to get these spots because they are going fast).
5) You still have the option to either email or drop off your resume at the CDC (cdc@wpi.edu) and pick it up 4 business days later. (If you decide to drop your resume off I would suggest getting it in by the 14th at the latest to make sure that you get it back in time for the fair)


And, if you still haven't started your resume yet (yes I am talking to YOU) the CDC has an extremely useful Resume Writing handout available either in the turnstile in the office or through your Job Finder account online (found in the Podcasts and Handouts section of the Documents tab). This handout includes samples of resumes that cover your entire WPI career from freshmen to seniors.



Lastly, BEST OF LUCK and go work on your resume... NOW! :-)

A resume critique AND a free t-shirt?? COUNT ME IN

Any of you who know me know that I love the fact that you can almost always get free t-shirts from WPI. But now, the first 250 people who get their resume critiqued in the month of September get a super spiffy t-shirt for FREE. I know pretty awesome right? Ok truth be told I'm more excited about getting my resume critiqued and brought up to date than I am about the t-shirt (hold off on the geek comments :-D ). I spaced out a little bit and forgot to add on my IQP onto my resume, so I've still got to get it critiqued another time or two to figure out how exactly to fit everything I want to display onto one page.

Before I started my resume 2 years ago, I thought it was something that you write, get critiqued, upload into Job Finder and then forget about... HAHA. Resumes should always be a work in progress, and should get updated often, with new courses you've taken, new skills you've learned and experiences that contribute to your qualifications. It's a good idea to get your resume started as early as possible and update it minimally once or twice per year to make sure it shows everything you've got to offer. I'd be mortified if I handed a company my resume that left out my IQP or some of the new courses I'm taking. This is just something to keep in mind, and maybe on some random Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 1-3 when you're chilling out in the Campus Center biding time before your next class, you'll remember that Walk-Ins are available and only take about 15 minutes of your time. You'll thank me later, I promise!!!!

I love it when technology fails... at a tech school

Ok, well maybe not all technology, just that relating to me. Recently my computer died (big surprise if you happen to know my luck) and took along with it my most recent resume, which I happened to like quite a bit. I checked through every possible place I could have saved it in addition to my computer (because I tend to be paranoid about such things, with good reason) and could only find one from late January on my toaster drive. I guess it's better than nothing, and resume critiques are super easy to get, especially where I've still got a lot of time before the fall career fair. I think I'll try to make it to a walk in meeting with a counselor sometime this week. In case you didn't know Walk-In appointments are every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1-3pm and generally last for 15 minutes. They give you an opportunity to ask just one major question (have your resume critiqued or a cover letter read over). This is perfect for me, because I still can't remember what on earth my schedule looks like for this term yet, so I'll stop by when I have some free time. Even though I blame my computer, it's a great idea to get your resume looked at minimally once a year, but I aim for twice, once in the fall and once in the spring (right before the major career fairs). Things change, maybe you got promoted, learned a new skill, took a useful course or gained a position in a club on campus and the counselors will be able to help you highlight everything you've done. Also, I'm hoping to get my resume checked before RESUMAZING which is Thursday, September 17th from 1-7 pm in the Odeum. Resumazing is a great event because recruiters from various companies will look over your resume with you and give you an idea of what it tells them. These are the people who review resumes for candidates at positions with their company, so I find their input extremely valuable in addition to the counselors' input. I'll give you all an update on how both critiques go, as I'm sure there will be all kinds of things I'll find out :-). Hope you're all having a great A-Term so far!!

Half Way Through Already?? I just got here!!!!!

I know when I last blogged, I had talked about starting my IQP and I am SUPER PLEASED to report that it is officially OVER!!!! While just about every day brought a new gigantous disaster, we made it through the project and bettered the school a little as a result. The best part? I can focus on classes and MQP shenanigans this year, which make all the trouble we faced during the project worth it.

Today marked the start of not only the second half of my college career, but also the first term where I have taken strictly engineering courses. I don't really know how I feel about that just yet, so I'll get back to you on that as the term gets on. In some ways I guess it's a good thing, fully submersing myself into my field. It gives me the opportunity to see if it's really what I want to do with my life, and hopefully guide me to figure out what on earth I should choose for a concentration. It's also pretty strange that the last two terms at WPI have been project terms for me, so this is my first time having a full course load since C-Term. We'll see how it all works out but so far I think my professors will be pretty awesome!

After two years at WPI, most of which has been spent as a Mechanical Engineering student, I finally checked out the Career Development Center's Major Binders, and all I can say is I am so mad at myself for not reading through it earlier. I mean we all know what the majors here are, but what they mean you'll actually be doing outside of college? Well that's another story all together. Do mechanical engineers sit at a desk checking equations or at a machine fabricating parts or at a table brainstorming with others? It's all in the binder, who knew. I would highly recommend that all students, especially those who like me might be wondering "But what will I do?" should take some time to visit the CDC and read through their major binder, because even if it doesn't answer all of your questions I can guarantee you'll learn something new.

Soooo close

Summer is approximately 22.75 hours away from me as of this moment... but I'm not counting or anything like that. It's been a while since I've last posted, mainly due to finals and me being wicked sick (and before you ask I do not have the swine flu). Not much has changed in the status of my IQP, I do have a partner though so at least I won't be doing it by myself. I'm really excited except for one gigantic hitch - financial aid STILL hasn't gotten back to me, so I don't know if I can actually do this or not. That's beside the point and I am changing the subject before I start ranting though....

I am however looking for an MQP for next year. I've recently decided I want to be a double major and where *crosses fingers* I'll be getting my IQP done before the start of Junior year, I'm hoping to space the two apart so I'm not juggling two MQP's plus all the 4000 level courses I need to graduate senior year. We'll see though as I still have no idea what I want to do for it and can't really talk to my advisor until A-Term.... it's a struggle basically.



Now to the cheerful side of this entry - IT'S ALMOST SUMMER!!!!!! Needless to say I was sitting in class today with one of my good friends and all of a sudden realized that I was less than 24 hours away from being half way through my time here at WPI. I almost screamed... in class... but I didn't. I mean it's really scary to think about. I still consider myself "barely not a freshman" but at the same time feel like I've been here working like crazy forever, and I can't decide if it's taken eons for the past two years to go by or seconds. Either way, they've been an... interesting two years filled with a ton of memories, some good, some bad, some hilarious, some hilarious for anyone but me :-), and some pretty amazing people I've met along the way. I guess here's to the next two years... may they be as interesting as the past two. Cheers!!

Update

Soooo here's an update on the status of my life: I am still miserably sick, and now my IQP appears to be falling through horrifically. I'm still going to try to get the whole thing worked out, but at this point I'm just hoping for the best. Ohhh well... hopefully things will magically come together and work out.... hopefully.

In other news: the practical part of my practicum is over and was amazing! Translation: I get my life back! And by life back I mean time to focus on my other two classes I've been neglecting so far this term.

Ok well that is all for today, hopefully I'll have a cheerier update about all these shenanigans somewhat soon.

Is it summer yet???

So D-Term has finally hit me in the usual way - like a ton of bricks. I have gotten just about every illness going around campus over the past 2 weeks, but am finally getting somewhat better (word of advise TAKE AIRBORNE OR VITAMINS OR WHATEVER cause being sick at a school with terms is miserable... not that you didn't already know that). In other news, my practicum is coming to an end, which is sad for so many reasons, but at the same time, I'm SOOOO glad that it will be over so I can get some sleep and go back to focusing on my other courses. I'm also working on getting this summer all figured out. I think my on-campus IQP will happen which is such a better fit for me than going abroad. Money's tight and I need the extra term, I'm going to have an apartment, and some of my closest friends are going to be in Worcester for the summer. When you add in the fact that I have worked my advisor before and am doing a project I would probably end up doing anyway, I know it's a great fit for me. I just need to figure out all the details and paperwork and all of those shenanigans before I get my heart set on it...


Anyways that's all I've got for today... now if I could only fit a nap into my schedule....

Yay D-Term?

Break is officially over... and while it was amazing it was way too short if you ask me. While my friends were going on exotic vacations or starting spring training, I was at home, most likely sleeping (let's be honest here). The recouperation was absolutely necessary as I enter what promises to be my craziest term to date here at WPI. IQP preparations, HU&A practicum, job searching, are quickly piling up on top of the normal courses and activities. I guess that is to be expected and is part of the love/hate (but mostly love) relationship I have with WPI. I mean if I didn't love keeping myself busy I probably would stay in my room bored out of my mind most of the time.

As for the job search, I am thinking that I am not going to pursue an internship this summer. As it stands, I am going into my Junior year and I have other obligations over the summer that would conflict with a full time internship. I am hoping to return to my previous job for the latter part of the summer, but we will see how all of that goes when we get there I guess.

I never thought I would be an engineer. Sure I was pretty good at Math and Science and always had fun doing the weird science projects in Junior High, but I always thought I was stronger in English. Maybe I am, I'm not too sure, but I do know that I want to DO something, change something, impact something in some way, and to me that is what engineers do.

I chose to major in Mechanical Engineering for a few reasons. One being I like the flexibility with the major and the vast assortment of positions available for MEs. The other being I really really really like physics but want a major that is more hands on. Mechanical Engineering just seemed like a natural fit. I love the fact that as a sophomore, I still have the option to go into anything from BioMechanics, to Robotics, to Aerospace, to Design. It leaves open so many possibilities and gives me a chance to decide what I want to do without the added pressure of making a decision immediately. Not to mention the fact that I feel that it is a secure field that is ever changing and evolving.

I think the most important part of choosing your major is not only following your heart but trying to think about what type of job you want to have once you enter "the real world," whether you want a job designing things, researching, programming, testing, creating, or whatever, chances are you can find a major that is a perfect fit for what you want to do. For those of you who are unsure of your major, whether you are deciding between two, have absolutely no idea what you want to do, or just have some questions about your current major, the CDC has quite a few resources from self assessments, to major panels, to counselors who can walk you through every step, the CDC can make your decision much easier.

Let the interviews begin...

So it is that time of year again... the time when we all start realizing that summer is closer than it seems and we need to figure out what we are doing, in short find jobs. The interview process is beginning and I am not sure where I am going to start. I've gotten a few emails so far from the CDC with jobs that I specifically qualify for, and I must say a few of them look like great opportunities, I just really want to stay close to home for the summer, and most of them would require me living fairly far away. That being said I still think I am going to apply for those positions and see what happens, who knows maybe I just need to be more open to different possibilities. I guess we'll find out!

Also, if you happen to be starting to look at jobs and consequentially interviews, and are nervous or have any questions, stop by the CDC any time and you can find all sorts of resources, or set up a mock interview to not only get practice interviewing but also you can review your interview to see your strong points and see areas you might want to improve. It's a great opportunity especially if you have never been in an interview before because you'll be more prepared when you start having interviews with companies.

Anyways best of luck to you all!!

About the Career Fair....

So another Career Fair has come and gone and I have to say I had incredibly good intentions for this week. But school got in the way and my labs ran long so I didn't get a chance to check out the fair. Career Fairs are in my opinion one of the greatest ways to get your foot into a company, give them a face to match to your resume before you sit for an interview. All that being said, if you just so happen to be like me, don't give up hope for an internship or full time position! Keep checking in on your JobFinder account because there are new positions posted everyday. I know a few of the companies I am hoping to intern with over the summer have yet to post their positions, but I am going to keep my eyes open for any opportunities that may come up. I'll keep you up to date on my quest.

And now it is time for my shameless plug... I have far too many friends who are Juniors or Seniors asking me how to get started on their resume... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come in and visit the counselors at the CDC, even if you think you have no relevant experience to list on it, they work miracles let me tell you (yes Freshmen and Sophomores I am talking to you the "but I haven't worked before" excuses don't cut it as you have more experience than you know, it all depends on how you look at it.)

On a similar note: JobFinder is another resource I know a lot of my friends have yet to discover, or else they set it up and forgot about it. If you have yet to set up your account, go here and go to the link in the middle of the page to set it up. It only takes 2 minutes and is utterly painless I promise you. If it has been a while since you used it and have no idea what your email address is, stop by the CDC and they can reset it for you, AND give you information on the best ways to utilize your account. In addition to job postings there are also useful handouts and podcasts to help you in your search.


I hope you all had a good time at the Career Fair!

Career Fair Preparations

The career fair is less than a week away, and there is oh so much to do. In theory by this point, I have re-touched my resume, researched the companies attending, and perused the job opportunities available but per usual I have procrastinated. I guess I just keep thinking that the summer is still quite a few months away and that I have all the time in the world to figure these things out....... :-) well I can dream right? Luckily, the CDC has a ton of resources that will make my life a whole lot easier.

I just have to say that I really like my resume. Before the fall career fair I got it critiqued by both the CDC counselors and by a recruiter, which gave me a few different perspectives on it, and now I just have to find a way to squish a few more details onto the page and then I think I'll be golden as far as that is concerned.

The research shouldn't really take too long either, because I can check out which companies are attending the career fair through JobFinder, and look up their profiles to see what majors they're looking for. If you go into the fair prepared with some form of a plan, it will make the whole process go so much smoother, think of it like shopping on Black Friday: you need to plan out a path and see which stops you want to make along the way (ok that made more sense in my head but you get the analogy). The layout of the fair is not available til the day of the fair, but I figure if I know where I want to go, I can determine the rest of my plan of attack before heading in.

I'm really not positive on what type of job I am looking for, which I think is the biggest hurdle I have to overcome before the fair. I am a Mechanical Engineering major, and I have had an awesome internship in the past, but I wasn't doing the type of work I hope to do when I graduate (which I'm still unsure of). I have my eye on either alternative energy or robotics, but in reality I just want to get as much experience as I can at this point. I'm going into the career fair with an open mind and I'll let you know how it goes!

Other than that I just think I need to find an iron and then I think I'll be good. Here's my random tip for the day: bring some type of small bag to the career fair, you'll thank me later and you won't loose those crucial business cards.

Good luck and thanks for reading!