SWE - Conference 2008 - (Page 68)

CAREER TOOLBOX to research corporations and institutions both pre- and post-event. The public library, your campus career placement office, newspapers, magazines, and Web sites of some of the entities listed in the sidebar, at right, can add to your knowledge base. that booth representatives tend to wear corporate-casual “uniforms.” The philosophy here is to demonstrate corporate teamwork and identify booth representatives. As you enter the career fair, we recommend that you be prepared with the following items: a paper pad on which to take notes, pens and/or pencils with which to write, a great number of copies of your personal resume, and an inquisitive mind filled with questions as to how you and your skill set might fit into any given company’s work force. Let us suggest that you also prepare and have with you personal business cards. Using the proper paper stock, computer template, and personal ingenuity, you can create business cards on most personal computers. The purpose here is to indicate personal contact information such as name, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, and some affiliation. For both students and professionals, the affiliation can be as simple as your institution or even SWE. Additional Sources of Information for Background Research on Companies From the library or your college placement office or resource Web site: • Dun and Bradstreet • Standard & Poor’s Register • Area Trends in Employment • Book of Lists • Dictionary of Occupational Titles • Job Choices (National Association of Colleges and Employers) • Moody’s Reference Manuals • College Placement Directory (Zimmerman and Lavine) • Consultants & Consulting Organizations Directory • Directory of Directories • Wards From the community: • Better Business Bureau reports • Chamber of Commerce members and publications • Civic Clubs and Professional Associations • Small Business Administration and the Department of Labor From Companies: • Corporate Web sites • Telephone or e-mail companies to get information • Get copies of their annual reports • Get new employee packages, application, employment test • Ask to meet for 15 minutes with a manager in your area of interest • Magazine and newspaper must-reads: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, and Fortune • Cut out advertisements that interest you and group by industry/area • Respond to specific advertisements that interest or suit you • Note companies that are just starting up Source: Based on “Step One to Getting Jobs,” in Graduating Engineer magazine, Larry Argiro, September 1993. Personal preparedness Neat, conservative dress is recommended for career-fair wear. Remember, appearance and carriage are crucial first impressions. Please be aware Suggested Questions for a Booth Visit • What does the firm do? • What is the product line or service? • What is the typical career path in my field? • What is the organizational structure? • Where would I fit in? • What is the number of plants, offices, and size of staff? • Where is the home office or corporate base located? • Where are its branches located? • What is the work force diversity? • Who is the competition? • What is the relative size of the firm in its industry? • What is the potential for growth in the industry? • What is the percent of annual sales growth over the last five years? • Is the company making money? • Is the profit trend going up or down? • What is the short-term profit picture? • What is the potential for new markets, products, and services? • Does the company have structured or unstructured training? • What is the formal vs. on-the-job-training? • What is the average time in non-management assignments? • What is the name of the recruiter? • What is the interview cycle/process? Questions based on “Step One to Getting Jobs,” in Graduating Engineer magazine, Larry Argiro, September 1993. Booth strategy In order to optimize your time, we recommend that your first round of booth visits be with those companies or institutions that you envisioned as being the ideal entities with which you wish to be associated. The second round of visits should comprise as many of the remaining booths as your schedule and the length of the career fair permit. You should set aside enough time for your third round of visits, which should consist of those booths in which you felt you were warmly received and given some optimism in line with your expectations. For large time constraints, any combi- nation of two of the three suggested rounds of visits should form your backup strategy. Booth visit As you enter a booth and are met by a booth representative, introduce yourself with a good, firm handshake, direct eye contact, and an appropriate verbal greeting. If you have your resume in hand and a number of questions in your mind to ask about the company, you are prepared to market yourself and your skill set. Allow the representative to scan your credentials before you query with, “What does your organization have to offer for someone with my skill set?” Your job at this moment is to take notes and At WE07, successful candidates introduced themselves with a firm handshake, eye contact, and a pleasant demeanor, making a good first impression. 68 SWE CONFERENCE 2008

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SWE - Conference 2008 Contents President’s Note View from the Executive Suite Editor’s Page Readers’ Forum ICWES14 Women of Courage Engineering’s Grand Challenges — What’s Your Pick? Diversity from the Ground Up Membership Information & Calendar A&B FY08 Membership Meeting Minutes Engineering World Point of View Career Toolbox Bookshelf SWE Smiles SWE Scrapbook Conference Sponsors and Program Overview Corporate Partnership Council Thursday Conference Program Friday Conference Program Saturday Conference Program Corporate Members Opportunity Index

SWE - Conference 2008

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