From Emily Frantz, 2011-2012 Freshman Representative:
The Region F Conference at MIT was the first SWE
conference I have attended. It was an
absolute blast! If you have never gone,
I highly recommend it. As for cost, SWE
usually offers reimbursements for those who apply!
The first of four sessions I attended was Interview
Skills by Michael Ross, a recruiter for General Dynamics with inside knowledge
on the in’s and out’s to expect from employers.
He described a resume as your profile, where you want to create
questions but not to be vague or lie. He
personally scans a resume in 8 seconds, looking from top to bottom, left to
right. He advised bolding key phrases,
not just headings and to tailor each resume for the job. Networking is crucial so always get the
business cards of professionals you meet, with the goal being to get to hiring
managers. He also advises getting your
own business cards to hand out. Once you
get the interview, prepare for it like game day. He shuts off his phone and electronics to
focus in. You want to do your homework prior
to the interview so that you have questions to stump the interviewer, and look
for odd statistics on the company to ask about.
Keep in mind you are looking for a company that is a right fit, just as
much as they are looking for the right employee. The interview starts the moment you enter the
building. If you got into a car accident
on the way over or faced other stressful situations, do not mention it and be
composed. Arrive 15 minutes early, no
more no less. Know the interviewers name
and title, and be prepared for a team of interviewers or a behavioral
interview. In the interview, it is a
good idea to ask to take notes and never let yourself relax.
Mr. Ross had great answers for when people
typically cannot find the right words:
Three days after getting a business card, shoot
them an email that says:
“I’m looking for networking opportunities. I was wondering if I could use you and your
network to look for future opportunities” OR “Is there any way I can utilize
your networking circle for assistance/help in finding future opportunities.”
Do you plan to have a family? (An audience member said she was asked this,
but Mr. Ross stated that an interviewer typically stays far away from such a
tricky topic)
“A family may or may not be I my future but I am
focused on my career”
Do you have any questions?
“Could you tell me about the team I could be
working with?” or “Give me three adjectives to describe your company”
What are you looking for a salary?
“I’m looking for an average wage within my field
given my skill set”
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
“My weaknesses are that I’m too focused; take too
much on, etc.” (Make weaknesses strengths
instead)
The second session I attended was on Acing the
Technical Interview by Alison Cichowlas, a software engineer at Google. She said that interviewers look for
algorithms, code, data structures, analytical skills, and sound design. Her tips were to review algorithms and data
structures, as well as to practice writing code. Employers will want to see actual code, not
pseudo code, and to have a preference on what you like to use. During the interview, think aloud, ask
questions, and go the long way using all the tools in your toolbox. Define an approach, propose a solution, and
prepare for change and the problem to get more difficult. The thought process is more important than
the answer. Do not let the first
question affect your performance on the next.
The third session I attended was An Unconventional
Approach to Engineering by Dana Canby.
The presentation was on the opportunities within the nuclear field
through the United States Navy. These
opportunities are not just for nuclear engineers, but a wide range of engineers
and scientists. Much of the job training
is done with the navy. There are two
sides to the career opportunities: the operational side working on aircraft
carriers or submarines, and the support side.
The support side includes Nuclear Power School Instructors where you
sign a contract for four years in Charleston, South Carolina, teach one or two
classes a day, get secret clearance, have graduate school opportunities, a
salary of $50,000 a year for four years, working ten hours a week. The other support opportunity is working as a
Naval Reactor Engineer on a five-year contact in Washington DC. This is the top job held by approximately 380
naval reactor engineers, about a third of that is hired a year and typically
have a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA. An excellent
program to jumpstart a career with the Navy in the nuclear field is to join the
Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program (NUPOC) as a student. The navy is 15% women and the NUPOC program
is as well.
The final session I attended was a personal
development workshop titled, Fight of Your Life: How to Stay Motivated Crossing
the Sahara, by Kathleen Aston. Her
message that we have many deserts in our life and that we can’t let fear, underdeveloped confidence, negative mindset,
overwhelmed/chaos, fatigue, or disappointment detriment self-motivation. The take away is that you want things to END
well:
Environment:
find a shelter (safe haven), bring the right gear (emotional and mental
intelligence), and tribe (surround yourselves with common direction and
mindset)
Nourishment:
physical (take care of yourself to guard against fatigue and illness),
emotional, intellectual, and spiritual
Destination:
always focus on where you are going instead of the sand dunes on the
horizon (various hurdles you must face)
I took away a great deal from the various sessions
and I encourage you all to attend the next conference!
