SEPTEMBER 17-18 A resource guide to make the most of your career fair experience
Fellow Wolverines We are very excited for the 2018 SWE/TBP Career Fair and hope you are as well! Around 350 companies will be in attendance at this year’s fair and all of them are waiting to talk to Michigan engineers like you And with so many talented Wolverines looking for jobs, we are confident that it will be a success. This is the 5th edition of the Resource Guide, and our goal is to provide you with an all-in-one guide including dates of corporate information sessions and workshops, advice, and tips to help you make the most of our career fair. This guide contains information from recruiters, the Engineering Career Resource Center, and fellow students. We hope this information is helpful in making your career fair experience as enjoyable and successful as possible. The weeks prior to the fair can be busy, stressful and even overwhelming. Right now, you are probably cleaning up your resume, editing your cover letter, and rehearsing your elevator pitch. We know exactly how you feel. However, we are enthusiastic about the fair and the attending companies and excited for the job opportunities that they bring. These recruiters have traveled from all over the country and are very eager to hire Michigan engineers like you, so go out there and find your dream job! Organizing and directing the 34th Annual SWE/TBP Career Fair has been an amazing experience and we wish you all the best of luck at the fair. Remember that as a Michigan engineer, your opportunities are endless. So take our advice: attend the career fair and
illuminate your future! The 2018 Career Fair Directors Haley Clafton, SWE Antonia Deller, SWE Zach Peterson, TBP Joshua Polzin, TBP Produced by Design by Jack Silberman
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Sponsored by:
September Key Events
ECRC Sponsored Events
Thursday, September 6th
Friday, September 7th Monday, September 10th
Tuesday, September 11th
Wednesday, September 12th Check Engineering Careers**
Thursday, September 13th
Friday, September 14th
Monday, September 24th Tuesday, September 25th Wednesday, September 26th
Thursday, September 27th **Please note this schedule is subject to change, check Engineering Careers, by Symplicity, for the most up to date information.**
Networking for the Career Fair
Receptions
Receptions are great, informal networking events that happen Sunday and Monday evening the week of career fair. This is the best place to build a connection with recruiters in an environment with less pressure and no resumes. The next day, the recruiters will recognize you and already be comfortable talking to you from the previous night. With so many students to talk to, this is already a huge advantage! Talk to recruiters about their company, their position, job, college background, hobbies, pets - anything to show that you are interested in speaking with them and that you want to learn about their company. As a bonus you can register for the career fair there and avoid the line the next morning!
Graduate and PhD Receptions
(Companies hiring grad students) Sunday, September 16th 3-5 PM BBB Atrium
Undergraduate Receptions Day 1
(Mostly day 1 companies) Sunday, September 16th 6-8 PM EECS Atrium
Undergraduate Receptions Day 2
(Mostly day 2 companies) Monday, September 17th 6-8 PM EECS Atrium
Corporate Information Sessions Many student organizations host corporate information sessions around the time of the career fair. These are another great way to learn more about the companies you are interested in, show your interest, talk to recruiters again and stand out as a candidate. At the information sessions, companies will often give a short presentation about their company and the opportunities available to students. Afterwards, there’s generally a Q&A session. Some companies have more interactive sessions with games such as jeopardy or the chance to make your own waffles!. The list of corporate information sessions continues on the next page. These sessions are subject to change so check out the calendar on our website closer to the career fair for updated information.
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Tuesday, September 11th
Corporate Information Sessions
Wednesday, September 12th
Thursday, September 13th
Saturday, September 15th Sunday, September 16th
Monday, September 17th
Tuesday, September 18th
Wednesday, September 19th
Monday, September 24th Wednesday, September 26th
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Advice for the Big Day Before Arriving at Career Fair Preparing for the career fair starts long before you step on campus to talk to your first recruiter. Here is a checklist of things to do in the weeks leading up to the career fair: -Update your resume and get it reviewed by the ECRC or a company representative. -Update your LinkedIn profile. Make sure to include what you did this summer! -Create an account on Engineering Careers. Many companies will use Engineering Careers to schedule interviews. -Research companies attending the fair and make a list of companies that you want to talk to most. -The company list is typically posted online on Engineering Careers a week or so before the fair. -Read news articles or press releases about the companies you’re interested in. Recruiters will often be impressed if you know about any recent news within the company. -Attend career fair prep workshops. The ECRC and companies host many of these in the weeks leading up to the career fair about elevator pitches, interviewing, resumes, and more. -Apply to companies online before you speak with them. This will show the recruiters that you are eager to work with their company. Even if you don’t finish the application beforehand, it gives you a chance to ask the recruiters questions before you submit it.
Elevator Pitch Guidelines Your elevator pitch will be your “introduction” to the recruiter. It gives them a short synopsis of who you are, what you’re looking for, and why they should hire you. Keep it short. It should only be 30 to 60 seconds. Make sure to include your name, year, and what kind of position you’re looking for. Include your major if you are a junior or above.
Follow these four topics to pull it all together: Skills
Describe your experience and any relevant skills you bring to the table.
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Goal
Include what type of experience you are looking for.
Confidence
Explain why you are a good fit for this position. What can you do for the company?
Motivation
State why you want to work there and what you want to gain. What can the company do for you?
Career Fair Dress Code
It is important to make a good first impression on employers. Dressing professionally is a great way to accomplish this. Here are some tips on how to dress for the career fair.
Clothes
-Business suit in a conservative color (navy, gray, or black) -Dress shirt and tie -Blouse that complements the suit -Shoes -Wingtips or loafers with dark socks -Low/medium heels or flats -Hair -Away from your face -Clean and styled -Facial hair should be groomed -Wear minimal jewelry -Only one pair of earrings -All clothes should be clean and pressed -Use a good quality portfolio or briefcase to hold papers -BONUS: Check your backpacks at the EGL coat check. No matter how well dressed you come, wearing a backpack over a suit detracts from the look.
“Wear comfortable shoes! You’ll be on your feet for hours. But with that in mind, dress professionally from head to toe. I’ve seen my share of people dressed perfectly but wearing tennis shoes...” -Roya Sadaghiani
General Tips for Talking to Companies Talk to companies you aren’t extremely interested in first to shake your nerves. You will start realizing a pattern of what works for you in getting your point across. However, don’t wait too long to speak to high-priority companies because some will give out next-day interviews to the first students they speak with. BE PATIENT. Waiting in line can be tiring and boring, but make the most of that time! Rehearse your elevator pitch or look up more information on the company you are about to talk to. Send follow-up emails to the recruiters that you speak with to thank them for their time. This is a simple act of professional kindness and gratitude that speaks volumes for your character.
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Interview Tips
Interviews can be stressful, especially if you haven’t done many before, but with the right amount of preparation, you can be prepared to handle anything. Remember to start your preparation early, and keep some of these tips in mind. Most interviews are behavioral, meaning they will ask questions to learn more about your previous experiences and how you’ve handled certain situations. It is important to prepare flexible anecdotes (“stories”) ahead of time that focus on topics such as leadership, conflict, and failure. It can be very helpful to practice with a friend if you feel comfortable. You can also sign up for Mock Interviews through the ECRC if you’re looking for professional feedback in a more formal setting. Be sure to do this early on since slots fill up quickly around career fair time! A common technique for answering behavioral interview questions is the STAR technique. Using this method, respond to the question by explaining the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. This produces a well-structured response that is easy for interviewers to follow. You can read more about this technique and others online. To practice this technique and begin preparing your responses, try answering some of these common questions (remember to use the STAR method for the situational questions, indicated with a “*”): -Why are you interested in working for our company? -Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? -Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a peer/co-worker. How was this resolved?* -When have you made a mistake and how did you react?* -How do you handle pressure?* -Tell me about your leadership experiences.* -What are your strengths and weaknesses?* -What questions do you have for me? While these questions are a great start, you can find many more great practice interview questions and tips online. Certain websites even specify common interview questions used by specific companies if you’re preparing for a particular interview. Companies can sometimes ask curveball questions that you aren’t prepared for, but don’t panic. Feel free to ask questions before answering if necessary, and remember that they are usually just trying to see your thought process. A good technique toward the end of the interview is to ask the recruiter if they have any other questions for you or if they would like you to expand on anything you’ve talked about during the interview. This helps to ensure that the recruiter won’t leave the interview with any unanswered questions and that they have all the info they need to make an informed decision about hiring you. Lastly, at the end of the interview, remember to have prepared questions for the interviewer that demonstrate your serious interest in the company. It is also typically good practice to ask for a business card/email address and to send a thank you note within 24 hours.