I’d like to congratulate you for investigating this site and its content. Over the course of the first 99 blogs, I have assembled some of the most critical, insightful and practical information you will digest as a student.
Life is tough as an engineering student with deadlines, courses and labs. Throw resumes, career fairs and job searching into the mix. You have a perfect vision about your dream job. Future plans include rigouous hunt for the best job at a reputable company. After all, you worked hard and you deserve a great reward. Right?
Why would you, an engineering student, need to sell your services? I will talk about what it means to sell your services and why it is essential to your journey. You will also want to read Post #75, How to Influence Others. It is an excellent complementary blog post offering insights into the power of influence.
You try to diligently read job descriptions word for word only to be left feeling confused. Job postings can be so vague that they leave you with more questions than answers. “Lead team through processes and collaborate as necessary. Accountable for customer satisfaction. Manage project budget and schedule.” These are all vague and common examples. But, what does that actually mean? What do engineers do?
You have probably been told that employers like to hire well-rounded engineering students. What does that even mean and how does it apply to you? Read on so you can find out and decide how to get started.
If you answer is yes, I want to give you a cautionary congratulations. For those of you who obtain A’s in all your courses, be aware that even straight A students can be subject to pitfalls. You would think straight A’s on a transcript will always work in your favor. However, this is not necessarily the case. Read on to discover why employers might be suspicious of straight A’s and how you can prepare yourself.
Do you wonder what your future holds if your engineering grades are average? It may seem that the students with the best GPAs are the ones with multiple internship/job offers. Just because you may be an average engineering student, however, does not mean you cannot shine or stand out. Here are some useful things to keep in mind if your engineering grades are average.
Is it likely your next (or any) employer will review your college transcripts? There is no way to know. Some employers will scrutinize every transcript and other employers won’t. Be aware of items listed on your transcripts other than completed grades (also see Post #40) Read this post to learn about three items recorded on transcripts!
What will everyone say about you as you fulfill your internship duties? What will they say after your departure and you are back on campus? Everything you do and say as an intern will influence the degree to which your employer appreciates you. In order to dominate your engineering internship, it helps to act like every person is your boss.
How many ways can you take full advantage of your internship opportunity? Perhaps you don’t realize there is more to gain above and beyond a paycheck and experience. What else do you need to know before you embark? I’m going to tell you how to take advantage of your internship while you can.