Hi friends! Welcome back to our Hart Center blog, where we’re keeping you in the loop on how to find your perfect career. If you’re a graduate student, check out Ophelie’s post about the Graduate Leadership Certificate Program and Odyssey plans.
According to a Glassdoor recruiting report (s/o to numbers people like me, the report is actually really interesting and you can read it here), the average job attracts 250 resumes and only 2% of people are interviewed. With odds like these, you need to be prepared to nail your job search. To show you what works, we interviewed* two Lyle seniors who secured jobs after graduation. Natalie Jacks and Kennedy Woodard are both graduating with degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics. Natalie is pursuing a career in Management Consulting at Credera. Kennedy will be an Industrial Engineer at Boeing. Read about their journeys to a full time offer, and email us if you have any questions.
What student organizations, or activities are you involved in on campus?
Natalie: Society of Women Engineers (treasurer, vice president of external affairs, and president), Delta Gamma Sorority, Phi Beta Kappa, and Tau Beta Pi
Kennedy: National Society of Black Engineers (President), Kappa Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (Past President, member)
If you pursued on-campus jobs, internships/co-ops, or full-time employment, how did you discover the opportunity? What the interview process was like and how was your experience in the role?
N: I was lucky enough to have my summer internship turn into my full-time job. In October, I will start full-time with the consulting firm Credera as a Management Consultant.
I first learned about Credera sophomore year, through career fairs and info sessions at the Hart Center. During my junior year, I continued to attend all of Credera’s on-campus events, including a SWE event I helped plan, and got to know the recruiters so my name would be familiar the next summer when I applied.
The interview process was one behavioral interview on campus and a full day of interviews (including a case interview) at their office. I knew the company was going to be a good fit based on how comfortable I felt with every Credera employee. I was able to talk with them honestly about my values and what I wanted to get out of my internship. While I certainly put my best foot forward, I didn’t feel the need to enhance or oversell aspects of myself to get the position.
I had a wonderful experience during my summer at Credera. By the end of the summer I was leading the daily meetings for my 13-member team, including 8 members from our client company, and was working on slide decks to be presented to company execs. I was so impressed by my time there that I had no hesitation in saying yes to my return offer.
K: I’ve found all of my on-campus jobs through networking with faculty members or by applying on Handshake. On-campus jobs are easier to manage than off-campus jobs, because your employer understands you are a student first. On-Campus jobs are also great opportunities to network and reach out for letters of recommendation.
My connections through the Lyle Mentoring Program helped me get an internship at Boeing. It was not a local internship, so my two interviews took place over the phone. Boeing really gave interns the opportunity to explore the company in any way they’d like. I was able to network and earn a full-time offer to come back as an Industrial Engineer.
What resources were most helpful to you when you looked for employment?
N: I learned a lot from attending SWE meetings as an underclassmen and hearing people speak about topics like how to network and how to write a resume. I attended all the career fairs starting my sophomore year in order to practice my elevator pitch and learn how the recruiting process worked.
K: Career Fairs and programs specifically aimed at landing students a position (Mentor programs, Inroads, etc.) can help you build relationships. It is more effective to talk to people face-to-face about your skills and abilities, versus applying through an online portal.
Do you have any advice for an undergraduate student looking to get a job in the future?
N: Remember that you will find a position you are happy with. If there’s a company or industry you’re really passionate about, put in the work! Attend every event where you can interact with the employees from that company and help them get to know you as a person. You’d be surprised at how much name recognition can help you get your foot in the door.
K: Make networking a priority, be open to different positions, and pay attention to what employers are looking for! SMU has so many resources such as career fairs and student organizations like NSBE, SHPE, SWE, and TSPE that will bring companies out to speak to students. You never know where your network could lead you.
Great advice from the seniors to secured impressive jobs!