All posts tagged Networking

eaglesNEST: Connect with ERAU Alumni and Start Building Your Network Today

7084d213-f715-474c-a331-ae8c4407ebdcOne of the most powerful tools for any job search and professional growth is networking.  Networking is a lifelong process by which you build strong connections with those around you.  Your connections can put you in contact with the right people to support your job search, career development and personal aspirations.  The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University community is a great place to start networking, and you have a built-in group of connections in your fellow alumni.

Embry-Riddle offers you a way to meet alumni through the eaglesNEST online community. Graduates may network virtually through a directory that allows alumni to search for and connect with former classmates based on geographic location and employment/company.  The directory is available to alumni only via a password-protected portal. Embry-Riddle graduates must sign into their eaglesNEST account in order to view the directory.  (Creating an account is easy and free, click here to start.)

One of the most useful ways to leverage the directory is by using the “Advanced Search” method. For example, let’s say you are an aerospace engineer interested in securing a job at Boeing in Seattle, and you would like to get to know alumni who are already employed there. You can use the Advanced Search tool in the directory to search by company name, city and major (and a number of other search terms). Our directory search engine examines the eaglesNEST profiles of our alumni to generate the results. In this instance, nine alumni were identified using these criteria. Alumni with an envelope icon next to their names have an email address tied to their eaglesNEST profiles, so you can send them a note and introduce yourself. Those with a yellow “Post-It” icon next to their names haven’t made their email addresses available; however, you can still send them a message and it will remain in their eaglesNEST inbox until the next time they log into the community.

The eaglesNEST also offers numerous opportunities for alumni to network face-to-face at gatherings hosted across the country and world. Events are often hosted by the Embry-Riddle Alumni Association at tradeshows and air shows, in addition to being organized by alumni chapters, which function similarly to clubs but do not require membership dues. Event information is posted regularly on the eaglesNEST. With more than 20 networks hosting events year-round, you are sure to find an activity near you.

To ensure that you stay informed about events and make yourself available for networking opportunities, keep your contact information current on the eaglesNEST by creating a profile and updating it from time to time, such as when you relocate or accept a new job. This helps the Alumni Association stay in touch and keep you apprised of events happening near you.

As an Embry-Riddle alumnus/a, your potential networking pool is 100,000-plus strong.  Make the most of Embry-Riddle alumni resources such as eaglesNEST and the official alumni LinkedIn group to identify and connect with colleagues who are also Embry-Riddle Eagles.  If you work to build and maintain these relationships over time, lifelong partnerships will result. Happy networking!

Article from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Alumni Relations Department and Career Services

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by eraucso on May 17, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by eraucso on May 17, 2013

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Your Guide to a Job Search

by Kristy Amburgey

Jobs

Your job search begins as soon as you select a degree program to pursue, a new career path or an expanded role within your current realm of expertise.  Your job search should encompass a variety of activities, including research and preparation, self-evaluation, networking, etc. until you actually have a job in hand.  Even then, you should continue to grow your professional knowledge and connections to further your career until you reach your ultimate goal.

Identify Career Paths and Options

Any job search begins with an understanding of what you hope to do professionally in your life.   As you make decisions about your future, consider various career paths and options that match your personal and professional goals and personality.  Opportunities can range from positions directly related to your courses of study or not related to your degree but that use the skills you learned in college.   You can have one career path in mind, or you might be open to several different options.

Research Jobs and Companies of Interest

After you have determined the job type you want to pursue, you now want to find out the various job titles that encompass your career path, and you need to identify the companies that offer these roles.  In addition, you want to learn about the companies’ expectations, what the job requires of candidates (at a minimum) and what the job would entail, matching it to your preferences.  Be sure to get a realistic picture of who the company typically hires for your desired role and how both your background and your personality fit that job.  Make informed career decisions based on accurate research you have conducted.

Create a Targeted Company List

Any job search should be focused (avoid the “I will take anything” approach).  One way you can focus your search and help yourself down the road is to develop a targeted company list.  The list can be as long or as short as you want, but it should be focused on the companies that offer the job or an iteration of the job you want.  Your company list should evolve as you continue through school, find new companies and gain new interests; routinely monitor your list.  Don’t be afraid to go outside of your targeted companies to find opportunities, but you should do your due diligence on the company before applying to jobs.

 Prepare Job Search Documentation

Using your resume, cover letter and other documentation, your goal is to prove you can not only do the job but positively impact the company’s bottom line.  Focus your resume and cover letter on one job type at a time, customizing the resume using the job description as you apply for positions.  Ensure that each part of your resume is focused on showcasing your accomplishments by listing outcomes and results of your experiences (from work to academic to project).  Quantify your accomplishments as often as possible using dollar amounts, numbers and percentages.  Avoid using terminology (i.e. fluff) that gives employers no real useful information upon which to make a decision about you as a candidate.  As always, proper grammar, accurate information, consistency, clean formatting and ease of reading are all important factors in your job search documents.

Consider Additional Skills, Trainings and/or Certifications

Going back to the career path research you completed, you should have an understanding of what a company expects from their candidates.  If you are not sure, check out a variety of job descriptions or ask your professors or people in your network.  If you are missing a requirement, take the time to complete it before graduating, if possible.  If you must wait to obtain additional skills or trainings, have a timeline for when you hope to accomplish them.

Gain Relevant Experience and Skills

Relevant experience can come in a variety of forms, including co-op/internship positions, projects, research, job/summer jobs/part-time positions, on-campus clubs or organizations, volunteer work, conferences and professional organizations, to name a few.  Through any experience, you should work to further develop your leadership, communication, initiative, analysis and other skills that apply to any job type (also called transferable skills).

Maintain a List of Achievements and Accomplishments

In order to accurately communicate your accomplishments, you need to keep track of them.  Maintain a list of things you achieved in any academic, work, group or other experience.

Network

In reality, networking is an action that you began early in your life.  Now it is time to build your network into a more formal support system for your job search and professional growth.  You can build relationships in any number of ways, but you want to place yourself in situations where you can make a positive impression on a future employer or future advocate.  Brainstorm about ways you can connect with others; do not fall into the trap of assuming you know no one.  Your network may fall outside of the job type you are pursuing, but keep an open mind about building relationships with people from all professional backgrounds.

Apply for Positions

Approximately six months to one year before graduation, begin to apply for positions, especially for entry-level candidates.  Some career types are more likely to hire as needed, so you may need to wait closer until you are degree complete to pursue a job.   As you apply for positions, you must gain insight into how the company selects candidates to interview, always following directions.  Many companies use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), where the system scans your resume for key words before being viewed by a hiring manager.  In these cases, you must reverse engineer or integrate key words from the job description and your knowledge of the company into your resume and cover letter.  Another important reminder is to keep track of the positions for which you applied.

Interview

Interviewing skills need to be developed and practiced.  Prepare for an interview situation by researching the company, understanding the position, having stories to relay during the interview and giving evidence of how you can help solve the company’s problems.  Practice your interview skills by reviewing and answering sample questions, either with a partner or by planning out your answers.  Ensure you have questions to ask the employer and always put your most professional self forward, from your dress to how you present yourself.

Follow-up

After an interview, networking event or other activity where a person helps you, follow up.  A thank you note or email is appropriate, and a phone call or other act of kindness can be nice as well.  Avoid contacting a person too often as they will soon lose their desire to help you, or you may even lose out on the job after an interview if you are too persistent.

Understand the Salary Process

Once you are offered a job, you will also be extended a salary and benefits package.  Typically, you want to avoid talking about salary until you have been offered the job; only if a company requests the information should you provide an expected salary, preferably as a range.  Once you have been extended the job with salary, you can decide to accept, negotiate or decline the offer.  Understand that factors such as your negotiation strategies, your worth, the cost of living, the company’s salary standards and more impact your offer.  Ensure you understand what you bring to the negotiation table if you decide to ask for more money or benefits and always thoroughly research the typical salary ranges for your industry, for the company and for your job type.

And Network More

Networking should be an ongoing activity in any professional career.  Never stop meeting new people and growing current relationships.  Most employers prefer to hire someone who has been recommended to them, so make sure you continue to place yourself in a position to be the recommended candidate.

A job search is a personal journey, but there are some common steps that you should take to put yourself in the best situation for job search success.

Kristy Amburgey is the Associate Director of Career Services – Daytona Beach campus and currently manages marketing and employer relations for the department.  She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for approximately 10 years and with Career Services for nine years.

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by eraucso on April 25, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by eraucso on April 25, 2013

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Alumni Career Spotlight: Michael Raynard Mayberry

Michael Raynard Mayberry graduated from the Worldwide Campus of Embry-Michael MayberryRiddle Aeronautical University in March 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics and minors in Aviation Safety and Management. Michael then went on to pursue a Master of Aeronautical Science in the specialty fields of Aviation/Aerospace Safety Systems and Aviation/Aerospace Operations, graduating in May 2012.

Michael is a retired U.S. Navy Combat Veteran who served during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism. In August 2007, Michael joined the civilian workforce at Flightstar Aircraft Services (FAS) as an Avionics Specialist. During his time at FAS, he continued his education path by completing his undergraduate and master degrees. He didn’t stop there. His focus was to use his military experience and college education to land a position in Safety, Quality, or Operations. With the help of Career Services resources, he was able to build a government resume that detailed each career field for which he wanted to apply. Within time, the interviews started coming forth. On August 30, 2010, Michael started work with the Federal Government, Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) as an Aircraft Quality Assurance Engineer.

Michael is an active leader in his community of Orange Park, FL. He’s a member of West Jacksonville Church of God in Christ where he’s a volunteer leader of ReSon to Care Male Mentoring Ministry (ages 6-16) and The Men of Distinction (MOD) Ministry.  Michael has been married to Michelle for 23 years, by whom he fathered two lovely daughters, RayNiesha and Deja.

Michael also serves as the Florida Federation/North Area Director of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. where he was awarded Upsilon Lambda Chapter New Brother of the Year Service Award in 2004 and Brother of the Year in 2005. He served as Chapter President in 2006 and 2007. Since then he has held numerous chapter executive positions.

With your background in aviation safety, avionics and quality engineering, what career advice do you have for people seeking employment in these areas?

Stay with what you know!! Most military personnel have multiple skills, and it’s quite okay to have multiple skillsets since it gives you more opportunities to land a job. The fields of Safety and Quality have similar backgrounds, so that made it much easier to build my government resume with keywords for the electronic resume systems. My undergraduate studies at Tennessee State University were Technical Aeronautics within Industrial Engineering. The ERAU Professional Aeronautics degree was definitely a refresher in up-to-date studies and programs to prepare me for the civilian sector. Advancing into a master’s program in Aeronautics and Aerospace gave me the opportunity to apply for mid-level career jobs. To sum it all up, the more education and experience you have, the more of an invaluable candidate you are for employment. If you find yourself facing challenges getting employed in one field, customize your resume for another field of study or experience you may have. Any certification courses (such as A&P, ASQ, Lean Six Sigma) that you completed while in the military or college are definitely a plus when seeking employment.

You successfully navigated the federal government application process. What tips do you have for application success?

The federal government resume should be at least five pages, and that can be very difficult for anyone just getting out of college. Prior military personnel can establish a lengthy resume by utilizing their military assignments. I suggest utilizing performance evaluations written in Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) as a key resource. College students should make every attempt to acquire an internship within the federal government. This will get you in the door and establish a federal record. It can take six months to a year to successfully get into the federal government system. It all starts with the resume. If you know someone who is already within the government system, ask that person or contact Human Resources to get a copy of the Job Skillset of your career path. You can also retrieve skillset information from the job descriptions that is within the job announcements on USAJobs. Take advantage of the resources offered by ERAU Career Services.

Networking has been a successful job search technique for you. How have you used networking to obtain employment? What did you do to market yourself to potential employers?

My technique of networking was to compile a list of people I knew within the companies that had my interest. I continued forwarding my resume to each of them with updates and suggestions that were given to me. Each time I received a name via the Industry/Career Expo, internet, telephone, or through referrals, I would add that person to the email when forwarding my resume. It’s good to enter your name into a company’s database so you will be readily available once an announcement posts. I still attend the ERAU Industry/Career Expo and other job fairs every opportunity I get. This is a good way to meet people within Human Resources or representatives from a targeted company. It’s also important to review and update your resume on a monthly basis.

How have your Embry-Riddle degrees opened doors for you?

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a well-known, respected university in the aviation industry.  Technical skills are in high demand in today’s economy, and a degree from ERAU is priority because of its technical educational studies. Let’s just say a degree from ERAU is priceless.

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by eraucso on April 1, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Alumni Spotlight, Alumni Spotlight Series, General, Job Search Advice
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Posted by eraucso on April 1, 2013

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Be the Solution, Get the Job

by Kristy Amburgey

prof womanI love a good quote, and I read one the other day that I thought so wonderfully summed up a challenge that job seekers face today. Many people searching for employment think like a job seeker, hoping that someone will find them, identify their talents, see how their previous experience might relate and even place them in the right position. Instead, I want to emphasize this point from an article, 10 Ways To Use Speed Networking In Your Job Search, by Melissa C. Martin who writes for Careerealism.

“Communicate more like a consultant or solution-finder than a job seeker”

I think that this one suggestion is such an important mindset for any job seeker to accept. You need to find the employers, identify their needs, relate your previous experience to those needs and even place yourself in the right position to be hired. Just like a consultant would do for a new client, you need to spend time understanding a company’s pains in order to help them find solutions. Use your time to network, connect, build relationships and interact with those who may have need for your services. Always proactively advocate for yourself through solution-driven conversations.

Instead of waiting for a company to come calling, be the solution-finder, as Ms. Martin would say, that you know you are.

Kristy Amburgey is the Associate Director of Career Services – Daytona Beach campus and currently manages marketing and employer relations for the department.  She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for approximately 10 years and with Career Services for nine years.

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by eraucso on March 11, 2013  •  Permalink
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Protecting Your Brand

by Kristy Amburgey

Branding YourselfAfter spending several weeks addressing the topic of branding, from Branding 101, planning for branding and how to brand, it’s time to address protecting your brand.

As a result of the increase in branding efforts by job seekers, it also seems that there needs to be an increase in awareness of your web presence.  With your increased use of resources such as LinkedIn, Facebook, a personal blog, and contributing to forums, you need to be acutely aware of how important it is to both protect your brand and project a positive image.

First thing you should do is to conduct an Internet search of your name or iterations of your name (like a maiden name or a nick name).  Make sure that you know what others may see about you if they were to conduct a similar search.  If you find negative information, depending on the social media used, remove any tags, links, names, etc. from what you can; ask others to do that same if you can’t manipulate the system.  Many search engines have processes to help you remove offending information; search Google, Bing or other engines to find out the steps to take, which often involve requests for action.  For some search results, you may not be able to fix what is seen (for example, a person with a similar name that has a bad reputation), but do you best to control what you can with privacy settings and with personal accountability.

With branding, you need people to find you, so you should set your security or protection to where potential employers can track down your efforts.  But you need to also ensure that truly personal information (family vacation pictures, for example) is viewable by your closest friends and family and not the entire web-verse, especially if your personal world conflicts with or negatively impacts in any way your professional brand.  There are privacy guidelines and information for Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter that should be reviewed to understand the best ways to control your settings.  For blog posts or forum comments, search for system-specific guidelines to understand appropriate ways to protect your presence.

In addition to using the privacy settings provided by the systems you use, always present yourself in the most professional way possible.  This step helps ensure that there is no doubt about your professionalism even if someone slips through the cracks and sees your personal information.  Use appropriate grammar and punctuation and clear wording when writing.  Keep your tone positive and not derogatory towards anyone or any group.  Understand that people’s perception of what you post may be different than what you intend, but their perception will always be their reality.  Avoid arguing with others in public forums.  Overall, make all your online interactions appropriate for any audience at any point in time, especially as you search for a job.

Presenting your brand is important, but protecting your brand is even more vital.  First impressions are just that; you may never get a chance to mend a negative first view of your online world.  As you work on and grow your brand, assume that anyone can see anything you put out there in the world-wide web.  Use privacy guidelines and settings along with professionalism and common sense to  manage your brand.

Kristy Amburgey is the Associate Director of Career Services – Daytona Beach campus and currently manages marketing and employer relations for the department.  She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for approximately 10 years and with Career Services for nine years.

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by eraucso on March 7, 2013  •  Permalink
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How to Create Your Brand: Part Two

by Kristy Amburgey

personal brandingSome people consider branding as a marketing method of large corporations with iconic images, like the Coca-Cola can or the perfectly simple Nike logo.  Branding, though, is a technique that can be implemented by any job seeker or professional.  After understanding why you should have a brand and what steps you should take before branding, you can now work on your brand.

Branding is marketing yourself to potential employers using technological and creative resources, allowing you to stand out from others.  Some of you already have a brand but just don’t know how to further it. Branding can involve Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, blogging, personal website, user generated media like Squidoo, podcasts, speaking engagements/webinars and more.

One of the easiest ways to create a brand is via LinkedIn, and many of you may already have an account.  But you need to ensure your LinkedIn profile is approachable, meaning that it entices people to want to read it and then makes it easy for the readers to find useful information about you.  A professional picture, a clearly worded headline with a value statement and accurate job and education information are all valuable ways in which your profile can be quickly scanned for information that helps a potential employer (or even a client).  Ensure that your Skills & Expertise area is complete and that your contact preferences allow people to communicate with you.  Just like with so many job search resources, LinkedIn is not a passive wait-and-see site.  You need to be active, and you need to be a good connection to others.  Join groups but also provide valuable comments and feedback.  Share resources or articles but share them with people who you feel would benefit the most from the information.  You can also use some of the “apps” that LinkedIn hosts to share presentations or portfolios.  Although you want your privacy settings on the appropriate level that makes you comfortable, you need to ensure you still come up in online searches.

Like LinkedIn, you can use Facebook, Google+ and Twitter as a way to build your brand.  It is imperative that you maintain a distinct separation from your personal habits and your professional presence.  One of the best ways to handle this distinction is to create professional accounts for each of the sources you use.  Via your professional Facebook account, you can like pages of companies you want to target for employment, you can share relevant content with your group and you can befriend people in your professional world. Build a following on Twitter by being an expert in your field.  Google+ allows your brand to be more visible in internet search results.  Just be aware that Facebook, specifically, and these types of resources can be favored for fun, personal interactions, and your friends may not welcome a more professional presence.

Using other technology to create your brand is just as beneficial but may need a bit more time to devote to maintain your web presence.  Consider starting and actively maintaining a blog relevant to your industry.  Create a website that serves almost like your resume.  Contribute to online publications so that your authorship is more easily found.

Even though technology is one of the best ways to extend your brand, you should definitely use good ole fashioned in-person networking.  During informal or formal networking sessions, offer your services as a way to establish your expertise.  Communicate your brand to your mentors and ask for honest feedback.  Write articles for publications in traditional print, where your biography can be included with information about your website or blog.  Even something simple like adding your online branding links to your business card is beneficial.  After meeting with people, follow-up with them via a thank you note or personal email about something that is helpful to them.

Creating your brand is not enough.  You need to maintain and promote your brand.  Ensure you consistently update your profiles, Twitter, blog, etc. so that you continue building your presence.  Ensure that you periodically revise information on websites or blogs to keep things fresh and current.  Promoting your brand can take a bit more time, but it can be worth the extra effort.   When you leave comments for someone, include relevant links back to your web presence.  Advocate for your brand by asking to be considered for inclusion in “top” lists and on websites that drive plenty of traffic.  Consider using Google Analytics to optimize your brand.

This list of ways in which you can build your brand is fairly short.  Keep in mind that for every popular branding platform, there are three to four other options that you can use.  You don’t have to stick to this list either.  Get creative and find ways to establish your brand that appeals to you and your abilities.  If you are struggling with the idea of using these resources, consider finding someone who is able to work with you until you feel more comfortable using the technology.  Creating your brand is important so implement some of these platforms to establish a meaningful presence in the industry.

On a side note, one of my favorite blogs is the Personal Branding Blog.  This site is a great resource for the topic of branding.

The last article in this series is about protecting your brand.  Look for it next week!

Kristy Amburgey is the Associate Director of Career Services – Daytona Beach campus and currently manages marketing and employer relations for the department.  She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for approximately 10 years and with Career Services for nine years.

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by eraucso on February 28, 2013  •  Permalink
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How to Create Your Brand: Part One

by Kristy Amburgey

brandPersonal branding is a great way for any job seeker or professional to establish his or her expertise in industry or in the market, and a personal brand, especially in the online world, allows you to be more easily found and makes it easier for someone to comprehend your brand.  Before you start to implement actual branding ideas, you first need to understand your brand…YOU.

To create your brand, you need to take the time to figure out what skills, qualities, experiences, accomplishments, etc. upon which you are going to build your reputation.  You need to evaluate what makes you unique as a job seeker and what traits your desired companies value and marry the two together into one cohesive brand.

Depending on where you are in your career, you can draw from your academic, co-op/internship, project, volunteer and work (part-time and full-time) experiences.  Consider the experiences that are most closely related to the career you want and remember to include the accomplishments that make you stand out from the typical candidate.  Directly related experiences should be prioritized as you create your brand, but you also need to apply experiences that are not typical of your industry to further show a connection between you and what the employer needs. To understand industry expectations, you should have several targeted companies in mind and know what the “typical” candidate looks like for them.

You may have a grasp on what skills, accomplishments and qualifications you are going to use to build your brand, but you must also know what you expect to achieve with your personal brand.  What job(s) do you desire?  What outcomes are you seeking with your brand?  It is difficult to create a brand when you don’t know who your target audience is or what your own goals happen to be.  When creating your brand, understand who you want to see your branding efforts and keep their personalities and preferences in mind.  When you are seeking employment, it is even more important to understand your audience and know what job you want before developing your brand.

Creating a personal brand is a valuable way to communicate information about you.  Before creating the brand, you must have a clear picture of what you can offer and what you want in order to create a strategy that works.  And you need to honestly evaluate your connection to these areas before beginning your branding efforts.

Next week, we will continue the idea of creating a brand with How to Create Your Brand: Part Two.

Kristy Amburgey is the Associate Director of Career Services – Daytona Beach campus and currently manages marketing and employer relations for the department.  She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for approximately 10 years and with Career Services for nine years.

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by eraucso on February 21, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by eraucso on February 21, 2013

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Getting the Most Out of Career Services Resources

by Adriana Hall

I recently read a quote from Tony Robbins: “Success is not about your resources.  It’s about how resourceful you are with what you have.”  The Career Services team is constantly reviewing, monitoring, evaluating and shaping our resources to reflect the breadth and needs of our constituents and industries. We want you to take full advantage of the resources available to explore opportunities, discover your career goals and attributes, navigate the job search process and showcase your skills. Our office wants you to get the most out of your education by using what is available to you. Here are some tips on how to be more proactive with the resources available:

Start Early: Don’t wait until graduation to utilize the resources and services available to you. Starting early is an advantage as it allows you to fully use your time in school to develop your career plan, learn about companies and opportunities and prepare for your job search, integrating the various resources available into this process. For example, some internship programs target sophomore and junior students, so you need to be aware of the timing of the programs available by accessing the EagleHire Network to find out this information. In addition, start building your network as early as possible through resources such as career events, the Career Services LinkedIn group,  conferences, professional organizations and more.  Spread out the career development and job search process timeline by starting early using the resources you have at your full disposal.

Do your Homework:  Preparation is important, so do your homework using the resources available to take charge of your career and job search. Check out samples to enhance your resume and cover letter, research opportunities on the EagleHire Network and outside of the system, practice interviewing via Perfect Interview, participate in presentations and company information sessions and research, research, research. Not only do you want to know what resources are available to you, but you want to understand how you can take advantage of the resources to accomplish your job search homework.

Be an Active Participant: Job seekers often look at various career resources, such as job boards, every day, but many of these people are passively waiting for employers to contact them or for a hiring manager to “notice” them.  As you use the resources available to you, understand that you must put yourself out there in the job search world to achieve results. After you apply for a position, don’t just wait for a response from the company; find a contact within the company to help you find better ways to connect with the hiring personnel or follow up with the hiring manager directly to make your case for employment.  Instead of expecting your network to come to you, find ways to meaningfully help your network (sharing resources or knowledge.  Be an active participant in your own search.

Bonus Tip – Be Professional: Although not necessarily a resource, professionalism is imperative to job search success.  Without professionalism, all the smart use of resources won’t put you any closer to career growth. With this in mind, you should practice professionalism in your interactions with any campus department, with your fellow students and alumni and with all employers. This expectation includes appearance, communication, punctuality and preparedness.

Career Services provides many resources for you, and you will find many more just an internet search away. Find ways to make these resources work for you and your situation. Be resourceful and explore all your career options to put yourself in the best place possible for professional success.

Adriana Hall has a Bachelor of Arts in Languages (Spanish-English) from Colombia-South America and a Master of Science in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  She has been with ERAU for 9 years. Adriana worked for the Department of State in Colombia at the United States Embassy before moving to the U.S.

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by eraucso on January 16, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by eraucso on January 16, 2013

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Conference Spotlight: National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Annual Convention

by Kristy Amburgey

DSC_3557Attending conferences and events is an excellent way to professionally network, learn new information as related to your career and identify employment opportunities.  The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) 39th Annual Convention, to be held March 27 – 31, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a great example of an event where you can both personally and professionally grow.  In fact, the annual NSBE conference, and the many events they host throughout the year, has resulted in great success stories for Embry-Riddle students and alumni.  Two such success stories come from Marie-Jeanne Steady Ndiaye (or MJ) and Vincent Bell.  We asked both of these alumni to share their experiences with the NSBE Convention.

Why did you decide to attend NSBE in 2012?

MJ: It was a very simple and pragmatic decision to come to. As an undergraduate student, I tried to attend as many professional conferences /conventions as I could; it is the best way to meet industry leaders and others who share your enthusiasm about your field.  The other reason why I attended the convention is that I quite frankly liked not being the “odd one out”. There typically aren’t many minority attendants; there’s this belief that we are not interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), so it’s nice to be reminded it is just a “myth”.

Vincent: I decided to attend the NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) Convention in 2012 after talking to Mr. Mark Lyden about working for The Boeing Company at the end of February or early March 2012.  He told me that Boeing and various companies go to the convention to hire knowledgeable minorities.  So my main reason for going was to obtain a job after graduating from ERAU.  However, I also saw an opportunity to present what I was working on at that time at the conference when I saw there were so many cancellations in the conference presentation schedule.

What was the conference like for you?

MJ: It was a bit overwhelming at first because there were thousands of attendees rushing and buzzing around. There was a multitude of sessions, workshops, and discussions panels. I just didn’t know how I was going to make the most of the convention and what events to attend. All I knew was that I wanted to take it ALL in!

Vincent: The conference was great, and I had an unbelievable experience.  The first day that I got there I met up with couple of other ERAU students.  And Mr. Lyden, who I had been in contact with prior to the convention, wanted to meet with all the ERAU students that attended the conference, and he invited us to an exclusive Boeing talk, to where we were able to talk to Boeing managers and Boeing engineers that came for the conference.  The second day I ended up presenting on what I was conducting research on with Dr. Bereket Berhane.

Everyone that has been to an ERAU career fair would enjoy the NSBE Convention.  The convention is one huge career fair with so many engineering companies/firms and graduate schools trying to get qualified students to come to their program and study. Plus this gives the companies opportunity to see what you know by means of presentation.  For example, after my first interview, which was with Boeing, I invited my two interviewers to my presentation, and one actually came.  So it was great experience for your potential employer to see what you know and how well you can present information to others that may or may not be as knowledgeable on the subject at hand.

Overall, it was great, and the feedback I received was amazing.

Where there any outcomes from NSBE Conference?

MJ: Definitely! I really enjoyed the Educational Sessions, including:

  • Professional Development sessions -  provided me with soft skills to my academic and professional career ahead
  • Mentoring sessions – provided a framework that I used for my grad school selection/application process. That session also helped me outline for myself how I wanted to maximize my grad school experience
  • Outreach sessions – we had an opportunity to interact with local high schoolers, conducting experiments and answering questions about different STEM fields. This sparked my interest for Science Outreach and more specifically promoting Space Ethos. So much so, that when I started working at the Kennedy Space Center, I joined the Speakers Bureau, which is a group of volunteers who represent the center at civic, professional, educational, and other public events. Bureau members are exceptionally qualified to discuss general and specific aspects of the activities and technologies associated with the space flight program

Vincent: Of course the big aerospace companies were there (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and others).  So I earned 5 interviews in those three days: Boeing, Raytheon, Goldman Sachs, Northrop Grumman, and Texas Instruments.

The interview with Northrop Grumman was for thermal analysis engineering, and I never heard anything back from them.  The Texas Instruments interview was for mechanical engineering.  Texas Instruments never contacted me back again.  The interview with Goldman Sachs was for financial analyst, where, if I received an offer, I would be inspecting engineering project funding.  I had a follow up phone interview but ultimately did not receive an offer.  The interview with Raytheon was for Navigation, Guidance, Control (GNC) engineering and with the Raytheon Missile Systems.  Raytheon Missile Systems actually flew me to Tucson, AZ for a hiring event with about 100 other applicants for various job openings.  I ultimately received a job offer with them.  My interview with Boeing was for a fuel system engineer.  The day after this interview, I was told that I would receive an offer within the month for a job with Boeing.   I took the job with Boeing over Raytheon.

Why should students/alumni attend this conference?

MJ: Three words: networking, development, and exposure! I think that is pretty self-explanatory. If you are a black engineer, you NEED to attend the national convention.

Because the National Convention focuses mainly on the big 4 (Electrical, Mechanical, Software, and Civil Engineering), I would strongly urge ERAU students with interest in space to join the NSBE Space Special Interest Group (commonly referred to as Space SIG). It is one of NSBE’s star programs and is opened to college students as well as alumni.

They are actually hosting a conference in January, Space Technology Session 2013 (next one won’t be until 2015!) that is unlike other conferences in that it is actually a hands-on engineering session.  Participants are divided into groups with each group being assigned to work on a pre-defined set of deliverables for one of NSBE’s space-related technical projects.   It offers students an opportunity to work in an apprentice-like setting with industry engineers, managers, and scientists. This is how I developed and honed my technical proficiency!

Vincent: Students and alumni should attend this conference because companies come to this convention to hire participants.   Knowing that you have a huge chance of getting hired is a main reason why the ERAU family should attend.  Even if you are a freshman, you can standout for the upcoming years and help your chances either with a job or internship, when you are ready.  When you are looking for a job and applying via the internet, companies do not know you nor see your passion.  They only see what you put on your resume at the time.  And that is if you did your resume right and tailored your resume to that job announcement to which you just applied.  But at this conference you are talking to people who are eager to talk to you to see what you know, and you can pick apart their brains at any time.  They want you to ask a lot of questions as much as possible.  Companies are really looking for the best applicant possible that they can hire.  So I think for ERAU students and alumni, we are those types of people that they can hire and train very easily.

Vincent also has some additional advice for students who will be graduating soon.

The advice I would give students who are graduating soon is to go out there and apply and apply to all jobs for which you are qualified.  Before I went the NSBE Convention, I applied to about 350 jobs in 2 and half months.  From these that I applied to, I only heard back from 10 or 15 of the companies.  None of them offered me a job at all.  After the NSBE Convention, I had two offers after talking to 5 companies.

Another piece of advice I will give is when you get a chance to have an interview (either over the phone or in person), ask as many questions that pertain to the job or the betterment of you ultimately receiving an offer.  For example, in every interview that I have had over the past 2 years, I have asked the employers what about my resume stood out to them.  If something stood out to them, it possibly may stand out to others as well.  Another question I have asked is what is something that I can change (either on the resume or the interview itself) that will help with next interview you may have.  This question will show employers you are eager to learn something new about yourself and work on weaknesses that may be apparent to them.  Also, you should ask questions on relevant projects that company has worked on and/or on which they are currently working.  This will show your interest in the company with which you are hoping to get a job.

At the end of your interview, make sure you have business cards of all those people that interviewed you.  Wait about a week or two and then email them.  In your email, you just want to tell them thank you for the opportunity to talk to them.  You are not asking where you stand in the interview process.  This step will allow you to pop back up in their head because they received an email from you, and it is another way to stand out above the rest of the people that they may have interviewed.

I hope these tips help all ERAU students and alumni get jobs upon graduating.

Based on our alumni feedback, you can see that the NSBE Convention is a great opportunity for candidates seeking opportunities, both right now and in the future.  Besides professional development and networking opportunities, you will have access to many premier companies who are hiring like Battelle, Boeing, CIA, General Dynamics, Johnson Controls, Lockheed Martin, Toyota, United Technologies Corporation and many more.

Kristy Amburgey is the Associate Director of Career Services – Daytona Beach campus and currently manages marketing and employer relations for the department.  She has been with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for approximately 10 years and with Career Services for nine years.

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by eraucso on January 14, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by eraucso on January 14, 2013

http://eraucso.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/conference-spotlight-national-society-of-black-engineers-nsbe-annual-convention/

The Importance of Internships: A Student’s Perspective

by Lauren Guddahl

Have any of you ever gone without food?  What if I told you I knew someone, let’s call him Johnny, who was starving?  It’s a sad story and we would feel bad for Johnny.  But what if I also said he lived on a farm? Would you feel as bad for him?  Let me clarify that by no means is Johnny’s farm experiencing difficult times.  He’s just not capable of cultivating the land.  You might think: ‘What’s wrong with this guy?  He lives on a farm and still cannot get food for himself?’  You might even laugh.  This is a ridiculous notion.  But this is exactly what you are doing with your education if you do not take part in any professional development experiences prior to graduation.

Seems kind of harsh, doesn’t it?  But it’s true.  I have done an internship and a co-op and have become fascinated with the impact that it had for me on getting full time job offers.  I have spoken with coworkers and friends who have had internships, as well as recruiters, and they all say the same thing.  Do an internship.  The involvement makes graduates more marketable for full time job offers for many reasons.  Networking opportunities become available.  Second, there is an application of the knowledge learned in school.  Another reason to get an internship is to land a higher starting salary.  Finally, the experience gained is one of the most common things recruiters look for when hiring for a full time position.

You may be saying to yourself, these are all great things, but why is being more marketable to the job world so important?  I will tell you why.  Did you know that Chuck Raasch from USA Today has cited the unemployment rate at 8.5% for the Class of 2011in the article “Grim job prospects could scar today’s college graduates?”  That’s not too bad though, right?  You won’t be in that 8.5%.  But consider this: 19.1% of recent graduates are underemployed.  This means that they are working part time when they’d rather be working full time.  And another 40% or so of the lucky graduates who are working, are actually overqualified.  Meaning that the job they have really didn’t require a four year degree at all.  That’s about $160,000 at Riddle if you finish in four years.

In addition to the wonderful statistics I just mentioned, don’t forget that there are now larger numbers of students graduating from colleges and universities.  In a New York Times editorial, “The Class of 2012,” research has shown that salaries have steadily decreased 4.6% since 2007 for recent college graduates.  Adjusted for inflation, this is about $2000 per year.  Not to mention that finding a student with a good GPA isn’t as difficult as it might have once been due to this larger selection.  It’s OK though.  There is a way to appeal to employers once you graduate!  And you all can and should start now by applying to and accepting an internship.

You can begin by working with Career Services to find an internship or co-op that works for you.  According to Kristy Amburgey and Sally Richards from the Career Services Office, as of October, 57.1% of the Class of 2012 from Riddle found employment or decided to continue their education.  28.5% of these people had an internship or co-op experience.  Furthermore, on a national level, the Class of 2011 had a job offer rate greater than 61% for graduates who participated in paid internships at for-profit companies as stated by the National Association of Colleges and Employers in “The Class of 2011 Student Survey Report.”  If you’re still not convinced, you should also be aware that this report also found that the participants of professional education enhancements from the Class of 2011 had a 12.6% higher offer rate for full time jobs than their non-interning counterparts and an 11% higher offer rate for the Class of 2010.

You need to start now.  Especially if you’re a freshman!  When Dr. Cunningham was the Associate Vice President of Academics, he would speak at orientation every year to the incoming students.  His message was the same semester after semester and I never got tired of hearing it: “There are two things every student who comes in here should do: a study abroad and an internship.”  These words have stuck with me and I have particularly taken them to heart.  While the first is an experience in itself, the latter provides more professional development.

First off, networking is an essential part of the experience.  A friend of mine, Cody, had an internship with Continental Airlines in the Fall of 2011.  Through this, he was able to meet and connect with former F-14 and F-18 pilots as well as flight engineers on the P-3.  They later wrote him excellent recommendation letters for a flight slot with the Navy.  He is convinced that his connection from the internship is what secured him his slot.

Another friend of mine, Fred, did not have the best grades, but he was extremely passionate about what he was interested in.  He knew an internship was going to be extremely difficult for him to get since his GPA was low, so he got creative. He scheduled meetings with managers of small businesses just to express interest in the company and explain in person, after schmoozing managers, that while he didn’t have the best grades, he knew his stuff.  He was made four separate offers this way and even had a CEO specially create an intern position for him because he showed his determination.

This is all great.  You may be thinking, yes, an internship sounds like a great idea, but what about my four year plan?  Graduating in four years is not the most important thing!  In a long heart to heart with Dr. Gupta, one of the AE professors, I was told: “My friend, you come to school to get a job.  If you are being offered a job, you take a break from school for a little while and you take the job.  Just a little while.”  Getting hands on training is much more valuable than completing a degree in a set time frame.  Do not miss the internship/co-op experience because you will not graduate “on time.”  Employers would rather see real work experience!

I have turned a ten semester program into thirteen even though I started with a semester’s worth of credits.  However, I have a guaranteed job now once I am done with school.  I have done an internship and co-op and have had other job offers aside from the one I have accepted and I still have another year before I finish school.  I am 99.9% certain that had I not had my internship or co-op that I would not be in the position I am in now.

Envision yourself sitting in a first class seat of a 747 on a sixteen hour flight back from a weekend in Australia with a mimosa – if you’re old enough! – in your hand.  You paid $400 for the roundtrip first class ticket.  This was my reality less than four months ago because I was finishing my co-op with Continental/United Airlines.

Take a step back.  Or I should say a step forward!  It is one to three years from now and you are graduating.  Where will you be heading?  Were you successful here?  Do you know what you want to be?  I’ve got news for you: school is different than the real world!  I was convinced after my first semester here that I wanted to do something with CATIA as a career.  Naturally, I applied for CAD support internships and landed one for six months at MTU Aero Engines.  Working as a CAD support intern was nothing like what I thought it would be.  It was fun and I wouldn’t trade those few months for anything, but it is not a suitable career for me.  Had I not taken the internship, I may not have known that and might have ended up in a position where I was doing that as a full time employee with no hopes of leaving in a few months or so.  Applying what you learn in school to real work experiences helps ensure the “dream job” you want is really what you want.

Furthermore, GPA isn’t everything.  From a growing market, employers have a large selection to choose from. “I have a degree” no longer means “I have a job” like it once did.   I have a friend named Becca who graduated in May 2011 with a 4.0 and still has no job.  She has gone on several interviews and has not made the final cut because even though other applicants have lower GPAs, they have had experience from an internship or co-op.  Do you want to be like Becca?  Living with her parents after being away for school?  Depending on them for every penny and dime coming your way?  We all hopefully love our parents, but we have to draw the line somewhere.

With that being said, what would you do if someone gave you $66 every week?  66 bucks a week!  Just because… you had an internship?  On average, that is how much more you can be making with a starting salary if you have a professional development experience according to the “Impact of Internships on Salary Offers” from the NACE Class of 2011 statistics.  The Class of 2010 had it even better – NACE statistics state that they had overall offers $7000 higher than graduates who did not partake in internships.  I don’t know about you, but I could do a lot with another $66 a week being thrown my way.  Don’t just take my word on how beneficial an internship can be, though.  Get out there and speak to employers about job prospects for the future.

As I think I might have stated before, with the increasing difficulty it is to get a job, graduates need to have an edge over competitors to market themselves to employers.  This can be done by applying for internships. TODAY!  Right after I finish giving you these tips!  Half listen to me and pull out your laptops right now.  Do not put it off any longer!  EagleHire is a great place to start, but don’t limit yourself to Riddle resources.  Google internships.  Find a person who works at the company you want to work at and ask them about opportunities.

Then prepare for interviews. Career Services can help you by reviewing your resume or setting up mock interviews.  Make sure you’ve researched the companies you’re interested in working for – why do you want to work for them?  What sets them apart?  What can you bring to the company that would make you the ideal candidate?

Now get involved!  Go to networking events! Meet people and get your name out there.  Ask for e-mail addresses and follow up with them.  Hope they enjoy their Thanksgiving, wish them Happy New Year’s.  This is that person who might be able to help you get your foot in the door later down the line.  Get to know professors too.  An advisor of a club you’re in, a coach of a sport you play, or your boss for the minimum wage job you have right now.  They will be able to provide excellent references for you when the time comes.

Get an internship and you just might be able to look back and tell your friends how you got to go to Europe (or Australia) for a weekend! Or say how you got to work on parts for the F-18!  Or were given an exclusive VIP tour of the Rolls-Royce facilities in Indianapolis!  Or… well, I could probably go on for a while but I think you get the point.  Get an internship!

Lauren Guddahl is a graduate student in the Aerospace Engineering program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach campus. In fall 2010, Lauren Guddahl left the United States for Germany to complete an unforgettable engineering internship with MTU Aero Engines. During her time in Germany, she had the chance to learn the culture and the language while gaining new computer skills, exposure to the working world, and practical experience. This past fall, Lauren decided to complete a co-op, this time with United Continental Holdings, dba United Airlines as an Aircraft Structures Co-op. Both of these experiences have given Lauren knowledge and perspective that she would likely not otherwise possess, along with some great stories to share in future interviews. Read more about Lauren’s experiences in her Co-op/Internship Spotlight on the Going Places blog.

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by eraucso on December 13, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by eraucso on December 13, 2012

http://eraucso.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/the-importance-of-internships-a-students-perspective/

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