Oracle Still Wants YOU to Succeed!

In the last post, I covered some of the topics that Mallika, Manager of Oracle's ThinkQuest Competition, went over in her lecture here at OIT. I just want to wrap up that post with this one, which is mainly full of "et-cetera" material.

The ThinkQuest Application Development Competition is an annual competition which puts individuals into a small team tasked with developing a solution to a real-world problem. This tests each student's communication, critical thinking and technology skills... all of which are things I mentioned in the previous post. There are a bunch of divisions, but chances are that college students will most often fit into the 22 and under division. Competition for this year's event started in August, but it doesn't end until this April 27th. So there's still time to get into it!

Again, it's not so much about the competition as it is about developing your skills in all of the aforementioned areas, all of which can help you greatly in your job search!

Check out http://www.thinkquest.org/ for more information, and also keep your eye out for other competitions sponsored by other organizations!

Don't forget about your resume. I've seen a ton of resumes that are all function, with little focus on form. When you're diving into a market where hiring managers are looking at hundreds of resumes every week, it's important to find a way to make yours stand out at first glance. There are plenty of ways to do this right, but even more ways to do it wrong. This is another thing I will consider covering in the coming weeks. Keep a look out!

Mallika made sure to press the importance for innovation. Our world is constantly changing because of innovation, and it's definitely going in the positive direction. Taking an innovating approach to solving problems may take a bit more time, but the outcome can be well worth it. Employers all over the world are looking to innovate, and if you can bring that quality to the table, then you'll be among their first choices!

We're waiting on a video from Oracle of one of the lectures given elsewhere. When I receive it, I'll watch it and post it with another blog!

Oracle Wants YOU to Succeed!

Oracle is a well-known name in the IT world. Oracle is who businesses often look to for integrated software and hardware systems. But what they do for technology isn't really important in the context of this blog. Oracle hosts a program called Oracle Academy, which is purposed to exposing our younger generations to database and Java technologies.

Why is this important? Well, they also reach out to college-level students who are on their way into the industry. To do that, Oracle is running all over the country doing lectures for college students meant to prepare them for the industry. And while the lectures are directed to those of us in the computer industry, the same information can be useful to students moving into other industries.

A representative from Oracle Academy, by the name of Mallika, stopped by OIT today to do such a lecture. Mallika manages Oracle's ThinkQuest Application Development Competition (more on that later). The topics covered were brief, and sometimes could be left to common sense, but they are things that could be and should be said. Not only are they all important, but because they make sense, sometimes they're overlooked in favor of more complex issues with preparing yourself for your job-search.


The first thing Mallika covered is the importance of putting together some sort of "technology portfolio". Having been a college student for around four and a half years, I have the resources to put together quite a portfolio. You don't need four and a half years of school under your belt to make a good portfolio, though. All of those finished assignments that you should have saved throughout the years are perfect candidates to show both you experience in software design/development, and your problem-solving skills. These are, of course, two (not all) of the most important qualities found in good software engineers.

A proper portfolio will find its use in the interview. Chances are that you won't be able to simply "attach" it to your resume or your cover-letter. Additionally, you'll find that a portfolio isn't always a requirement in the interview. But it sure is a great thing to carry along. Think of it this way... you can use it to supplement your answers. One of the hardest questions to answer is "why do you think you are qualified for this job?" or something to that end. How classy would you be if you could pass a portfolio across the table and explain how that portfolio shows specific skills that would assist you in performing the job well? Real classy, if you ask me. Talk about having some real solid support for your words at the ready. Maybe I'll write a blog about putting the actual portfolio together in the coming weeks. Look for it!


Mallika also covered skills that employers find particularly useful, and how to develop those skills. To do this, she brought into the equation something that a lot of us overlook when we think about our work environments. The world is gradually moving toward a more globalized economy every day. With advancements in IT come changes in how we are able to interact with people. It's not uncommon to enter into a workplace where your team is scattered across the country, or even the world. Mallika mentioned that she has not met her team in person for nearly two years.

With that knowledge on the table, she expressed the need for each of us to be able to solve complex issues on our own. It's not always going to be possible to find someone on your team who can help you right when an issue arises, so being competent in solving your own issues is key.

So since that isn't something you can demonstrate in a short interview, Mallika added the top three traits that employers look for in their candidates. They're kind of self-explanatory but they are oh, so important: technological, communication, and critical thinking skills. Your proficiency in each of these will show through in the interview process whether you like it or not, and so it's a good idea to make sure you are on top of your game.

Mallika suggests a few resources for developing your skills in these areas. Of course, the first place you should look is Google. Searching for online application/software development competitions will bring up a load of ways to outlet your software development energy and build your skills at the same time! You can also look into the Microsoft Imagine Cup, Oracle's ThinkQuest Application Development Competition, and IBM's The Great Mind Challenge. It doesn't have to be about winning, naturally, it's about learning!


So this is turning into a huge wall of text. I'm going to continue with this in another blog!

Career Services Parner: Oregon Department of Transportation

Last week, I hosted a video conference between OIT students and ODOT on the topic of summer internship applications. Blake Dye, our contact with ODOT was nice enough to share a ton of pointers for our students in order to boost their chances of landing an internship or even employment at ODOT this summer. Of course, some of the tips he shared with us could easily apply to any other job.

Naturally, before being able to apply to any job, you need to know what the job is. If you're interested in ODOT particularly, you can find their jobs at http://www.odotjobs.com. Believe it or not, the jobs aren't exclusive to Civil Engineering majors. In the video conference, Blake asked everyone for their declared major. He wasn't expecting a room only occupied with Civil Engineers! I've seen job listings on their website for plenty of other majors. Take a look!

The next step is to put together a resume. I would suggest starting one from scratch specifically for ODOT, since they're pretty well-set on their requirements. Keep in mind that what I'm writing about is stuff that Blake suggested, so it's probably a good idea to follow it!


The top portion of your resume is about you, not your qualifications. Blake suggested spending the first 1/3 of your sheet going over your Name, Hometown, Expected Graduation Date, your Major and then a brief summary of who you are and what you can do. The summary should be between 2 and 3 lines and include things like whether you prefer to work outdoors, indoors, travel, etc. Are you good at anything specific in your field, etc. Really focus on the section that mentions the fact that preference will be given to candidates that meet a certain profile. They're looking for this stuff.

Next up are your relevant skills. These are skills that tie in very closely to the job listing. One thing Blake mentioned is to include everything that could be relevant; no exception. Put Microsoft Office products on there if you know how to use them. Again, pay attention to what they're looking for, and be SURE to list how your related skills.

The next section is for relevant [job field] experience. Yes, keep it narrowed down to your experience in the job field that you're applying to work in. You will likely be working as some sort of engineer for ODOT, and so most of the time, you'll be adding your relevant engineer experience. This is anything and everything that you have done in your field. Put your senior project on there, volunteering, other unpaid internships, paid internships, part time or full time work - anything that is related to the job that you're applying for.

With what room you have left, you're going to share other experience that you might have. It doesn't have to be engineering or whatever related. This is nowhere near as important as your relevant experience, but it will show other skills that you have that can assist you in doing your job successfully. If you worked as a store manager at Ross or something, put it in there. But try to keep it narrowed down to work experience, because...

...the next, and last part of your resume is for extra curricular activities. This is stuff like playing on sports teams, being a part of a club and doing activities, math competitions, whatever. Dig deep into your memories and ask your friends! You could find plenty of things to put here, but remember. The focus should be on your relevant experience.


One reason why we're always encouraged to tailor our resumes to the job posts is because employers want to know that you're actually reading the job post. They want to know that you know what you're applying for, and that you actually want the job they listed. Because of today's saturated market of candidates, it's necessary for them to weed out those who are trying to get on a train that's going to the wrong city. That is, they don't want to consider people who are applying for a job that isn't for them.

It's okay to have a generalized resume, but if you're applying to a specific job posting, you need to be sure you're proving to the employer that you want and are qualified to do the job listed.


ODOT job posts come with a list of supplemental questions. Generally, these questions are tailored to the specific job, and help them learn more about you as a candidate. With that said, don't short change these questions!!!! The more you can write about yourself for each open-ended question, the better! If you leave it at two or three sentences, all it shows them is that you didn't care enough about the job to spend the time writing a legit answer. This is something Blake was very, very clear about. Don't sell yourself short by being short with the questions!!!


Also remember that you aren't competing with the employer for the job. You're competing with other students around the *world*. There is a huge market for candidates for any job. It's not hard for employers to generate interest in a job, and it isn't hard for employers to find someone to say yes to. Your challenge is to make it hard for them to say no to you.

Oh yeah. Don't forget to include a transcript.

Good luck!

The Five Course - Come and Get It!

Coming this February 11 - The Five Course!

Come and learn how to dine with members of the industry and learn how to make an ace impression while you're dining! If you're in the market for the job, you could very possibly find this useful, as it's common for recruiters and hiring managers to invite candidates out to dinner. Rest assured, though, that by dinner they mean interview!

If you're wondering what this even is all about, you should first read my accounts of last year's Business Etiquette Dinner. The details may change, but the overall goal is the same: get you ready for dining with professionals.

Here are the previous articles:
Etiquette Keepsake - How to Eat your Dinner
Etiquette Keepsake - How to Eat your Dinner, Part 2

Have a look, and sign yourself up on Career Services Online! The fee is $10 per head, and I have to say that's not bad for a five-course meal!

Oh by the way, the name was my idea!