Career Fair Keepsake - This is It!?

Some of the Career Services/SSC Crew

While the March 1st Career Fair is long past, the impressions made on both our students and the recruiters who attended will remain. This being likely my final OIT Career Fair as an office assistant here at Career Services, I made it a point to really work hard to get a good feel for how this Career Fair would be received.

We decided to switch up the format of this Career Fair just a bit, and I believe the changes will stick for future fairs. This time, we required students to register to attend. The change was inspired by multiple factors, and everyone hoped that it would remedy some issues from the past. This Career Fair would look less like an Information Fair and more like a proper Career Fair.

One of the most common accounts of negative feedback from recruiters over the years has been the lack of preparedness of our students come the day of Career Fair. Previously, it wasn't uncommon to see students showing up wearing t-shirts and jeans (and sometimes even kilts). The lack of professional attire would be accompanied by an unsurprisingly low number of resumes in circulation, and recruiters tend to frown at this fact.

Recruiters come to our Career Fairs looking to find potential future employees, and what they've seen in the past from a professional point of view, overall, hasn't been great. Requiring our students to register and have resumes prepared before the fair was a good step toward ensuring a more prepared group of students. This fair, undoubtedly, was considerably more impressive than fairs of the past.

Everyone was dressed professionally and came prepared with resumes to hand out to the attending recruiters. And those recruiters noticed. Every recruiter I talked to mentioned how prepared our students were this time. Sure, we had fewer overall attendees, but the quality of those who attended shined through.

Rentrak Corporation - here for the first time!

While, in the past, our students' Career Fair preparedness has been something to improve, one thing hasn't changed: OIT students are good at what they do. Recruiters return to our Career Fairs every year and say the same thing: OIT churns out quality professionals consistently. This feels great to hear no matter how many times I hear it, and it pleases me to boast about it every time.

First-time attendee, MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc, sent recruiters - one of which had this to say: "Overall: Very Good - Having the students do resumes, cards and appearance made a very good impression of your school. We were very happy to have been a part of today's job fair. Thank You"

No, thank you, MBCI, for the feedback, and for reassuring us that our students did a good job!

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Garmin AT is a regular at OIT Career Fairs

I love chatting it up with recruiters, no doubt. But the Career Fairs aren't just for them. Our students' satisfaction is just as important to us, if not more-so. I try to talk to a few students during each Career Fair, also. Usually the conversation degenerates to typical small-talk, but the impression that I've gotten from students in the past is that there weren't many opportunities presented by the recruiters. Recruiters would come and say "check out our website for job opportunities" or "we aren't currently hiring", and that doesn't make students very happy.

This Career Fair, somehow, turned out quite different. Most of the students I talked to mentioned to me that there were, in fact, more recruiters hiring for specific jobs or internships. Hearing this makes me happy for our students, as that little fact itself is a huge confidence booster for those who will be graduating in the near future. And while this isn't necessarily a direct result of our requiring students to register, that requirement could lead to more students having a greater chance at getting one of the jobs, or at least interviews with the companies who they spoke to.

One thing that is a direct result of the registration requirement, which students were very pleased with, is a much more relaxed atmosphere. Despite everyone being dressed professionally, and being more focused on scoring jobs, the smaller number of students circulating through allowed recruiters to offer more time to talk to individual students. This springs a ton of benefits for each student.

Mentor Graphics' Eric Campbell chatting with a student

Often times, when starting up a conversation with someone who you mean to make a good impression with, it's easy to tense up. Then you forget your name, what you wanted to talk about, any questions you may have already had prepared, and then you pass out. If you can make it past the passing out part, which most of us do, you can start to relax, get into a rhythm, and communicate more effectively.

In previous Career Fairs, there was no time to find that rhythm. In many cases, it was a get-in, say your name, ask a question, and then the recruiter would move on to the next guy kind of deal. This Career Fair was considerably different. I saw students chatting it up with recruiters for tens of minutes at a time, and as I found out, it was very casual chatting, not necessarily related to any particular job. This is called networking, and it's a great thing, and I'm glad our students had an opportunity to do it. Recruiters will remember someone they had a casual conversation with, and they're more likely to remember to pass the word onto hiring managers.

I even noticed some recruiters providing input on students' resumes!

Even though the Career Fair is meant to close up at 4:00pm, in the past, we'd have employers fully packed up and ready to leave BY 4:00pm. This was always a little disconcerting. This year, as Jan mentioned to me, is the first year that a Career Fair has gone all the way up to (and past) 4:00pm. Multiple employers were still talking to students at 4:00pm, and I even stayed afterward to talk to one of them. This, I think, is another great result of our registration policy. Whoever came up with the idea should get a cookie!

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Well, that's it for this post! I might have a little more to write about if we get more feedback forms in from recruiters. We'll see!

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!

Salary Negotiation Food-for-Thought

So you've jumped through hoop after hoop to score a job, and when you're offered the job your employer includes a salary number. Those of us who are a little less ambitious would take that offer on the spot. But I'm here today to write to you about how you can actually increase your starting salary through proper negotiation.

Today's economy is the basis of a lot of concerned feelings toward salary negotiation these days. But the reality is that if you do it right, salary negotiation is not inappropriate. But to do it right, you need to brush up on some very specific areas in the salary negotiation process.

The key to being a part of an appropriate salary negotiation is knowing your own value, and being capable of substantiating that value. Not everyone who is offered a job is just qualified. Some will be closer to over-qualified, and to be realistic, OIT students can often prove that they qualify for a job that requires a bit more experience than entry-level.

Why is that? Well, OIT's curricula focus heavily on practical application of what our students learn. The time that our DMS students spend in lab scanning can be equivalent to some experience in the industry scanning. The time our CSET students spend working in a team to develop a product for a client can carry that same significance. Mechanical and Manufacturing students can boast as well about their time spent working on projects for clients. This is the bulk of your worth. Being able to relate your experience as a student at OIT to the qualifications for the job is a very useful tool in salary negotiation.

Another useful tool is a general understanding of the market for people in your industry. How much are other entry-level employees making? Does the trend over the past few years show an increase in starting salary or a decrease? And most importantly, how does your experience level put you above or below what you were offered, with this in consideration?

Do more research than you think is necessary. In my field, technology changes very rapidly, and new technologies pop up often. Knowing that a company is about to release a new product from a department that you are slated to work in means that you are now negotiating for a job that is in high demand. To advance the technology, the company needs you. Knowing that sort of information gives you a little more wiggle-room. If a Doctor offers you a job working in his office, and you know that he just bought a new piece of equipment which you used directly in your lab, again, you now have some wiggle-room in the salary offer. Use research as another tool to assist you in backing any sort of negotiation you'd like to do.

Be creative in finding ways to substantiate your worth, and always know what you're shooting for. It can't hurt to try if you do it right.


With that said, there are very well defined ways to "do it right". Always keep in mind that most hiring managers have a limit to what they can offer you, and if they can't offer you a higher starting salary, sometimes they can offer you other benefits on the side. Then there's the odd case that there is no room for negotiation. But if you don't try it, you won't find out now, would you?

Before you even bother bringing up the idea of salary negotiation, you have to establish with the hiring manager that you are grateful for the job offer. From there you can ask if there is any flexibility in the offer that has been presented. Once you see your options, it's time to break out the tools and start carving a path for yourself in the negotiation. You need to have prepared for this before hand. Opening negotiations and then taking your time to do your part would be a huge turn-off in any negotiation, and when there's a large pool of candidates qualified for your job, some companies can get impatient.

On the other hand, remember that the hiring manager's job isn't to screw you out of a job, it's to help you be successful in the job they've offered you. They'd rather negotiate with you than have the offer turned down, because they've probably spent some serious time narrowing the candidate list down.

Of course, be polite! Being a jerk will never get you anywhere unless you're a CEO. That's a joke, but it's true. If you keep your cool, lay out your side of things, and allow the other side to do some work, you could very likely end up with an employment deal that you really like, given that the hiring manager has more to offer.


Remember, there are two hugely important things you need to be proficient at when considering a salary negotiation. You need to know your worth in relation to the company you're going to work for and the job you've been offered, and you need to be able to communicate those things throughout the negotiation in a way that doesn't corner or put-off your hiring manager. But at the same time, remember that you could just as easily come out of a negotiation in the same position as you went into it.

Upcoming Career.... Things!

Hey, everyone. It's time for a little news!

In the coming months, Career Services has a few career-related events coming up that could be quite interesting to some of you! Not only do we have visits from potential employers, but we've also got our annual business etiquette dinner (with a new name, which I don't know), and another Career Fair!

First up is a visit from Fremont-Winema National Forests. They're going to be doing an information desk and workshop on Tuesday, January 18th in the College Union. While that's going on, they'll be taking names for people interested in interviewing for a summer job. Those will take place on the 19th and 20th here at Career Services! So just as a recap:
Information Desk: Tuesday, January 18 9am-2pm - College Union
Workshop: Tuesday, January 18 2pm - Mt. Thielsen, College Union
Interviews: Wednesday/Thursday, January 19/20 - Career Services

Make sure you stop by if you're interested!

Next up is a visit from Hewlett-Packard in Boise, Idaho. They're looking to hire a "Firmware Engineer" but from what I hear, that's not all! They'll be meeting with students on Thursday, January 20th between 9am and 5pm. But you have to sign up to meet with them! You'll need a Career Services Online account and a resume to post. Don't be lazy, though! Interview sign-ups will close on the 17th.

If you're interested in signing up, visit Career Services Online, create an account if you haven't already upload your resume, and do a search for Schedule ID 74. You can reserve a 1 hour interview spot there! Remember the interview I did with Clint Moran? This is how he got his job at HP.

Moving on to February...

The Oracle Academy will be stopping by to give a lecture on turning your collection of class assignments into a portfolio to help you snatch your job in industry. Look for them in Purvine 206 on Tuesday, February 8th at 11am if you're interested! It should be way cool.

Also in February is our annual business etiquette dinner. This is a great opportunity to learn how to dine with professionals! That lunch or dinner invitation you received from a recruiter? Yeah, that's an interview. Come to the event and get school on how to ace this interview without breaking a sweat. Event name is pending...... but it'll be GOOD! The event is scheduled for Thursday, February 17th between 5:30pm and 8:00pm. Contact Jan Goodyear for more details and RSVP information at 541.885.1023.

Lastly we have our Spring Career Fair. Scheduled for Tuesday, March 1st, it's another Career Fair as portrayed in my Career Fair Keepsakes. Companies that love to hire us and the SWAG (Stuff We All Get) that they love to give to us. This is an excellent way to get your foot in the door with your favorite company (if they're attending, of course). Come down and meet the recruiters on Tuesday, March 2nd from 1:00pm to 4:00pm!

It's going to be a busy Spring! Make of it the best you can! Signing off.