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Monday, May 2, 2016
STEM Studies: The Future of Engineering
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Posted by
Gordon F Snyder Jr
at
4:21 PM
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Labels: Careers, Engineering, Math, Mathematics, Science, STEM, Technology
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Some Good Job Search Advice from Austin, Texas
I'm a member of Door 64, an Austin (Texas) High Tech STEM LinkedIn group. A recent college graduate posted the following question to the group a few days ago:
I have been looking for a new job for a few months now with only a few leads. If I could just get an interview I KNOW I would get almost any position. Any advice on job searches? Thanks!
Use networking to your advantage and play the numbers game. I was laid off 4 weeks ago and already have had 8 interviews with 2 more this afternoon. You seem to be somewhat knowledgeable about using LinkedIn and super connectors. However, have you created a plan of attack for getting the right career? Don't look for a job, this is your life you are talking about. Focus on a career. Let me break down some of these comments.
Using networking to your advantage:
- Get familiar with LinkedIn Signal apps. It will help out a lot if you use it correctly
- Focus on positions with companies that have employees with connections to you
- Ask your connections to submit your resume
- Ask your connections to be make references for you to employees
Playing the numbers game:
- Network with other people looking for work. I have two other dear friends that are also recently unemployed. I share information with them and they share it with me.
- I have applied to over 40 positions in the last 4 weeks. Many of them I was very well qualified for but still received rejection notices, however I manage to turn several of the applications into interviews.
Planning your attack:
- Apply for contract, temp, full-time and positions in industries other than your primary focus. Think outside the box. Check Craigslist. One of my more recent positions was from Craigslist and one of my upcoming interviews is from the same source.
- I have created a spreadsheet and list every position I have applied for. I keep notes about dates, where I found the position, who contacted me, when, interviews, who interviewed me and some other notes. I don't have this information just for the fun of it. I use it to follow up, reapply if I have not heard from a company, send thank you letters, etc.
- Use your network and follow up. I plan on being at the Doors64 event. I will follow up with anyone I have connected with recently and thank them in person. One super connector I connected with recently sent me a nice thank you letter because I personalized my connection request. He said that less than 1% of requests he gets actually do that. Wow, how amazing is that. People will remember you when you personalize.
- Plan your game and game your plan. In other words, make tasks for everyday of the week. Things you will do each day to look for opportunities. Do them. Wake up with a smile and go to sleep with a smile knowing that you did as much as you could that day to find your next position.
- Review your resume with others you trust and ask for feedback. Use the good feedback. Trust me, everyone has feedback, but it is not always good. You have to filter out what is good and what isn't by doing some of your own research.
Finally, this is your career:
- If you want a job, I can refer you to a dozen temporary placement companies that will help to get you a job. However, if you want a career, you have to think like that. What is your ideal career? What skills do you need for it? Do you have them? If not, how can you get them? This is your life you are talking about. Manage it with the positive thoughts and images that you believe you already have.
Hope this information helps you out...... You will get what you want if you want it bad enough, plan well for it, try hard enough and thank everyone along the way who helped you out.
- Always be positive, kind and grateful. If you do this with everyone, everywhere, you will find that the karma will be returned to you.
Anyone who agrees with any of the above comments, feel free to reuse any or all of it in other postings for career searchers. It is not original, not unique, but just old time tested and true strategies and beliefs that may help others.
Posted by
Gordon F Snyder Jr
at
9:11 AM
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Labels: Careers, Education, Engineering, STEM, technician, Technology
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The 10 Best IT Certifications Podcast
Over the weekend, Mike Q and I recorded a podcast discussing Erik Eckel's 10 Best IT Certifications for 2010 post along with Mike's recent blog posts on IT certifications. You can listen to the 35 minute podcast in your browser by clicking the play button below:
Posted by
Gordon F Snyder Jr
at
2:59 PM
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Labels: Careers, communications, Education, Information, Networking, technician, Technology
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Community College Students
By far the best part of my work at our National Science Foundation funded ICT Center is getting to meet lots of great people. I especially enjoy meeting students. It’s great to hear them talk about their backgrounds and experience - where they are from, where they are now and where they see themselves going after graduation. I’m always amazed at their focus, drive and ambition and often walk away feeling a little (admittedly) jealous.
Here’s a short video with some examples of the kinds of things community college students are doing from ATETV, a web-based video series and interactive network designed to connect students and professionals with careers in advanced technology. This 7 minute and 50 second episode includes an interview with a Fuel Cell Technology major embarking on a new career, discusses the importance of writing and communications for any technical career, and takes a look at the aviation field -- from a woman's perspective.
Great stuff and great people!
Posted by
Gordon F Snyder Jr
at
4:42 PM
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Labels: Careers, College, community, Engineering, Students, Technology
Monday, October 5, 2009
ATETV.ORG - Thinking About A High Technology Career?
If you or someone you know is thinking about a career in a high technology field, you need to take a look at Advanced Technological Education Television (ATETV.ORG). There, you'll find a National Science Foundation funded Web-based video series and interactive network designed to connect students and professionals with careers in advanced technology. The series highlights ATE success stories from community colleges and ATE programs nationwide. Its outreach efforts -- at ATETV.org and on social networking sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter -- aim to connect employers in industry and government with the high-tech workforce of tomorrow.
Here's the third episode in the series, featuring how The College of the Mainland trains students on an industry-scale oil refinery and how schools are working to close the gender gap in biotechnology. Be sure to check this one out along with all the episodes on YouTube and grab them on iTunes.
A little more from the ATETV website....... globalization has changed the scope of our workforce, creating new opportunities and greater demand for workers in the fields of science and technology. In order to drive our economy forward, we must recruit, train and place technically skilled professionals to meet new demand.
How can you get involved and learn more - check out ATETV.ORG and your local community college!
Posted by
Gordon F Snyder Jr
at
7:55 PM
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Labels: Careers, Community College, Education, Engineering, Jobs, Math, NSF, Science, Technology