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LAN_403

EEYORE

Sat Sept 23 2006, 06:24PM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

Hello all,
I have been trying to get an internship for engineering here in my city (Tallahassee, FL)
So far, I have only tried with the companies directly associated with my school, and have had no luck. I really havent had any hard core engineering classes yet, and am just now into calculus(Playing football for the seminoles really set me back)
I have plenty of skills and knowledge (Thank you tesla!

). but when I applied, they didnt even reject me. No response whatsover. Well, the National High Magnetics Lab (we have the worlds strongest magnet

) Did say yes to the summer intern program a few years back, but I turned them down b/c I wanted to take classes that summer.

Could you guys give me some tips as to how I might go about getting an internship?I just cant go back to working at Albertsons

((( (Id rather die, seriously).
How did you guys do it? Is it even worth trying without classes under my belt? I really hate that, as I am much more advanced then even some of the PhD kids here! (They usually call me up for some help...Two are doing there main project with a DRSSTC

)

Is it a lost cause for me?Is it proper to just send a resume to a company and hope for the best?Do companies normally even look for interns?How did you guys find them?

Thanks guys!
Matt

muciek man

Sat Sept 23 2006, 09:51PM

Registered Member #163 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 01:55PM
Location: caledonia ohio
Posts: 22

there is a national compant called black and veach that is always holding recrutment things at marion technical college (marion ohio) trying to hire people . they look for engineering students with a strong drafting backround. they usualy come 2-3 times a quarter and hire 1 or 2 people each time. they have offices all around the country so i would try them. happy job hunting

AndrewM

Sun Sept 24 2006, 03:05AM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
Posts: 362

don't feel bad that you didn't hear back from anyone. not many companies send 'rejections' any more (did they ever?).

if you haven't had luck, think hard about why that might of been. perhaps you can find someone who was successful and compare your resume/cover letter to find weaknesses in the way your presented yourself. You can then lie about those areas...

(honestly though, few companies validate the information on your resume, at least at the entry level. I find that large defense/government contractors will ask for a transcript, but most verify nothing at all)

heres the real advice: the BEST thing you can do is bug them. A lot... and when it feels like you're bugging them too much, you're almost doing it enough. Once you've gotten a hold of the person administrating the program's selection process, call them twice a week. Say things like "Hi, this is mattrg2, I applied to the X, I wanted to see if there was anything else you needed from me, or if I can help the application process along in any way" Eventually the HR person/administrator/whatever will know you by name, and this is a good situation. Don't think you're bothering them, its their job. I thought I went waaay over the top with a woman at Honeywell Aerospace but once she remembered me she was candid and said she appreciated my calls, and that I was doing the right things. They ended up hiring from inside the company for that job, which sucks but is sorta a no-fault situation.

Of course, the goal would be to call the manager of the program directly (whoever you'd be working for). HR usually guards those phone numbers fiercely, I never succeeded in breaking through that barrier. In that case you just have to annoy HR.

So yeah... bug em.

Carbon_Rod

Sun Sept 24 2006, 03:29AM

Registered Member #65 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155

Talk with your schools CO-OP officers for information regarding how to approach companies. Most small to mid-sized companies are starved for talent these days â€“ and will readily accept the schoolâ€™s package. Notably the 3-month security background check is not fun for some places. However, it really does depend on what your interests are and how the job relates to your desired career choices.

Staffing agencies offer some opportunities on rare occasion to enter larger corporations ( note these people are 80% hype.)

It is popular for large companies to supply great scholarships too. (Its nice to get paid to study stuff that interests you.)

EEYORE

Mon Sept 25 2006, 04:55AM

Registered Member #99 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:10PM
Location: florida, usa
Posts: 637

Carbon_Rod wrote ...

Talk with your schools CO-OP officers for information regarding how to approach companies. Most small to mid-sized companies are starved for talent these days â€“ and will readily accept the schoolâ€™s package. Notably the 3-month security background check is not fun for some places. However, it really does depend on what your interests are and how the job relates to your desired career choices.

Staffing agencies offer some opportunities on rare occasion to enter larger corporations ( note these people are 80% hype.)

It is popular for large companies to supply great scholarships too. (Its nice to get paid to study stuff that interests you.)

Yea,
the Associate Dean of engineering at my school told me to just email this guy at the Center for Advanced Power Systems (right up most out ally here, huh?) He gave me the guys personal email too. I told him all about myself, and sent a resume as well. No repsonse

I will try the bugging, pestoring technique

I like it!
Thanks!
Matt

Ben

Mon Sept 25 2006, 01:47PM

Vigilatny
Registered Member #17 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:47PM
Location: NL
Posts: 158

Bugging is the right idea. They like to feel loved.

Carbon_Rod

Mon Sept 25 2006, 07:17PM

Registered Member #65 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 06:43AM
Location:
Posts: 1155

Yeah, it may work for a small company.

However, in some universities it is Google, IBM, generation and distribution companies that annoy the students to come for interviews. Headhunters are quite persuasive as they get a sizable bonus if you get hired.

...

Sun Oct 01 2006, 07:00AM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

Well...

I just worked a really neat internship at a mid sized company making $9.5/hr sitting around at a computer working flexible hours doing things I would do at home anyway (learning how to use SoldWorks, drawing schematics, looking for parts, designing circuits using any piece of technology imaginable, playing with optics, etc)

The reason I got in was sorta a right place at right time tho, so I don't know if it will help you too much

It started when I was the the national bring-your-kid-to-work-day at Ortel (where my dad works). After the tour/propagande video/arts-n-crafts one of the head scientists brought out some y-scopes and defect products to show us. I was really interested in it (I got to look into a tiny optical gyroscope and some super hihj speed lasers) and I asked some questions that actually made sense...
[a month later]
Someone suggests a summer intern program taking students from CalState University to work for the summer as underpaid slaves. (it didn't matter except that I made a little more money, but I also took like 10 credits at csula a few summers ago). My dad got word, and after I decided I would be interested, he had me write a resume.
[the Monday after school got out]
I got a call from asking me to come in for an interview. They gave me a tour, and showed me what they were working on (all computer renderings). I had a chance to ask questions
[the next day]
I get a call saying they made me an offer, and to come in. I was offered $9.5/hr (later I found that they were paying undergrads as csula $10/hr, I hadn't started Jr. year in high school) and I accepted. I was badged, and I was escorted to my bosses office. He hadn't been expecting me, but was pretty happy to see me (they were way behind on the project)
He brings me down to the lab downstairs, sets me in front of a computer, and tries to install SolidWorks of the company server. Unfortunately he didn't have the activation code, so I couldn't open his documents, So he said to find a tutorial and try to learn how to use it...
I am going to save the details, but I can say that I had a blast, and hope to be working there next year

Simon

Sun Oct 01 2006, 11:39PM

Registered Member #32 Joined: Sat Feb 04 2006, 08:58AM
Location: Australia
Posts: 549

A similar bit of advice: if people say they'll phone back and they don't, don't be afraid to phone them. Don't be antagonistic about it, just phone. If they sound busy but at least a bit interested on the phone, offer to send an email yourself.

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