Melissa Ghislain
As a senior with a learning disability, I will graduate in May with my degree in Chemical Engineering. However, one of my most important lessons wasn't learned in class- I learned how important it is to have an internship, co-op or any form of work experience in your major. In the fall of my sophomore year, I was given a great opportunity to work for Dow Chemical for a full year before graduation. This opportunity opened so many doors for me, especially in the fall when I started to look for a full time job. At the MSU job fair, I got 9 company interviews; from those nine interviews, I got to the final stage of interviewing with 6 companies. In June, I will start working for Dow Chemical in Midland, MI as a full time engineer. With the current economic situation, your resume, experience, and interview are very important in the job search.
The best place to start is with the resume. The interviewer uses this information to see if they want to get to know you further. For resources on making yours, you can use the Career Services Center website as a starting place. The center holds workshops on how to write your resume, and you can make an appointment with a career advisor as well. Because a good resume takes time to develop, you should start working on your resume over summer in order to be ready for job applications whenever they arise.
In my experience, the best place to search and look for employment is at My Spartan Career. The My Spartan Career website can be found on the career service website, and enables you to set up a profile and apply for on and off campus jobs and internships. It also has a resume builder and interview sign up space. You can manage your career search and receive emails when companies are expecting resumes for positions you are qualified for, in addition to receiving information on upcoming events, workshops, presentations, and event cram sessions that can help you find a job. Your academic advisor can also be of great assistance, because getting to know them and establishing a connection will help them alert you of opportunities that may interest you.
Finally, the interview itself is very important. You should dress to impress- for a job interview, not a date! If you're not sure what to wear, it is better to be over dressed than under dressed. The first impression sets the mood of the interview, which can be constructed by how you look, good eye contact with the recruiter, and a firm handshake. The recruiter has probably been trained to play down their importance, but they definitely play a role. Before an interview, you should research the company so you are familiar with their values. Have questions ready to ask the recruiter, since this shows your interest in the company.
I hope this information helps you with finding jobs with the many resources that can be found at MSU. There are many opportunities for everyone- you just have to find them!