Getting the Job: NJIT Students Share Their Career Fair Know-how
According to NJIT Career Development Services’ most recent annual report, almost one-fifth of undergrads from the Class of 2018 who reported full-time employment indicated an NJIT career fair as their source.
That figure certainly demonstrates the value of students attending the fair, to both mingle with prospective employers and leave a lasting impression on recruiters. But vital to the mix in landing a position is preparedness.
With the Fall 2019 Career Fair just around the corner — Wednesday, Oct. 2, at NJIT’s Wellness and Events Center — these Highlanders, who scored internships through past fairs, share their preparation strategies and offer worthwhile advice.
HELENE BROCHON ’19 (December)
Hometown: Little Egg Harbor, N.J.
Major: Biochemistry
Career Aspiration: Earning a Ph.D. in biochemistry and conducting research
Brochon has been a microbiology intern at Getinge since June 2018, after meeting with the company at the Fall 2017 Career Fair. In addition to editing standard operating procedures and submitting microbiological reports, she helps prep microbiological testing in a laboratory setting.
How she prepared for the fair: She researched each company through CDS’s recruitment management system, printed the map of the fair as well as multiple copies of her resume, practiced her elevator pitch that highlighted her area of study and both her work and leadership experience, and dressed professionally.
What she brought with her: A folder containing her resumes, a map of the fair marking the companies she wanted to speak with, questions for those companies and a pen and paper to write down important information.
How she left things with the Getinge recruiter: She left her resume and followed up about one week after the fair.
Why she thinks she got the job: Brochon heard back from Getinge’s recruiter in early May 2018 and was invited to interview with human-resources and microbiology-department representatives, and take a tour of the facility. She believes she was hired because of her strong laboratory/research experience at NJIT and because she asked smart questions specific to the tests that were being performed in the microbiology department.
Her advice: “It is important to come prepared with knowledge about the company and show interest in the company you are speaking with. Be prepared for any questions an interviewer may have about your resume.”
OWEN BUSLER ’21 (Albert Dorman Honors College)
Hometown: Bridgewater, N.J.
Major: Electrical engineering, minor in computer science
Career Aspiration: Defense research
Busler recently completed a 12-week summer internship with NAVSEA NUWC (Naval Sea Systems Command Naval Undersea Warfare Center), which he obtained by attending the Fall 2018 Career Fair. He was a pathways intern involved in signal processing and a bit of front-end graphical user interface development.
How he prepared for the fair: He participated in many CDS resume-review events, used Handshake to research the companies and plan his navigation of the fair, and highlighted his top companies on the fair map. He also organized his clothes the night before.
What he brought with him: Many copies of his resume and the map enclosed in a folder.
How he left things with the NAVSEA NUWC recruiter: He gave the recruiter his resume and later sent an “it was nice to meet you” email.
Why he thinks he got the job: Busler was asked to interview with the company on campus the day after the fair. He attributes his success to making a good connection with the recruiter through an in-depth discussion about his work experience.
Advice: “You have weeks to prepare. Get started early, leave nothing to chance, practice with your friends (or with me, ocb3@njit.edu) and always smile!”
MARISA SIGAS ’21 (Albert Dorman Honors College)
Hometown: Cranford, N.J.
Major: Computer Science w/double major in theater arts and technology
Career Aspiration: Software engineer or full stack developer
Sigas spent this past summer as a technology development intern at Optum, a position she acquired through the Spring 2019 Career Fair. She was on a team that created Java application programming interfaces, using the Spring Boot framework, to modernize a policy management system.
How she prepared for the fair: She used Handshake to check which companies were attending, and then researched them to determine the ones she definitely wanted to visit at the fair.
What she brought with her: A folder with many copies of her resume, pen and paper to take notes and a fine-tuned elevator pitch that highlighted what made her unique, such as being a double major in the arts.
How she left things with the Optum recruiter: She provided her resume and finished her meeting with a big smile and a firm handshake.
Why she thinks she got the job: Just after the fair, Sigas secured an on-campus interview with Optum. A coding challenge from the company and then an on-site interview followed, and one week later she received an offer. She feels that her mix of technical experience and presentation and leadership skills helped her land the internship.
Advice: “Use Handshake, record yourself doing your elevator pitch and ensure you have an appropriate outfit. If you have trouble talking to people in general, the best way to improve is practicing talking to people!
For the Fall 2019 Career Fair, students are encouraged to preregister and view the list of attending companies through Handshake (http://njit.joinhandshake.com
