CSUS, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Career Updates, Apr 10, 2008
"Career Updates" is a weekly career newsletter on topics of interest to the students, alumni, faculty,and friends of the CSUS College of Engineering and Computer Science. To subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, go to http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career and click. SUBMIT ARTICLES: To submit articles for the newsletter, go to http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career and click on"Submit an Article for Career Updates". Back issues are available at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career. Excellent career and hiring info and help is also available athttp://www.ecs.csus.edu/career. ________________________________________________________________________
I was recently quoted in the Sacramento Bee about the demand for engineers and computer scientists, and I found myself surprised by a comment that a reader made in response online.
I was quoted as saying that we are currently in one of the best markets for engineers and computer scientists that I have seen in 30 years. The reader took exception, saying that the demand was only for new graduates, and that he knew many experienced engineers who had been laid off who could not find a new job.
I have coached thousands of people through the career planning process, new grads as well as 20-year engineering veterans and CIOs. No one ever thinks that they are the perfect candidate. They always think it is someone else who is going to get hired. Seasoned professionals think that they are being passed over because of age, while new grads bemoan the fact that without much experience, they have a difficult time getting through the door in the first place.
There are many factors that combine in hiring decisions. Yes, you need the right skills and education, but that is not enough no matter what your level of experience. It takes time and sustained effort to get a good job. It takes organization, research, and constant action.
The average length of time that it takes to get a job is between 3 and 6 months. It helps if you are doing the right things and making the right impression on the people you hope will hire you.
It is absurd for an engineer or computer scientist to be discouraged right now. The unemployment rate for engineers hovers at or below 2%! In contrast, the general rate of unemployment in the nation is 5.2%.
Rarely do I see someone who qualifies to be permanently unemployed. What I see are people who do not know how to look for work or who are unwilling, or who do not devote the time necessary on a sustained basis. Looking for work means managing your time, developing a good solid career plan, and understanding that the most effective approach to the job market is through direct contact and networking.
Attitudes, beliefs and behavior are absolutely linked. We act on our beliefs. If you believe that there are no jobs, or that no one wants you, then you will act accordingly. The US Department of Labor even has a category for people who have stopped looking for work. They call them discouraged workers. They are not counted in the unemployment rate.
If you need help there are career counselors, career planning books (including mine), workshops and career classes to teach you the very best methods to get a job. Use them!
Because it takes a significant amount of time to get a job, you have to have a positive attitude and a belief that you will get a job. You cannot give up. Anything that is worth having takes effort. You have to keep on going, trusting that eventually it will happen. You will find the right job.
Getting a job requires lots of tenacity, persistence and drive. I hear this over and over again from employers who hire, and from alumni who get jobs. According to Nancy Wedick, FBI Recruiter and Special Agent, they are looking only for people who exhibit motivation and drive. The FBI currently has 900 special agent openings, plus additional technical positions. Nancy interviews tons of candidates and she told me that successful candidates have to impress them with their brilliance and desire, before they proceed to an interview and fitness test. She said that "you cannot be stupid and you cannot be lazy. You must be highly organized and motivated. You need to be a self starter since you make decisions independently on what cases to act on and what course of action to take."
Most employers expect that level of professionalism. You are responsible for your work and you are responsible for your job search.
Do you qualify to get a job?
Speaker List CSC 192 meets on Thursday at 02:00, and runs for 50 minutes.
We are trying to get more students into our programs. If you know anyone who would like to study engineering please forward this letter to them! Engineering and Computer Science Open House April 19th http://www.ecs.csus.edu/OpenHouse
Hi Cici, Next week I am leading (2) workshops on Workplace Etiquette & Professional Dress. The workshops offer tips for any student wanting to succeed in the workplace. Topics include: networking, communication, drug testing, the business lunch, email and interview etiquette. Students can choose from two dates/times: Wednesday, 4/16: 12:00 – 1:15 in the Summit Room (Union) and Thursday, 4/17: 4:00 –5:15 in the Lobby Suite (Union) The workshops will be interactive, fun and include a helpful PowerPoint slide show on business casual and professional dress. Thank You, Julie Collier, M.S. Career Counselor Cooperative Education Program collierj@csus.edu
Hello everyone, Please share the following information with your faculty to see if either they or their students may be interested in attending. Thank you for your help. Jan Burnaugh Research Administration and Contract Administration (916) 278-6402 ****************************** Please join us at our next research webcast … The Office of Research Administration and the Office of Graduate Studies, in conjunction with The Center for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis (CARMA), are pleased to present the CARMA Consortium Webcast Program. This series has been established to provide university faculty and graduate students with advanced training in research methods and data analysis. Our next session will be held: Friday, April 18th 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Publishing Criteria for Qualitative Research Dr. Michael Pratt, University of Illinois Location: Modoc Hall 2008 RSVP to: janb@csus.edu Please share this information with other faculty and students, should they be interested in attending. Thank you, Jan Burnaugh Research Administration and Contract Administration (916) 278-6402
Human Resources Department 675 Texas Street, Suite 1800, Fairfield, CA 94533 (707) 784-6170 Fax: (707) 784-6014 www.solanocounty.com/jobs
SALARY: $ 10.00 hr - $16.00 hr Compensation will be commensurate with the number of units completed
Final Filing Date April 25, 2008, by 5:00pm
Interns Position Description:
College Intern positions offer college students practical work experience through projects, which are related to the student’s field of study. College Students employed in this class may be assigned to various County departments. Below is a list of current opportunities but this list will be use to fill current and future opportunities. Current Opportunities: PLEASE STATE ON YOUR RESUME IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ONE OF THE POSITIONS LISTED BELOW:
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES: Duties will vary depending on the department to which the student is assigned and may include but are not limited to the following:
REQUIREMENTS:
Appointment to this class is restricted to students enrolled full-time (12 units) in a junior college, four-year college or university. Curriculum must lead to an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or advanced degree.
No experience is required.
All candidates must provide verification of current enrollment as stated above prior to an offer of employment.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Based on the information provided in the application documents, the best-qualified applicants will be invited for further examination. Not all applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of an application screening, written and/or practical exam, oral interview or any combination. Candidates will need to successfully pass a post-offer drug-screening test prior to employment. Information contained herein does not constitute either an expressed or an implied contract. These provisions are subject to change.
TO APPLY:
Please visit the County of Solano website, www.solanocounty.com to apply. All applicants must submit Verification of their enrollment in an accredited college or university, within five days of submitting your resume. You may attach these documents to your online application, fax to (707) 784-6014, mail or hand deliver to the Department of Human Resources, 675 Texas Street, Suite 1800, Fairfield, CA 94533. Any further questions can be directed to the Department of Human Resources, HR Analyst, Carlise Mickens (707) 784-6188 open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. E EOE/AA
How are you doing? How are your classes going? I hope your students are taking advantage of all the help that you and your classes provide.
I am a Fall 2005 CSUS CSc graduate and currently our team (EDI / Membership team, part of the IT division at VSP) is looking for a sophomore-level person to help with some of the run-the-business items that our team does. We are looking for someone who has basic programming knowledge (CSc 15 and 20), some basic UNIX knowledge (CSc 60), great people skills, patience, a dependable work ethic, politeness to co-workers, and the ability to explain technical items to non-technical business partners. Some of the intern tasks to be worked on are listed below.
Run the business work:
This position does not involve any Java development. We are interested in someone who wants to learn some proprietary tools to help run the business, who wants to learn to work with a team, and someone who wants to learn to work with non-technical business partners. This position is geared toward someone who has just learned the basics, not somebody who is ready to graduate. The position would be 30-40 hours during summer and breaks, and 15-20 hours during the semester with flexibility to work around their class schedule. I noticed that most of the resumes on your website are for graduating seniors or master’s students. Also the career fair mainly had the same type of resumes. We are not sure if the students who have very little experience are afraid to apply, that is the reason we need some help.
If you know anybody who would be interested in this type of position, please have them send me their resume with the subject: VSP internship - EDI/Membership team - CSUS (Summer 2008)
FYI, these items that the intern would be doing are things I did when I was an intern here at VSP and things my teammates and I still do as employees. The experience I gained was good enough to help me get my full-time position with VSP and I was offered my choice of 3 positions with Chevron when I applied there as well. I was an intern for 7 months and I have been an employee for 2+ years here at VSP.
Thanks!
Heather Giovanni, a CSUS ECS alumni and a project manager for ProCurve networking at Hewlett-Packard currently has several intern and college hire reqs and would like to look to CSUS to pull some talent for those reqs. Software Intern - 205790 Business Environment Hp has the world’s second largest computer research laboratory. We invent new technologies and innovative information products. Change markets. Create business opportunities. We also help to plan and broaden company strategy, and deliver the science and technology that achieves it. And that gives hp leadership. We’re focused on e-services...technologies and solutions. On internet and computing platforms, printing and imaging technologies, storage and intelligent information appliances, and we’re chasing down broader alternative technologies and basic research. On manufacturing sites we turn foundation technology from hp labs into real solutions. We’re getting smarter. Acting sharper. Moving faster. Getting people off the bench and into customer sites to speed up time to market. Heading for zero-time technology transfer At hp, we in r&d don’t just dream about the future. We invent it. Job description Software interns work in project teams supporting the delivery and documentation of new products supporting engineers in multi-discipline teams working on new products and solutions. You’ll be part of a team that designs, implements, tests, and validates software for networks, systems, applications, and IT service management of e-business. You will assist the team by helping to make changes to system software to correct errors in the original implementation and create extensions to existing programs to add new features or performance improvements. Additionally, innovation is key as you will have the opportunity to be involved in the design and development of major functional and performance enhancements for existing products as well as the production of new software products and tools. You will also play a role in assuring product quality. QUALIFICATIONS Education Currently pursuing or holding a Bachelor’s (undergraduate), Master’s (graduate) or Ph.D. (post graduate) degree in a technical discipline (e.g. computer science, information technology, engineering, math, physics, etc.) Skills Strong creative skills Strong initiative Strong analytical skills and effective problem solving ability Software development and de-bugging skills Ability to research technical issues and generate creative/innovative solutions Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills in a large, diverse environment Fluency in English language; strong written and verbal communication skills To apply: - Go to http://www.jobs.hp.com search for req number and apply - Come to the info session on Monday 4/21, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM - RVR 2018- PIZZA WILL BE SERVED - Sign up for a 1/2 hour interview on Tuesday 4/22 Interested candidates should apply online. Here’s a link for the req: https://hp.taleo.net/servlets/CareerSection?art_ip_action=FlowDispatcher&flowTypeNo=13&pageSeq=2&reqNo=1559213&art_servlet_language=en&selected_language=en&csNo=2#topOfCsPage Or go to www.hp.com, select jobs and enter req 205784 in the search field. The job number for the ProCurve internship is 205790 2 open positions- HP expects to make offers on this position by the end of this week. Move fast if you are interested in an internship.
Cici: Stafford King Wiese Architects is seeking to hire a Project Coordinator/Assistant Project Manager/Project Controls Specialist. We are a thriving, forward looking and growing architectural firm with a 60+ year history of service in the Sacramento Community with several different practice areas including K12 Education, College and University Higher Education, Civic and Commercial, Healthcare, and Interiors. More information can be found on our website www.skwaia.com. Duties include an emphasis on tracking progress, document management and earned value calculations, budgeting, estimating and scheduling,monitoring progress, updating management reporting and assisting with contracts and fee calculation and adjustments (with Owners and Consultants) interface between the Architectural Staff and the Accounting Staff. The ideal candidate will be fluent in a number of industry standard software programs for project management purposes, as well as having the ability to pick up new programs quickly and easily. Strong Organizational, Communication and Interpersonal Skills. Works with a large number and wide variety of professional technical and administrative personnel from throughout the company. My contact information is: Gregg Rock Director of Operations Phone: (916) 930-5900 E-mail: gregg_rock@skwaia.com Stafford King Wiese Architects 622 20th Street Sacramento, CA 95811
I received the following from Eva Gabbe of the Campus Career Center: The FBI will host a meeting on campus to discuss career opportunities. An FBI agent will share their experience and explain the process for becoming an agent. Event: A Career with the FBI Date: April 16th Time: 4:30pm - 6:00pm Location: Alpine Hall, 235 All Engineering & Computer Science students are welcome Bring resumes. The FBI agent will be discussing all areas of activity and and all of the possible career paths of becoming an FBI agent. Don’t miss this great lecture by a veteran agent. Learn the application process, the time table to get in, and other pointers. Candidates with Engineering or Computer Science degrees are immediately qualified for a position with the FBI! Other majors need a number of years of experience to qualify. ___________________ An FBI agent will also speak in my CSC Career Planning Class on Thursday, April 17th from 2:00 to 3:00 in RVR 1002. All engineering students and alumni are welcome to attend. The FBI has 900 openings for special agent plus openings for technical professionals. Current critical hiring needs for FBI Special Agents include CS, and Engineering. The FBI is seeking technical professionals to be special investigators in the law enforcement branch of the organization. Successful candidates will have background in CS, IT, engineering, info sys security, counter intellegence, military intellegence, physical sciences, or accounting/financial management. They are also seeking candidates with fluency in the following foreign languages: Arabic, Chinese (all dialects), Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Hebrew, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. To qualify for the FBI special agent position you must possess a 4 year college degree in a technical area, US Citizenship, and be between 23 and 36 years of age. You must be available for assignment in the FBI jurisdiction- US wide. You must be in excellent physical condition... so start running and beefing up on push-ups!
Hi Cici, Please forward to groups that might be interested. We still have a couple of slots available for interviews we are holding at CSUS College of Engineering and Computer Science next week. Ideally would like to get a couple more engineers on the list (ME’s) for Spring 08 grads. If you are passionate about a career in Operations and Manufacturing send your resume to carol.kneis@fritolay.com. We will be on campus interviewing April 25, so send your resume today! The Frito-Lay Modesto Plant is a highly automated facility with expansion plans to double in size in the near future. We currently are the 5th largest Site nationwide and we have seven production lines, including Lays, Ruffles, Doritos, Tostitos, Santitas, SunChips and Cheetos. We offer long term growth opportunities for people interested in combining their technical talents with managing a multi-million dollar business. Imagine being responsible for several million dollars worth of business-within your first year of graduating from college! PepsiCo ranks 61 on the Fortune 500 list! Taste the Success at Frito Lay & PepsiCo! Carol Kneis Human Resources Modesto Plant (209) 544-5503 office (510) 604-3649 cell
Cici, Here is the contact info and job descriptions. Send your resume to the information below. Great company to work for and lots of opportunity to grow and learn new things. Thanks, Myron Horse Brian M. Mackey National Recruitment Manager GEI Consultants, Inc. 455 Winding Brook Drive Glastonbury, CT 06119 p. 860.368.5358 f. 860.368.5359 _____________________________ OVERVIEW GEI is a national, employee owned consulting firm with a long history of performance in California and the arid west. As a full service water resources engineering firm, GEI works with clients to conceive, plan, design and implement leading edge water resources and flood management projects. GEI has recently been awarded a number of multi-year, multi-million dollar, bond funded contracts by the state, and has a number of outstanding career opportunities for professionals of all levels. We are interested in candidates who seek to work in a challenging and collaborative team environment, and want to apply their talents to projects that will prevent flood damage and help to protect life and property. Junior Engineer/Hydrologist/Modeler RESPONSIBILITIES Working in a team environment, candidates will be responsible for complex modeling and analysis tasks related to water resources planning, management and engineering for water supply and flood plain management projects. Candidates will perform work related to the development, evaluation, interpretation and testing of complex hydrologic and hydraulic models used to simulate reservoir and stream systems for both operations and planning. REQUIREMENTS B.S. Degree in engineering, mathematics, or computer sciences, M.S. or Ph.D. a plus 0-3 years of relevant experience in modeling, hydrology, or related field, professional certifications preferred. Experience with models applied to water supply and flood plain management plans including HEC-RAS, HEC HMS, ResSim, or similar tools such as MIKE SHE, CALSIM, DSM2. Familiarity with higher level languages such as Fortran or C; data management systems, GIS, data visualization; familiarity with web based systems is desirable. Associate Water Resources Planner / Engineer RESPONSIBILITIES Candidates will conduct technical evaluations supporting water supply, flood control, and environmental restoration planning and preliminary design. Position will also involve coordination with clients, regulatory agencies and subcontractors, as well as project administration responsibilities including report writing, business proposals, and cost estimation. Duties will include planning, organizing and assisting in the development of long – term water supply and flood plain management plans; collection and analysis of water resources data; conducting technical analysis and feasibility studies; analysis of constraints and opportunities, and evaluation of alternatives. REQUIREMENTS B.S. in water resources planning, engineering, geology, environmental science, or related field required; a master’s degree and/or professional certification is strongly preferred 5+ years of relative experience, with demonstrated skills and expertise in technical, planning and policy related to water resources management and flood control. Familiarity with the use of computers and models to analyze water resources such as HEC- HMS, HEC RAS, UNET, MODFLOW, IGSM, CALSIM, DSM2. Familiarity with the practices and policies of the Department of Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Federal Emergency Management Agency Experience with CEQA, NEPA, state and federal endangered species acts, and other regulatory requirements that influence water supply and flood plain planning are desirable
Junior Engineer/Hydrologist/Modeler
Associate Water Resources Planner / Engineer
Sometimes I find telling students to take my class and take advantage of the services offered by the College of Engineering and Computer Science Career Services Office is best done by my current and former students. Have you taken the one unit career planning class yet? Have you visited the Career Services Office in RVR 2008? Do it before you graduate! Here is why: The career fair was a complete success for me! Thank you for preparing me for the interviews I am now attending. I also appreciate your time spent helping me in your CE 194 Career Development class and one-on-one to write my resume. I have already received 4 calls for interviews from Engineering firms in the Sacramento and Tahoe areas. I really appreciate your passion and dedication to your work. I can tell that you really do care about getting students hired at great jobs while they are in school and after they graduate. Aaron Hosmer Civil Engineering Student CSUS
The College of Engineering and Computer Science Needs Your Data Please report any offers that you have received to ECS Career Services Web site: http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career - click on the "Just Hired" link. If you got a student position we need your data. If you have graduated in the past few years or if you are graduating this semester we need your data. The information you share is used for ABET reports and to help me identify trends in employment and salaries. I keep your info confidential. I only report the data! I use your contact data to confirm and to keep in touch with you.
Employers are hiring from the resumes posted on our web site at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career. If you have not already posted your resume on the ECS Career Services Office Web Site, now is the time!!! Just click on the Post Your Resume button! Students are reporting multiple offers from using a combination of the resume posting service, the JETX job listings, and from Career Day 2008. If you missed Career Day 2008 you can still access the hiring and contact information on the ECS Career Services web site at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career. Cool new feature!!! Employers are able to search your resume now with key words! I also send resumes out to companies so send me a soft copy in MS Word. cici@csus.edu
________________________________________________________________________ Cici Mattiuzzi Director, Career Services Office College of Engineering & Computer Science CSU, Sacramento 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA 95819-6023 Phone: 916-278-7091 Fax: 916-278-5949 Email cici@csus.edu Web Site: http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career