Please excuse the delays in getting my newsletter out to you.  For the past two weeks the newsletter system has been down.  I believe that the problem is now solved.  Thank you for your patience.  I hope to get this and one or two more newsletters out before the end of the semester.

Cici

In the past month, I have received numerous calls from alumni who are being laid off. In many instances they are panicked. This is understandable considering that they have homes and kids to support, and the prospect of unemployment is terrorizing.

This is a tough job market. It is therefore especially critical that you understand reality and not allow yourself to be victimized by your own erroneous assumptions. You think there are no jobs? That is wrong. You think no one is hiring? That is also incorrect. You think that no one is interested in talking with you about the opportunities in their companies? Believing that is a huge mistake. When times are tough, it is easy to view the labor market in a negative light.

The news on the economy is growing more painful by the day. The Economist reports that this is the worst economic crisis since the great depression. The US unemployment rate of 6.5% hit a 14-year high in October and the California unemployment rate currently stands at 8.2%.

Companies are shedding jobs at a breakneck pace. A day does not go by without hearing about huge layoffs. Circuit City announced they expect to lay off 7300 people. CitiBank announced 53,000 layoffs. Intel is expected to announce cuts later this month in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 worldwide. KLA Tencore, a microchip maker cited the worst demand environment since 2000 for the projected cut of 900 jobs. El Dorado Hills County Board of Supervisors announced they would cut 90 jobs.

It is easy to become discouraged if you are looking for work. Amid all of the bad news, it is hard to be optimistic. But the reality is that labor demand is not uniform across all job types. The unemployment rate for engineers is typically much lower than it is in other job categories. That is not to say that engineers and computer scientists are immune to lengthy spells of unemployment; they tend to have more stability. Demand is higher for engineers and computer scientists because there are fewer available. They are harder to find and very costly to train. Although engineers and computer scientists make up about 10% of the graduating population nationwide in any given year, they typically get 40% to 50% of the offers of employment at graduation. And engineers are incredibly versatile and flexible. Their skills are transferable to a multitude of environments and jobs. When one industry goes down, they can shift to another. The resume may need a makeover, but shifting to a new industry is entirely doable.

When the economy is tanking, you need a well thought out job search plan and extreme effort. But still, there are pockets of jobs and great opportunities to be found. When the news is bad, it is much harder to think logically and usher the resources necessary to get moving again. It is like finding anything. It is easier to assume that no one is hiring than it is to collect information, analyze it, and figure out who is hiring. Most people sit back and wait for things to land in their lap. This reminds me about my husband’s search-and-find strategies. At my house, if it is not out there biting him, my husband cannot find it. It doesn’t matter where it is, when he is looking for something, he asks me where it is. Actually it is a very good strategy for him to ask since I always know where things are.

The same is true for people looking for jobs. Ask! You have to go outside your little world and talk to people who know what is happening: faculty, career counselors, fellow students, contacts in other companies, and friends from past classes. Networking is the most effective way of locating a job. Most people get their jobs by networking, and by getting a direct contact with a manager. Managers often tell me that when they see talent, they will figure out how to make a hire, even if no job is actually available. Even if you have submitted your application, you still want to keep trying to make contact with managers in the company.

Keep in mind that when networking, you do not necessarily have to know the person you are going to contact. It is enough if you simply know of them and can provide them with some idea about how you are connected.

I received two calls this week from EEE alumni who are anticipating layoffs. They were certain that there are no jobs in their respective fields. Turns out that I knew of three organizations that are hiring and where they would be a good fit. One company was hiring in the interview room next door to me. I walked their resumes over and that was that. This is true of all of our majors. There are actually a number of organizations hiring right now. Many organizations will continue hiring, even while they are laying other people off. In response to change and focus, they need people in some areas and need to shed workers in others. For example, some engineering firms that were doing residential development are switching over to transportation projects. That is how companies stay in business. The ability to change is essential for the survival of the enterprise. It is also essential for engineers and computer scientists. No one wants the old new thing… everyone wants the new new thing.

So who is hiring? Students and alumni have reported receiving offers from the County of Sacramento, Kiewit Pacific, Rudolph and Sletten, Timec, DMEA, Dorado Software, HP, PMC Sierra, Accenture, Deloitte Consulting, Hansen Information Technologies, LexisNexis, LidenLab, Northrop Grumman, Sutter Health, VSP, Intel, PG&E, San Diego Gas & Electric, Stantec Consulting, Western Area Power, El Dorado County, KW, Murry Burns and Kienlen, Rain for Rent, RLW, Siemens Duewag, Airco Mechanical, Caltrans, 3DI, Chevron, and CEI.

We also have 54 organizations signed up for Career Day 2009. They report a total of 1605 openings! Government agencies, engineering firms, defense contractors, consulting firms, construction firms, energy firms manufacturing firms and insurance firms are all on the list. I have included the complete list below.

Companies can now sign up for Career Day 2009 at http://www.ecs.csus.edu/career/.
We opened sign ups in November and the response has been very strong. Last March we had 130 companies attend the hiring event and we had to turn away 18 companies for lack of space. This is the biggest hiring event for technical professionals in Northern California. Students and alumni turn out in droves to connect with potential employers. It is our single most productive hiring day. PUT MARCH 6TH ON YOUR CALENDAR!!!

We now have 64 companies signed up to attend the CSUS College of Engineering Career Day 2009 which will be held on Friday, March 6th. This is amazing! We are seeing steady demand for our majors in spite of the economy. Companies are surveyed about their hiring plans in conjunction with the sign up. The 64 organizations now signed up report having a total of 1799 openings! Here is the breakdown by majors:

43 will be hiring Civil Engineering majors
31 will be hiring Construction Management majors
15 will be hiring Computer Engineering majors
15 report hiring needs for Computer Science majors
25 report hiring needs for Engineering-Electrical & Electronic majors
28 will be hiring Mechanical Engineer majors
10 report hiring needs for Mechanical Engineer Tech. majors

ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS:

The economy is tanking- do you know how to find a job? Start your career planning early with this one unit class!

To All Members of the Campus Community:

Last week, you should have received a message from Chancellor Charles Reed regarding the California State University’s system wide impaction in light of the state’s worsening fiscal crisis.

I want to clarify that Sacramento State is not impacted. Our enrollment is right on target in terms of our number of students for this academic year, and given our campus’ typical enrollment patterns, we are currently preserving our application deadlines for Fall 2009: March 1 for first-year students and June 1 for transfer students.

We also continue to base our admissions on the same criteria as previous years.

As always, I join our Student Affairs staff in encouraging all prospective students to get their applications in as soon as possible.

For more information, please visit: http://www.csus.edu/pa/enrollment/

I will continue to keep you posted as to any new developments.

Sincerely,
Alexander Gonzalez
President

This entry-level position is for a recent college graduate.

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.

ProCurve Networking at hp is a world class networking business. We are developing a new class of network switch products to continue our rapid growth in the networking market. These products include a new generation of silicon technology, switch fabric architecture, and L2 and L3 switch software.

Job Description:
Procurve Software Engineers play lead roles in multi-discipline teams working on new products and solutions. This includes active involvement in product feature definition, hardware feature requirements, hardware bringup, customer documentation, future technology integration, and available software leverage. All projects involve coordination with internal and external development teams. Enabling others is as important as personal contribution. The primary function of the position is to design, implement, test and validate embedded software for network hardware systems offered by the ProCurve Networking Business.

Qualifications:
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.)

Experience and knowledge:

Musts

• Understand fundamentals of operating systems and networking.
• Experience with software development tools and processes.
• Strong interpersonal, teamwork and communications skills.
• Solid understanding of software development principles.
• Programming experience in C.

• BS or MS or advanced degree in CS/CpE or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience developing and/or using networking products and protocols.
• Real time programming experience.
• Embedded systems programming experience (Greenhills/VxWorks/Tornado).
• Knowledge of ClearCase, CollabNet, etc. (Source Control Management).
• Unix/PC/Linux experience.

Primary Location: United States-California - Roseville

How To Apply:
Apply online via website: http://h10055.www1.hp.com/jobsathp/

Classification: Assistant/Associate Information Systems Analyst

Section/Unit: Project &Planning Support Bureau/582

Salary Range: $3106-4903/4619-5897

Application Deadline: December 15, 2008

Job Description: (includes typical duties)
Under the general direction of the Unit Supervisor, Project Oversight and Guidance Section, the incumbent(s) work independently on various project teams to identify, analyze and document the business case and cost estimates for multiple IT projects. The incumbent(s) will also work under the direction of the Unit Supervisor and with other Section staff as a technical consultant with departmental teams in the use of project management processes. Primary duties of this position will include coordinating project study teams in the development of business case analysis and IT costing, performing analysis relative to feasibility study reports, special project reports and post-implementation evaluation reports, as well as facilitating internal review and approval for FTB’s IT projects. The position(s) will also include responsibilities for both training and facilitator roles focused on IT costing, risk planning, project management and lessons learned. In addition, the incumbent is responsible for the monitoring and tracking of scope, schedule and cost, documenting results in monthly status reports.

Minimum Requirements:
To be considered for this Job Opportunity, applicants must have permanent civil service status, be reachable on an employment list, or have reinstatement eligibility.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Strong Understanding of information technology systems and concepts
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work cooperatively and professionally with individuals within FTB and externally with control agencies
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines to meet customer, peer and management expectations
• Strong interpersonal skills for interacting with business and technical staff at all levels within FTB
• Experience facilitating team meetings, educational workshops or training sessions
• Experience working with teams performing analysis, conducting feasibility studies or developing projects
• Ability to use Microsoft Office tools to develop and maintain professional documents
• Highly proficient with Excel and Word
• Knowledge of and/or experience with project management concepts and principles

Desirable Experience/Qualifications:

• Experience working on an IT project team.
• Knowledge of FTB’s business program areas.
• Knowledge of general technology concepts, practices and methods.
• Knowledge of, and experience with, State administrative policies and procedures, especially those pertaining to technology.
• Flexibility and willingness to learn and thrive in an environment of change.

How To Apply:
Mail or hand deliver your application by: December 15, 2008
Jennifer Shaw
Exam Unit, PO Box 550, Sacramento CA 95812-0550
(916) 845-5896

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be interviewed.

Position:1

Position Title: Treasury Offset Program (TOP)

Classification: Student Assistant

Location: Central Office: Sacramento

Number of Vacancies: 1

Salary Range: $8.15 – $10.84 per hour

Application Deadline: December 4,2008

Job Description: (includes typical duties)
Under the general direction of the Project Manager and the technical direction of a lead, the Student Assistant will be an important member of the Treasury Offset Program team. The team submits Franchise Tax Board accounts to the Treasury Department for the possible interception of Federal refunds. The Student Assistant will be responsible for performing a variety of tasks which include, producing reports, mailing notices and responding to taxpayer’s inquiries.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
• Ability to shift priorities and/or workloads in order to achieve program goals
• Ability to analyze data and situations, draw sound conclusions and take effective actions
• A positive attitude

Desirable Experience/Qualifications:

• Knowledge of at least one of FTB systems such as TI, BETS and ARCS (PIT or BE)
• Knowledge of Microsoft applications including Access and Excel.
• Knowledge of Accounting practices
• Knowledge of programming

How To Apply:
Mail or hand deliver your application by: December 4, 2008
Malora Wilson
Exam Unit, PO Box 550, Sacramento CA 95812-0550
(916) 845-5716

Position:2

Position Title: Student Assistant

Number of Vacancies: 5

Application Deadline: December 10,2008

Job Description: (includes typical duties)
FTB is an exciting place to work where teamwork is a way of life. Withholding Services and Compliance Section (WSCS) is made up of 3 units that provide services regarding withholding requirements. The duties of these positions are in direct support of the department’s compliance program that results in the generation of revenue for the State of CA. Under the general direction of the Administrator I and/or the lead, the Student Assistant performs a variety of duties in administering the withholding provisions of the law.

Minimum Requirements:
To be considered for this Job Opportunity, applicants must have permanent civil service status, be reachable on an employment list, or have reinstatement eligibility.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Excellent attendance
• Strong organization skills
• Ability to handle multiple task
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment
• Outstanding interpersonal skills to ensure quality customer service
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities.

Desirable Experience/Qualifications:

• Creative and a sense of humor
• Strong oral and written communication skills

How To Apply:
Mail or hand deliver your application by: December 10,2008
Sylvia Cuenca
Exam Unit, PO Box 550, Sacramento CA 95812-0550
(916) 845-6981

Carl Browning
(916) 845-2713

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be interviewed. All applicants not currently employed with the Franchise Tax Board will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Positions will be available in the November 2008-March 2009 time frame. This position is open to both entry-level and full-career position candidates, depending on experience.

Work hours: Full time

Pay Range: $48,000 - $108,000 per year, DOE

Benefits: Medical, dental, and life insurance and retirement

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
waste water compliance, landfill compliance, and air quality compliance

Minimum Requirements:

• B.S. in Engineering (Civil or Environmental Engineering preferred)
• A valid driver’s license

Preferred Qualification:

• Environmental coursework or interest
• The ability to work in a fast-paced environment and perform multiple tasks at the same time

Job Locations:
Grass Valley, Nevada City, Roseville, Sacramento, and Chico.

How To apply:

• Email a resume to both greg.miller@beale.af.mil and kirsten.christopherson@beale.af.mil
• Create an account and post a resume at www.usajobs.gov.
• Apply for the currently listed general announcement: AFPC213300YD-0819-02/02-CE (closes Jan 2, 2009)

For more information, please contact Greg Miller at 530-634-3135.

Position Title: Student Assistant
Classification: Student Assistant
Agency/Organization: CIWMB-Integrated Waste Mgt Board
Preferred Major: CS,CPE
Contact:
Steve Lambert
(916) 341-6690

Position Title: Administrative Assistant
Classification: Student Assistant
Agency/Organization: ALRB-Agricultural Labor Relations Board
Preferred Major: All Majors
Contact:
J. Antonio Barbosa
Executive Secretary
(916) 653-3741

Position Title: Student Assistant - Data Management
Classification: Student Assistant
Agency/Organization: CIWMB-Integrated Waste Mgt Board
Preferred Major: CS,CPE
Contact:
Steve Lambert
(916) 341-6690

To view all available student jobs, visit our online jobs listing at www.fccccareerpathway.org

IMMEDIATE RESPONSES ARE REQUESTED

Job Duties:
Basic office duties of filing, data entry, answering telephones, proofreading/editing skills, developing brochures, maintaining website, ordering supplies.

Salary Range: $8.00 - $12.00 per hour Real Estate license or commercial real estate experience a plus. Possibility for bonuses.

Required / Preferred Skills:

• Excellent general computer skills (knowledge of Microsoft Office products, ability to learn specialized software, create brochures, do technical troubleshooting, and spreadsheets) are a must;
• Good attention to detail (taking telephone messages, excellent writing skills, grammar and spelling in composition, filing);
• Good math skills (computation and concepts);
• A self starter with good time management, work ethic and dependability;
• Professional demeanor and interpersonal skills;

How To Apply:
Email or FAX a resume or letter of interest to:
D. Ellwanger, Senior Vice President
Sperry Van Ness / Ellwanger Team

Telephone: (916) 456-8389 - Can leave messages at this number
FAX: (916) 437-2383

Successful applicants will be called for interview.

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!

Managers from local companies, including HP and Intel report contacting candidates through the system.  If you are not on the system they cannot find you.  

Students are reporting multiple offers from using a combination of the resume posting service, the JETX job listings, and from Job Fairs.  

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 at: cici@csus.edu

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.