Where should I start, and any suggestions?(job search)

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Deadlyapp gave good advice. If I may ask, why did you wait till your last semester to job hunt?

 

[Rumpltzer]

I'm a senior engineer at a development-type semiconductor place. I see intern resumes, and I see resumes of potential hires. So, it's not that I see ALL resumes, I mostly see resumes of potentials.

Why someone wouldn't put themselves into an internship or a co-op in these days when they're so readily available is beyond me. If not that, there needs to be some evidence of participation in heavy-duty senior project or a club project or some type of work that's been done on the side... something that says that a potential is a good investment. But this is from a facility that's doing development work. I suppose other places might just need warm bodies.

So, in this case, I would fall back to what I did as an undergrad freshman in engineering (but I had internships when I was in high school!): I'd start applying to every position in sight. As a freshman, I sent out >80 cover letters and resumes looking for an internship. I got two interviews. I got one offer. And I took it. After that, getting another internship was easy.


First step: Go to LinkedIn. Make a profile. Search for jobs. Apply to jobs. Repeat many, many, many times.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Co-op is the best thing I did in high school. It was my first exposure to what a work environment is like. So at least when I started to apply for jobs, or actually got a job, I had a basic idea what to expect. A summer student job is also a good thing to get. When you're done for the year apply everywhere to get a job for the summer. Yeah it's nice to have your summer off but it's also nice to have money and experience. I don't know if summer jobs count as experience though when job positions say it requires a certain amount of years, but it still gives you personal experience at least.

 

[Rumpltzer]

I did four summers of college internships (not including the two summers in high school).

Aside from learning C and Pascal (it was an old computer, I'm not THAT old) and scanning electron microscopy (which I still use today), my greatest lesson was learning that I DON'T want to do. It helped to motivate me to go to grad school so I would at least have some ability to direct my own work once I entered the adult workforce.