GETTING THE JOB

GETTING THE JOB

Advertising My Availability

Preparing myself for an internship was in reality a two year process. The process began my sophomore year before I even realized the "process" had begun. I was enrolled in a technical writing class, TSC 210, where we had to create a professional cover letter and resume. The cover letter and resume that I had created received praise from my professor, leaving me content and thinking I had an exceptional resume. I would soon find out that my resume was not so great once I applied for the CS Internship Program.

I applied for the CS Internship Program by filling out an application found online and submitting it to Dr. Ralph Grove. Shortly after submitting my application, I received an email from Dr. Grove letting me know that I had been accepted into the internship program. The next step was to meet with Dr. Allen Berg to review my cover letter and resume before having Dr. Berg submitting it to JMU contacts. Having created a cover letter and resume in my TSC 210 class, I felt confident that the meeting would be a positive one and my cover letter and resume would be sent out quickly for internship opportunities. Once I met with Dr. Berg, my cover letter and resume was murdered with his red pen. I had a one page resume, which I along with the majority of the JMU student population thought was appropriate. Dr. Berg explained to me that there was nothing wrong with having a two page resume, especially for an individual with technical expertise such as a CS student. Dr. Berg advised me to discuss the experience I had attained in course work throughout my undergraduate career and to use proactive wording as well. Although at the time, it was frustrating and annoying to keep changing my resume and cover letter it truly did pay off in the end, and after three or four more meeting with Dr. Berg, my cover letter and resume was ready to be sent out. Unfortunately, I did not receive any interviews or internship opportunities.

I felt there were a few reasons why I was not able to obtain an internship my sophomore year. I believe one reason was due to the fact that I was a sophomore and I still had yet to get into some of the core classes a CS student needed. Another reason was due to the fall of the economy, there just weren't that many opportunities out there as years past. Nevertheless, my junior year had come around and I was determined to obtain an internship and gain "real world" experience.

Finding Out About Job Openings

With my junior year underway, I was well prepared for the internship process thanks to my cover letter and resume building experience from the previous year. I edited my resume to include the course work experience I had gained since the previous year and began looking for internship opportunities myself. There was a career fair here at JMU early in the fall semester, which I attended. I brought about twenty five copies of my resume and talked to employers about internship opportunities and possibilities. Many of the employers were unsure of internship availability and said that they usually assess their need for interns in February. Regardless, I made sure that the employer got a copy of my resume and that I build rapport with the recruiter so that if I contacted them in February, they would be able to remember me. I did receive positive feedback from Circuit City and eventually was given a phone interview, however, it did not work out and I was not offered an internship. There was a lot of positive feedback from many different employers, however, I was not able to establish any interviews or opportunities.

Once spring semester had come around, I once again applied for the CS Internship Program by filling out an application and submitting it to Dr. Grove. The cover letter and resume review process was quick and easy, due to the work done the previous year, and my cover letter and resume were sent out by Dr. Berg. I also was on the CS email list, which would often send out information about internship opportunities. However, many of the internship opportunities were not what I was looking for or in the location I was trying to be, so I did not apply. As I was waiting to hear back from the CS Internship Program about any interviews, I signed up for MadisonTRAK, which was by far the best thing I had done since beginning my internship "hunt."

I went down to Sonner Hall and filled out a little application to join MadisonTRAK. Using MadisonTRAK, you could have your resume online, and there was a list of companies coming to JMU to interview/recruit for various job openings. If you found a job you were interested in, you could submit your resume and the employer would get to preview it, and then pre-select you if they were interested in interviewing you. There were quite of opportunities listed on MadisonTRAK that interested me, however, I only ended up submitting my resume to Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) and KPMG.

Landing My Internship

Once I had submitted my resume to PWC and KPMG on MadisonTRAK, I had to wait and see if I would be pre-selected by the employers to schedule an interview. I was fairly confident that I would be pre-selected because I felt I had a great resume that stood out. As expected I was notified by email that I had been pre-selected by both PWC and KPMG. Now that I was pre-selected, I went into MadisonTRAK and selected an interview time to interview. There was also an information session that each employer would hold the day (usually in the evening) before they interviewed. This was extremely helpful, it allowed you to be able to learn more about the firm and to also meet the person interviewing you. You are given the opportunity to make an impression on your interviewer and build rapport with him or her. It also allows you to not be so nervous for your interview because you have met the person interviewing you and know something about them, they aren't a "complete stranger."

PWC's information session was held in Sonner Hall and it went fairly well, however, I now realize that I was not as prepared as I should have been. I did not know that much about the employer and was not prepared to ask questions. We broke off into groups by which department you were applying for, and there were about 5 other students in my group. The associates were very friendly and answered any questions we had, however, I was not prepared and did not ask any questions. The questions asked by other students were not necessarily about the firm, but about the internship itself, such as, "what qualities do you look for in an intern?" These were the type of questions I wish I asked, which would show that I was proactive and prepared, even if I did not know much about the firm itself. When the interview came around, I felt it went well and the interviewer seemed impressed, however, I did not get the job. Nevertheless, I learned from my mistakes and I was better prepared for my next interview with KPMG.

KPMG's information session was more at ease, possibly due to it being held in Biltmore Grill. I walked in prepared and a little caught off guard. I was caught off guard by the atmosphere, it was very social, and I did not feel like I was trying to impress anyone. I felt at ease and was myself. I also was well prepared to ask questions when the time was right. I asked questions about the internship program, expectations, and the firms nature of work. I left Biltmore very optimistic about the interview the next day, and felt that I built rapport with my interviewer to have the interview go smoother.

As expected the interview, which was held in Sonner Hall, went well and I left confident that I had made a good impression and would be asked for another interview. It took some time, but, I eventually got a phone call letting me know that I had been selected to attend KPMG's Connections Program on site in their Washington DC office. The Connections Program was a one night and one day event where we got to meet other associates, ask questions, and get a general feel for the work atmosphere with the firm. They provided lodging in Embassy Suites in Washington DC, and took us out to eat at a near by restaurant. The dinner was a lot like the information session, where we met associates, some that would conduct our second interview, and ask questions. The next day, we sat through presentations, took a tour of the office, met more associates and managers, and had our second interview. Once the Connections Program was over, I was very happy with the way it went and the people I met. I looked forward to hearing back from KPMG on their decision, and hoped to get the opportunity to intern with them in the summer. The day before spring break began, I received a phone call from the primary recruiter, and was informed that I got the internship. I was very happy and left for Cancun with a huge smile on my face!