Getting the Job |
1.1 Advertising Your Availability To prepare my resume I attended a Resume Workshop hosted by SIFE at James Madison University. There was no sign up necessary; I just attended the meeting with ideas and dates in my head. Prior to that, I also researched how to write a resume online. I used quick pointers provided online as well as a template provided by Microsoft. I later found out that templates are usually avoided due to the fact that they are not easy to programmatically scan into the company's computer system. For instance tabs and page lines come up weird in the database, usually causing exceptions in the program scanning the resume. The point of scanning the resumes is so that your information can be indexed and searched easily, if it scans the resume incorrectly it does not really help make the resume accessible. Templates are also harder to go back to later and edit after your resume needs to be updated. |
1.2 Finding Out About Job Openings In my case I did not go through the process of finding the actual Internship job opening. I was fortunate to be offered a job that I did not know even existed. I later found out that Northrop Grumman has a link on their site which tells about the internship process and how to apply. |
1.3 Landing Your Internship During my senior year of high school I achieved the rank of Eagle Scout through the Boy Scouts of America. The timeframe of the completion of that award can occur anytime up until that scouts eighteenth birthday. In my case I received the award a week or two before my Eighteenth Birthday. While most Eagle Scouts were going back to high school in the fall, I as starting my Freshman year at James Madison University. Annually there is a dinner held for all the scouts who have reached the rank of Eagle Scout, I decided and signed up to attend in the fall. Each scout is assigned a mentor to attend the dinner with. I happened to get a mentor that was employed by Northrop Grumman. I must have made a good impression on what turned out to be one long informal interview during that night. Their was interest shown to have me help out at the office a couple days a week during the summer to intern with Northrop Grumman. Upon another informal lunch interview with my two soon to be managers I was offered an Internship during the summer after my freshman year at James Madison University. After working for a few weeks they noticed that it would be more beneficial if I worked for more than two days a week, I soon moved up to four days a week. I must have made a good impression during that summer as well because I was asked to come back and intern again for a second summer. I now work a full forty hours a week during the summer and winter breaks while attending school at JMU. |
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Figure 1a. Building I Intern, for Northrop Grumman, At |
