How did you GET your job(s)?

[Mark Pierce]

I've had a whole variety of experiences getting jobs in the last 25 + years.

Part time programmer at Michigan Tech - referral from friend.
Summer Internship at Univac - co-op/internship fair at MTU
Honeywell (first full time engineering job) - MTU Career Center
Lear Siegler/Smith Industries Aerospace - Headhunter
Capital Electronics/Capital Technologies - cold phone call / resume
Oliver Machinery - continuation of work done through Capital Electronics.
Castle Technology (Self employed) - all of my customers were referrals from people I knew.
Diesel Technology/Bosch - answered newspaper ad
Gentex - Answered newspaper ad

Learning many things at each of these positions has enabled me to keep growing as a person and an engineer. While many respondents have mentioned long careers at one employer, the nature of their responsibilities and skills needed has undoubtedly changed dramatically over the years.

Three of these companies had rejected me within a year of hiring me, so making a good impression, remaining positive and being patient is important. Sometimes the timing has to be right for an employer to match your skills with their needs.