Question for FIRST Alumni

FIRST Career
1

I am currently a sophomore studying Biomedical Engineering and have been struck with a huge issue. I’ve had zero luck with any internships. I have applied to countless research programs and companies, but I always seem to get the same response. I understand that as a sophomore engineer, it is difficult to get some positions due to experience, but I was curious how fellow alumni have attempted/succeeded at getting an internship early into college. My background surpasses just FIRST, but it is still a huge majority of my background experience.

Any advice is welcome.

Thank you,
Kevin

Edit: I should add that I have gotten my resume properly corrected and given a major touchup as well as my LinkedIn account.

2

What kind of companies are you applying to? Are you cold-applying, or going through your school’s career office/career fairs? Have you had qualified people look over your resume/cover letters to make sure that they’re competitive?

I’m not in the bio-medical field, but being only two years out of school in the engineering world I think I’m not too old to be out of touch with the internship game. Internships can get pretty competitive, but the way your application is packaged can make a world of difference. Do you have any industry contacts (or FIRST contacts that could get you in touch with the right people)?

3

It’s all about those connections. You may have heard it before, but it is very true.

I got my first job as an Autodesk intern directly because it was a FIRST internship. I had technical knowledge that they needed (LabVIEW), and so my mentor introduced me to the Autodesk employee. Without this, I wouldn’t have thought to apply.

My next job I got because my friend worked there and they needed to fill an open slot. Same with my current internship, a friend was able to recommend me.

4

Networking is really the big thing that I’ve experienced. Finding someone I know on a personal level that can move your resume to the right person or present you with the right opportunity is huge. Talk to your professors and advisors at your school, they may be able to help. I know with my internship at BAE systems last year, knowing some of the people there through working with them on FLL events probably helped me out a lot.

And above all else, never stop applying!

5

To answer your question, I have had my resume completely reworked by a friend’s mother (who works in Career services at a different university).

I have applied through several different methods, a few through the school, some cold applying and some through a mutual friend.

In regards to industry contacts that is my real Achilles heel. I have very few connections in my direct field (although I do try to look beyond just Biomed); however, I am attempted to expand my industry contacts.

There is also the issue of persistence. I have had a couple of people who have forwarded my resume, but I never hear back despite attempting to reach out to those people personally. I understand that there may be rejections, but it gets exhausting after a while.

6

LinkedIn. If you aren’t on it then get on it. Join the FIRST Alumni group and create a post sharing your resume and asking others if they can help. Leverage your connections, not just your smarts.

7

I got an internship after my first year in college through an interview a family friend got me.
I recently was accepted for a coop position at Borg-Warner Morse for Spring 2017 through RIT’s career fair.

Almost all I do in every single interview is discuss robotics. The employers love to have an applicant who not only has practical experience working with engineering in teams, but also one who is passionate about engineering and STEM.

8

I would be doing the exact same thing, IF I was able to continue into an interview process. That is my biggest issue. I have no doubt that I can present myself in a desirable manner at an interview, my issue stems from the inability to make it to the interview stage.

9

I’m not sure what your process has been, but here’s what I’ve learned through my experiences and watching others. I tried making this generic so applies to anyone looking for an internship.

-You’re probably not going to get the A-list companies being so young/inexperienced barring some exceptions. You’re more likely to have better luck with smaller companies. Keep this in mind. Apply to A list companies anyways.

-Apply everywhere. Even if you don’t think you’ll get it. Look for places where its not obvious they do whatever you do (I’m trying to make this generic). Even though you got rejected last year, try again this year.

-Network. Go to the career fair and try to talk to the same reps at a company every time. Build up a relationship with those reps. It’s not a short term fix but a long term strategy. If you school invites companies for “info sessions” or whatever they call it, go to those too. Various profession clubs (Society of [blank] Engineers, IEEE, etc) tend to host those type of events. Typically there are networking opportunities at the end of that. In both situations, ask the reps what they’re looking for a in a candidate so you can understand what skills to acquire/advertise.

-Be a person people want to hang out with. This is an extension of the networking bullet point, but basically, when you talk to reps try to also be a person, not just a kid trying to get a job. Ask them about their day, be polite, smile, ask questions about what they do at the company, etc. Its probably silly to mention, but make sure they’re treated as people and not just a tool for acquiring an internship.

-Projects. Do projects. Group projects, solo-projects, competitions, etc. Advertise this on your resume. Having a good GPA is really important, but projects show that you have functional knowledge and can actually make a product. Join clubs that focus on building projects (ie competition groups) or find a competition and start a club for it.

-Experience. This is the catch-22, you need experience to get experience. Luckily, there are ways to get experience that aren’t internships. TAing is a great way to solidify your knowledge and companies tend to like that (also, I’ve found it to be really fun). Additionally, helping professors with research is another great way to gain experience (and forming relationships with your professors is good when you’ll eventually need references). If you really enjoy a class or professor, ask if they’re looking for TAs for next semester. Professors are also typically happy to bring on students to do research, so again, just ask.

If you didn’t get an internship this summer, try to get a research position instead. Its a good investment of time (and maybe you can take classes over the summer too to lighten your workload).

-Practice. Practice talking to reps (it feels silly to role-play, but it helps). Practice interviewing. Not being a nervous wreck always helps.

Also, if you have older students in your program who had internships that you want, ask how they got it, what type of things they do, etc. They’ll have the most relevant advice for your specific situation.

10

Get off ChiefDelphi, and pick up the phone, send some emails, talk to proffessors, or go into these companies.

Or just give up…and work for your dad.