Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Hints for Getting Internships and Co-ops

Roger Bentley, former ECpE academic adviser and current program coordinator for Engineering Career Services, shares his advice to help you get an internship or co-op this year.
 

Q: What does Iowa State's online Career Management Service (ISUCMS) provide for students looking for an internship?

A: ISUCMS is a dynamic database for student and employer information. Students can see the list of companies that are their major and what type of student they are seeking—intern, co-op, or full-time—at the Engineering Career Fair. Students also can see a job description of the work, profile of the company, and interview schedule and/or informational session meeting with specific companies. Students can interact through ISUCMS and schedule meetings, track their favorite companies, upload resumes and cover letters, manage their personal profile, and search the job database.
 

Q: When should I begin searching for an internship?

A: The trend is for companies to now start looking as early as sophomore year for interns, so you should build relationships as early as freshman year. Prepared students can make a strong impression as a freshman and recruiters will remember that student if the student makes effort to network and meet with that recruiter every semester. Sometimes talented freshmen can get internships especially if they seek positions at smaller companies. Most employers are hiring spring and summer 2009 interns during the Fall Career Fair.
 

Q: What can I do to make my resume stand out?

A: Hopefully, students will have gotten involved in quality leadership and work projects—if you haven’t done very much yet, then get started. First, nearly all students should have a one-page only resume. Make sure the layout is neat and easily scanned by the reader. A cluttered resume will make someone not want to read it. Write about your work and projects in terms of demonstrating advanced project management skills as well as your technical responsibilities. Show through your words how you helped advance projects or improve processes or increased your learning. Using active verbs to start bullet points helps (i.e. Designed an integrated circuit in class, etc.).

Q: What do I include in my cover letter?

A: Cover letters can be written in a variety of ways and there are many free resources available to help explain what a cover letter is for and how to prepare it. Check out the Engineering Career Services Web site to start. In general, a cover letter should have four parts. The first section, introduce yourself, describe how you learned of the position, and what your intentions are. In the next section, describe how your professional competencies match with the skills and competencies the position requires. In the third section, explain any past experiences that show you have successfully applied the skills the employer is looking for. Finally, close the letter by thanking the employer for considering you and a statement with ways to keep the communication channels open if they want to contact you.
 

Q. What should I bring to an interview?

A: You should wear a professional outfit, bring extra copies of your resume in a professional-looking portfolio, and have a positive attitude. Make sure you smile often and take a few seconds to think through your answers. Also, be prepared to talk in detail and give specific examples about your past experiences and what you did to help advance the project or exactly what you learned from your experiences. And come prepared with a game plan of who you will talk with and what you will talk about.
 

Q: What background information should I know about the company I'm applying to do an internship with?  

A: You should understand the company’s products and the types of engineers they might need (design, test, quality, system, sales, etc.). Research the company by going to its corporate Web site before the interview.
 

Q: What types of questions do I need to be prepared to answer during an interview?

A: Companies are now practicing behavioral based interviewing. They will ask you questions about your experiences and ask you to demonstrate your abilities in those situations. If you worked on an engineering design, for example, they might ask you what constraints your design was under, how you personally advanced the project, and how you worked with your budget. Be prepared for questions about times where you had to work in a team, show leadership, show initiative, and demonstrated innovation.

Q: After my interview, when should I send a thank you letter to individuals who interviewed me?  

A: You should write and send the thank-you note the same day or the next morning.
 

Q:  What should I include in my thank you letter, and is it okay to e-mail it?  

A: For ideas on items to include in your thank you letter, check out the Engineering Career Services Web site. Sending a handwritten card is still a very nice touch, but it is also appropriate to send a professional thank you e-mail.

Q: What is the professional way to deal with job offers from multiple prospective employers?  Is it too risky to ask for time to think it over?

A: Most companies will give you an outright deadline when they need to hear from you. They do not want to put you or them in an uncomfortable situation and would rather be clear with the expectations. You should not try to play one offer against another and only ask for extensions if you have extenuating circumstances. Companies understand that you may have multiple offers, but they also expect commitment to their deadlines. It is a professional courtesy.