ARTICLE: WiE Workshop 1: Finding a Job or Internship

Job Hunting? Check Out these Tips

When seeking a job or internship, don’t overwhelm yourself by applying to everything and anything. It’s much more helpful to target your search, using these helpful tips presented by Kendra Northington, who presented the first in a series of GW SEAS Women in Engineering (WiE) Wednesday workshops. See the full schedule of workshops here.

1. Get organized.
   1. Build your portfolio, including presentations or articles that you can add to your LinkedIn page or personal website – you never know when you might be talking to a potential employer and need quick access to an example of your work.
   2. Create a tracking system to keep up with your applications.
   3. Create saved searches on around three different job boards.
   4. Make a list of five target companies that you’d like to work for, then look for ways to engage with those companies. But don’t limit yourself to just the top brands – look for companies that have similar values to yours, and look for the right fit.
   5. If applying for anything that requires a security clearance, recognize that will take longer. Check this resource.
   6. Follow up – but don’t pester! Wait at least a week past the deadline.
2. Check these websites.
   1. Your target company websites.
   2. Handshake – GW website – a great starting point.
   3. Engineerjobs.com – for civil engineers.
   4. Dice.com – for computer science or tech roles; under Job Search, filter by type of role and location.
   5. MyVisaJobs – for international students.
   6. Buzzfile.com – a powerful website to see number of employers (and who they are) by state, that have hired for your major.
   7. GW SEASCareers – robust resources allowing you to save your search, pick by discipline, even if not GW disciplines. Go to Choose Your Program, and find Employee and Career Outcome information with tables showing states, salary information, and a word cloud of companies that have hired GW students.
   8. LinkedIn – not only to find jobs; it’s helpful for finding other GW alumni and professionals to seek insight into your search process.
   9. Indeed.com – general job listings.
   10. FairyGodBoss.com – a female focused job site with many helpful resources.
   11. DiversityReports.org – providing information on gender hires, including how many women are at different companies. Caution – just because a company has more women, that doesn’t mean it’s a good fit. Look for transparency.
   12. Human Rights Campaign – hrc.org – working to improve the lives of LGBTQ people worldwide. Every year the organization produces a list of companies, the Corporate Equality Index.
3. Look for the good fit.
   1. Write down your top 5 criteria for employers – what matters to you and what are your priorities? Work-life balance? Culture? Professional development opportunities? Skill building experiences?
   2. Schedule a career advising appointment at GW to discuss your search strategy.
   3. Ask good questions. If talking with a recruiter or hiring manager, ask about process, e.g. “What skills or experiences to highly qualified candidates possess?” or “What resources does your organization offer for professional development?” If talking to alumni or another employee, you can ask “Tell me about your current role, what skills are most important.” Or “I’m interested in [x topic]. Is that something I can get at your organization?” When speaking with women, ask “What is it like? What support is offered? Are there any challenges?”