The INI Career Roadmap: 5 Steps for Success

The INI Career Roadmap is a process designed to support your independent internship/job search. This process can help you organize your goals, identify skills you can use on the job, and target specific employers – all of which are useful as you develop yourself professionally.

An independent search can be time consuming, but a good system can help protect you from procrastination. Some important guidelines to keep in mind include:

• Have regular commitments to yourself and others.
• Keep active and stay on course with your plans.
• Become familiar with and use time management techniques.
• Maintain your support system (family, friends, faculty, professional associations).
• Meet with your Career Consultant regularly to share feelings and information and test ideas.

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Step 1: Career Exploration

• Clarify your career objective by considering the following:
  • Which of your interests, talents, values and strengths are most important to you when considering your future?
  • What types of issues, products or services do you find most interesting or valuable?
  • Which industry do you want to work in? Financial, technology, consulting, manufacturing? Access the VAULT guides for more information.
  • What type of working environment do you desire? Clarifying what type of organization you prefer can help make your search manageable, show motivation and commitment to your potential employer, and lead to greater satisfaction.
  • What salary range will you consider?
  • Where do you want to work geographically?
  • Which of the above are most important to you? Prioritize them.
  • Based on the answers to the above questions, which positions or careers could be of interest to you? Review the internships and full-time positions of past INI graduates.
  • Take the Meyers Briggs assessment if you are unsure.
  • Discuss INI career tracks with your Faculty Advisor

Step 2: Prepare and Develop your Internship/Job Search Plan

• Have your resume reviewed by the INI Career Consultant.
• Complete the online TartanTRAK orientation training.
• Order INI business cards.
• Identify individuals who will serve as references.
• Attend Career Center workshops.
• Create a large list of employers (50) that you would LOVE to work for. Look beyond the obvious. Wouldn't it be great to wake up each day excited about your work? The following sources may help you identify potential employers:
  • CareerSearch: A database of over 2 million potential employers nationwide (not current openings). This is a great resource for a specific geographic or industry search.
  • Carnegie Mellon Online Alumni Directory: Use it to network with CMU alumni (click on "Search the Directory").
  • Internship employers who hired last year’s INI students
  • Full-time employers of INI students
  • CIT Internship Database
  • Vault Guides
  • Leadership Development Job Opportunities for Engineering Graduates
  • On campus employers/interviews on TartanTRAK
  • Job Fair participating employers
  • Networking events
  • Professional engineering associations and organizations
  • Recruiting Business Cards: A database of business cards of employers who have interviewed students in the Career Center
  • Career Center Library
  • Finding A Great Job in the Federal Government: A Comprehensive Guide
  • Job Search Strategies for International Students
• Research the companies on your list.
  • To conduct an effective internship/job search, you must research and learn as much as possible about each potential employer.  The more you know about an employer, the more confident you are likely to feel, and this translates into better communication and a more productive exchange. Thoroughly review each company’s Web site to learn as much as possible about that company.
  
  Information you should know about a potential employer:

Step 3: Implement Your Internship/Job Search Plan

• Conduct informational interviews/meetings.
• Attend Employer Information Sessions: Over 250 Employer Information Sessions are held on campus each year in conjunction with on-campus recruiting.  These sessions are designed to introduce students to employers and available employment opportunities, and they are an excellent way to learn about career fields and the variety of employers that visit campus.  Many employers choose to hold information sessions the night before campus interviews, and most will expect you to attend if you are an interview candidate. However, never rely on employers to send you this information. Be proactive by using the Presentations menu on TartanTRAK to find upcoming presentations:
  1. From the main TartanTRAK menu, click on "Interview & Connect with Employers."
  2. In the "Presentations" box, enter a date range (mm/dd/yyyy) and click on the "Search Presentations" button.
  3. Review the list of presentations and click on the date of the presentation you wish to attend.
  4. Review the presentation information and click the "Sign Up for this Presentation" button.
• Actively contact the companies on your list by sending your resume and cover letter, using the following strategies:
  • Email
  • Phone calls
  • U.S. mail
  • Networking (Talk to everyone you know and ask the key phrase “Can you recommend someone to whom I can send my resume?”)
  • Job fairs
  • Employer Information Sessions
  • TartanTRAK
  • InterviewTRAK-Interview & Connect
  • Pre-select Process
  • On-Campus Recruiting
  • Information Sessions
  • Resume Drops
  • Search Jobs & Internships
  • General full-time, internship and student employment job postings
  • Do not depend on TartanTRAK only for your internship/job search. You need to use many strategies to have a successful search. A smaller part of your search can be applying to online or paper postings.
• Follow-up with employers (by email or phone) two weeks after you send a resume. Remind the employer who you are, and then ask them details about the position and if they received your resume.

Step 4: Interview

• Prepare for the interview.
  • Pre-interview
    • Self-assessment
    • Research the employer
    • Practice interview techniques
    • Prepare yourself
  • During the interview
    • Entrance
    • Your presentation
    • Nonverbal cues
    • Nonverbal behaviors
    • Verbal behaviors
    • Exit
  • After the interview
    • Debrief yourself
    • Write a thank you letter
  • Types of interviews
    • Screening interview
    • Behavioral interview
    • Video interview
    • Telephone interview
    • Group interview
    • Case interview
  • Improper or illegal interview questions
  • Stages and topics covered during the initial interview
  • Commonly asked interview questions
  • Behavioral interview questions
  • Questions to ask during an interview
  • Dressing for success
  • Identify additional potential questions you may be asked
  • Practice an interview with a friend.
• Participate in the Career Center Mock Interview Program.
• Attend the interview and send a thank you letter.

Step 5: Deciding on and Accepting a Job Offer

• Negotiate, accept or reject an offer.
• Complete the INI Internship or INI Job Placement Survey.