Are you a U.S. citizen student looking for a way to make a real difference working for the federal government, while also gaining job experience and connections?

There are nearly 600 virtual projects/internships offered through the Virtual Student Federal Service (VSFS) program. Students can work on projects that advance the work of government on multiple fronts. Projects include helping counter violent extremism, strengthening human rights monitoring, developing virtual programs, engaging in digital communications, mapping, economic and political reporting, data analysis, graphic design and app building.

 Application deadline is Wednesday, July 31, 2019.

Details for applying are on the VSFS website.

Researching companies and studying job descriptions are topics that are covered in every presentation on resume writing and interview preparation. Internet access makes finding this information extremely easy. Successful job seeking requires a second type of exploration that is equally important and often more challenging than reading websites: self-reflection.

Every interviewer is trying to determine why they should hire you. Some may ask the question directly, while others will be more subtle. Nevertheless, it is your responsibility to demonstrate to recruiters and hiring managers why the cost of hiring you is a good investment.

Fulton Fall Career Fairs are coming September 16, 17, and 18, 2019!

Did you know that fall is the most intense hiring season? Right, that is true for both interns and full-time positions!

The Fulton Schools Career Center is offering our quick “Get Ready for the Fall Career Fair” talk this summer to help you prepare!

Last week, I spent three days in Houston, Texas, attending the annual conference of my professional organization, the National Career Development Association.

Professional organizations provide their members with opportunities for networking and learning from other professionals as well as the latest information on research, trends and resources. Personally, I love attending workshops given by the leaders in our field (the authors of textbooks and research articles found in graduate school programs).

All ASU Venture Devils and aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to register for the free Summer Startup Bootcamp.

I hope that all of you are finding summer to be a less hectic and more relaxed season than the fall and spring semesters. Whether you are taking classes, working at internships, doing research, traveling or volunteering, you probably have more free time and fewer demands than you do during the school year.

This is the time of the year for you to have fun, get caught up on sleep and reconnect with friends and family. It can also be a time for you to check off some items that will get you ready for the fall recruiting season — which will be happening shortly after classes begin in August.

Are you someone who has been diligently applying for internships or jobs without any positive results? If so, let’s step back and see if we can identify and solve the problem.

Last week, the Fulton Schools Career Center hosted our Spring 2019 Career Conference. During the event, a panel of employers and recent Fulton Schools alumni spoke about transition — going from a student to an intern or to a new professional employee. Students heard from the employers about the things that made workers successful – or not. They also learned about the challenges the recent graduates faced when they started their new positions.

The employers emphasized the importance of “soft” of “transferable” skills. You will always have to learn more technical skills when you start a new job or a new company. Technical job-related training and independent learning are typically part of the onboarding process. You are expected to know how to communicate effectively, to work as part of a team, to find information and solve problems. You are also expected to have a good work ethic – be on time, be productive and treat everyone respectfully. As Fulton Schools students, you have so many opportunities to acquire and hone your “people skills”.  http://customize.engineering.asu.edu/

Interns and new employees are expected to show initiative and leadership. They are also told that they should ask for help when it is needed. I asked our panelists to give some guidance as to how someone would know when it is appropriate to ask for help. The response was that the intern or new employee should attempt to solve problems on their own. When they are not able to determine an answer or reach a decision, they should show their research and share their thought processes when asking for help. Providing this background not only shows initiative; but, improves the conversation and learning experience.

Finally, all employers and alumni recommended using the Fulton Schools Career Center. Checkout the resources on our website and use Handshake to schedule an appointment.  http://career.engineering.asu.edu/
We are here to help you.

Joyce Donahue is a Certified Career Counselor in the Fulton Schools of Engineering Career Center.

Did you know you can use Handshake to search job opportunities and internships, upload your résumés for recruiting employers to view, schedule on-campus interviews and see who’s recruiting at engineering career events throughout the year? If you’re not taking advantage of this resource, register for Handshake today.

Cognizant is hiring for two full-time positions! Apply for their Enterprise Applications Services Digital Technology Analyst position or their Quality Engineering and Assurance Analyst position today.