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| Ask an Engineer: Frequently Asked Questions |
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Got a question? It may have already been answered.
Browse the frequently asked questions below, or browse the full archives.
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Browse FAQs
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Q: What are the opportunities in industry for holders of a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree in Electronics and Telecommunications (E&TC) Engineering or Electronics (EC) Engineering?
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Q: I am an undergraduate neuroscience major and I recently became interested in engineering.
I think that I have the science skills necessary to go into the field, but I wonder if it is possible to pursue engineering after graduation or if it is much too late to begin graduate school study.
I completed pre-med courses, but realized that medicine is not for me and that I like the creativity that the field of engineering offers.
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Q: I am a student of engineering studying my third year
information technology. Could you please provide advice for interviewing and how to present my skills/knowledge during a career fair?
The best way to prepare yourself for an interview is to understand what type of job you are seeking. It is best to focus your efforts on positions that suit your educational background, personality, knowledge, and desired working environment. With this in mind, you are able to take a targeted approach to your job search.
Here is some helpful information on how to prepare for a career fair. At the end we provide useful links on specific subjests and various on-line resources.
Prepare a resume or curriculum vitae(CV)
A resume/CV is your primary resource tool to presenting your skills and knowledge for job openings. You will need to spend time preparing an effective and attractive resume/CV for distribution at the career fair. There are many available resources for resume writing(see links below). Many universities have Career Centers that offer resume writing sessions, one-on-one appointments, and job search tips.
Interviewing
Meeting a company representative at a career fair is a mini interview. These representatives will take your resume and engage in a short informal interview. You should practice interviewing and prepare responses to commonly asked interview questions. See the links below for tips and frequently asked questions.
Research & Planning
Obtain a listing of companies that are participating in the career fair. Research these companies and develop a "must see" list companies you would be interested in working for. Look the companies up on the Internet - take notes of business strategies and relevant current news. These notes can provide good talking points to impress the company representatives at the career fair.
Appearance
Dress in business Attire. Many employers want to see neat, clean, and professional appearance.
What to take with you
Copies of your resume, transcripts, your business card(make one if you do not have one), sample write-ups on past projects, notepad, pens, the list of "must see" companies and your notes on these companies.
At the Career Fair
Approach the "must see" companies on your list. Introduce yourself with a firm handshake and give the representative a copy of your resume. Inquire about open positions and introduce your background and interests in brief. Highlight the experience that would give the company reasons to hire you over someone else. Refer to the notes you collected during the company research. Ask when the company anticipates interviewing for the open positions. Ask for a business card, and offer yours, and thank the representative for their time.
Post Career Fair
Follow-up with potential leads from the career fair. Upload your resume into the company's databases to gain further exposure for additional positions. E-mail the representative you spoke to at the career fair thanking them for their time and re-expressing your interest in working for the company.
Additional Information
Career planning sites
We found the McGill University's Career Centre webpage to be particularly helpful on most aspects of job search:
http://www.mcgill.ca/caps/
The career centers at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Maryland also provide many useful discussions of job search topics:
http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/career/
http://www.careercenter.umd.edu/
Job fair advice
http://www.careercenter.umd.edu/page.cfm?page_id=114
Resume writing resources
Note: we refer to the free advice section on these sites. We do not endorse the commercial for fee services that some of these sites offer.
http://www.eng.iastate.edu/ecs/students/ResumeWriting-update-new.html
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/teenstudentgrad/a/studentresume.htm
http://www.resumeedge.com/resume-writing/index.php?nav=rc.home
Interview preparation resources
http://www.coop.eng.umd.edu/documents/handouts_2005/7Interviewing%20Techniques.pdf
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/seas/seas_int.html
http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/Page10696.aspx
http://www-07.ibm.com/employment/sg/career/interview_tips.html
http://www.careercenter.umd.edu/page.cfm?section_ID=1&page_id=57
Resources on general communication skills
(1) An excellent collection of resources exists on the Kent State University Libraries and Media Services webpage. The collection covers writing, reading, listening and speaking.
URL: http://www.library.kent.edu/page/10867
(2) A nice collection of articles on different aspects of personal communication is available at hodu.com.
URL: http://hodu.com/effective-communication-skills-menu.html
We found the following sections especially useful: Speaking Skills and Writing Skills.
(3) Staffordshire University provides a good collection of articles here:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/services/careers/saw/learning_resources/communication.htm
Some of the links are dead but most are active and quite helpful. There are descriptions of techniques (such as Mind Mapping) that are not available on other comparable websites.
(4) The BT Education Programme provides several unusual resources. It is available here:
http://www.bteducation.org/resources/results.ikml?a=0&f=0
The site requires registration but is free to use. One of the tools it provides is a series of videos of interviews with job applicants, with feedback by the interviewer (the interview tapes).
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Q: I am a 3rd year student in a Computer Science and Engineering program leading to a B. Tech degree. How do I prepare for job interviews with recruiters of various companies?
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Q: I am a mechanical engineering student toward the B. Tech. (Bachelor of Technology) degree, writing from Rajasthan State, India. My university is in the “Deemed University” category. It is recognized by UGC but not approved by AICTE. My grade point average is 75.
Upon graduation and further studies, I am interested in becoming a Lecturer in a reputable state university such as Mumbai University (Diploma as well as Degree College). Is this a realistic plan?
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Q: Which area of engineering has the best salary potential?
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Q: I'm a high school student who is reasonably good in math, but it is not my favorite subject — is engineering still for me?
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