The Chemical Engineering Job Search
Presentation by Itanza Lawrence
Career Placement Officer
Organized in conjunction with ChEGO
Key Points
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Companies
Industries
Background
Resume
Cover Letters
Organization
Networking
COMPANIES
You have to use all available Resources
Ch2mhill
Proctor and Gamble
From major sewerage programs in London and Abu Dhabi to super
cleanrooms in China, from nuclear cleanup in Scotland to major
highways and airports in the United States, CH2M HILL's project
experience is as diverse as the world itself.
With the strongest portfolio of trusted, quality, leadership brands,
including Pampers®, Tide®, Always®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®,
Charmin®, Downy®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Gillette®,
Febreze®, and Vicks®, our goal is to improve life daily through our
products, people, and initiatives.
• Heat and Material Balances
• Mass Transfer Operations in
Wastewater and air
• Process piping
• RO/DI Systems
• Ultra-pure systems and
specialty Gases
• Research & Development
• Product Supply Engineering
– Technical/Process Engineer
– Control Engineer
• Product Supply
Manufacturing
Industries
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bulk Chemicals – Dow, Exxon Chemical, BASF
Specialty Chemicals – Corning, Foamex, PPG Industries
Petroleum Products – Arco, Chevron, Shell
Pharmaceuticals – Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck
Electronics – AT&T, General Electric, Xerox
Food Products – Frito Lay, General Mills, Kraft
Consumer Products – 3M, Johnson & Johnson
Process Design, Operation, and Consulting – Fluor Daniel
Software for Chemical Engineering – Aspen Technology
Paper and Pulp – Mead Corporation
Automotive – Chrysler, Ford, General Motors
Finance & Investing – First Manhattan Cons. Group, McKinsey &Co.
Referenced from: https://duncan.cbe.cornell.edu/cheme112/CHEMESITES/COMPANIES/
BACKGROUND
WHY ARE YOU A VALUABLE ASSET TO THE ENGINEERING WORLD?
•
•
•
•
•
Hard work
Determination
A great laugh
Ability to think outside of the box
Previous experience
Research, summer jobs, internships,
student group leadership
• Writing Skills
• Your culture
The Resume
First Last
uni@columbia.edu | 000.000.0000
EDUCATION
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Relevant Coursework: Thermodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, Mechanics of Solids, Machine Design
May 2006
New York, NY
EXPERIENCE
THE BOEING COMPANY
Mechanical Engineer | 737/P8 Program
June 2006 - Present
Renton, WA
· Guided a team of six engineers in executing eight safety/ergonomic condition improvement projects,
resulting in a significant decrease in factory head strike and back strain injuries.
· Gathered and analyzed data for the implementation of four streamlining opportunities including more
accurate wire lengths and wire bundle grouping for ease of installation. Presented proposal based on
findings to Boeing Leadership for approval.
CLOROX COMPANY
Packaging Development Intern | Specialty Packaging Division
Summer 2005
Pleasanton, CA
· Conducted shipment temperature research and analyzed data to develop recommendations for in-shipment
temperature testing protocol on high volume Clorox products (i.e. Bleach, Pine Sol, Hidden Valley Ranch).
· Identified and presented best practices for future storage stability and field test methods to managers and
scientists.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Administrative Assistant
2003-2006
New York, NY
· Assisted IEOR department staff members and faculty. Supported engineering seminars and alumni/student
events.
· Restructured paycheck receipt system for improved efficiency and security.
· Developed and sustained the alumni contact database system.
LEADERSHIP
SOUTH CENTRAL SCHOLARS (SCS)
Regional Director | Columbia/NY Region
2004 – Present
New York, NY
· Mentor students at Columbia University and NYU, and act as liaison between the students and the
scholarship office in California.
· Organized academic, professional and social events such as resume workshops and holiday potlucks with
alumni to foster relationships with current SCS students.
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS (NSBE)
Programs Chair
2004 - 2006
New York, NY
· Managed corporate relationships to facilitate recruiting and networking events for membership.
· Coordinated and advertised for social and fundraising events; Raised $1600 for the Chapter in 2005 and
$900 to send a student in Haiti to school in 2005. Awarded Regional Member of the Month in 2005.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SENIOR DESIGN GROUP 16
Team Lead
·
·
·
·
2005 – 2006
New York, NY
Conceptualized and modeled AutoCAD design for automated beverage maker project.
Led team meetings and established and monitored project milestones.
Finalized design based on calculated load tolerances and manufactured parts to specification.
Created and maintained team website.
Skills: MS Office, ProEngineer, public speaking/technical presentations, project management, CNC machining
Interests: Singing, writing, volunteerism, dance, running, guitar, literature and music
References available upon request
Must Have…
• Clearly defined margins
• Contact information
• GPA*
• Clear Format
Must NOT Have…
• Typos
• Excessive formatting
• “I”
• More than 1 page
First Last
Name in LARGE font
Education at the top
Clear Margin
(no less than .65”)
Consistent Formatting
- Location, font & size
uni@columbia.edu | 000.000.0000
EDUCATION
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Relevant Coursework: Thermodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, Mechanics of Solids, Machine Design
May 2006
New York, NY
EXPERIENCE
THE BOEING COMPANY
Mechanical Engineer | 737/P8 Program
June 2006 – Aug 2008
Renton, WA
· Guided a team of six engineers in executing eight safety/ergonomic condition improvement projects,
resulting in a significant decrease in factory head strike and back strain injuries.
· Gathered and analyzed data for the implementation of four streamlining opportunities including more
accurate wire lengths and wire bundle grouping for ease of installation. Presented proposal based on
findings to Boeing Leadership for approval.
CLOROX COMPANY
Packaging Development Intern | Specialty Packaging Division
Action words to begin
bullet points
Summer 2005
Pleasanton, CA
· Conducted shipment temperature research and analyzed data to develop recommendations for in-shipment
temperature testing protocol on high volume Clorox products (i.e. Bleach, Pine Sol, Hidden Valley Ranch).
· Identified and presented best practices for future storage stability and field test methods to managers and
scientists.
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
Administrative Assistant
2003-2006
New York, NY
· Assisted IEOR department staff members and faculty. Supported engineering seminars and alumni/student
events.
· Restructured paycheck receipt system for improved efficiency and security.
· Developed and sustained the alumni contact database system.
LEADERSHIP
SOUTH CENTRAL SCHOLARS (SCS)
Regional Director | Columbia/NY Region
2004 – Present
New York, NY
· Mentor students at Columbia University and NYU, and act as liaison between the students and the
scholarship office in California.
· Organize academic, professional and social events such as resume workshops and holiday potlucks with
alumni to foster relationships with current SCS students.
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS (NSBE)
Programs Chair
2005 - 2006
New York, NY
· Managed corporate relationships to facilitate recruiting and networking events for membership.
· Coordinated and advertised for social and fundraising events; Raised $1600 for the Chapter in 2005 and
$900 to send a student in Haiti to school in 2005. Awarded Regional Member of the Month in 2005.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SENIOR DESIGN GROUP 16
Team Lead
·
·
·
·
Include all
relevant skills
2004 – 2006
New York, NY
Conceptualized and modeled AutoCAD design for automated beverage maker project.
Led team meetings and established and monitored project milestones.
Finalized design based on calculated load tolerances and manufactured parts to specification.
Created and maintained team website.
Skills: MS Office, ProEngineer, public speaking/technical presentations, project management, CNC machining
Interests: Singing, writing, volunteerism, dance, running, guitar, literature and music
References available upon request
Locations and
dates on the
right hand side
balance the
resume
Experience should be
listed in reverse
chronological order
December 13, 2013
Dear Hiring Manager,
Talk about the role
your applying for
Tell them why
you are excited
My name is Itanza Lawrence and I enthusiastically and confidently assert that I am a
perfect fit for the Engineering Project Manager Position with Makerbot. My senior design project
contained a single 3D printed component, and it turned out to be one of the most fascinating to
create. Despite being on a tight deadline, my teammates and I often couldn’t resist watching as
our 3D design came to life in front of our eyes. The benefits of having this capability right on
your desktop are unbounded, and I would be honored to contribute to the growth and success of
a company responsible for making it a reality. In addition to my enthusiasm for your company, I
possess a strong background in both Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering as well as a
solid foundation of project management experience.
As a Manufacturing Engineer for the Boeing Company, I dove right in and took the lead
on Boeing’s “Go 4 Zero” safety initiative project for the Airframe Department. It was an
unexpected and amazing opportunity, in which I developed a team, created an online system for
data entry, established project milestones and assembled the necessary resources (templates,
contacts and websites) that would facilitate our success. Within two weeks we had identified
over fourteen safety issues and after two months, had solved eight - including the resolution of a
severe head injury hazard on the floor. Additionally, I was responsible for identifying and
implementing over four engineering design changes to improve the quality and efficiency of
equipment installation.
Tell them why your
background adds to
your value
I have developed sound organizational, time management, and budget distribution skills
through my diverse leadership roles and know that I would be a strong asset to the Makerbot
Team. I took a risk in leaving the Boeing Company in hopes of finding an opportunity to immerse
myself in a small, but fast paced organization that would inspire and motivate me to grow as a
person and as an engineer. My motivation in applying to the Engineering Project Manager
Position is to join a company that is focused not on rules and conventions, but on innovation and
technology.
Address additional skills
My talents, skills and abilities compatible with Makerbot are:
· Team/Personnel management, attention to detail and the ability to carry out projects with
little instruction and much creativity
· Excellent visual, verbal, and written communication skills for technical and non-technical
material (Proficient in Microsoft Office)
· ProEngineer/AutoCAD experience and the ability to interpret Mechanical Drawings
· An aptitude for working and learning in a fast paced, goal oriented and collaborative
environment
My resume will provide further insight regarding my background, skills, and
achievements. I hope that I have effectively convinced you of my enthusiasm to join your team.
The opportunity to interview would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to call me with any
questions, comments, or concerns at 310.801.3760. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Itanza Lawrence
Close and reiterate
interest
Organization/Preparation
• Create an excel sheet with relevant
information
– Organization name
– Link
– Interest level
– Contact
• Keep it updated
• Prepare before speaking with employers
NETWORKING
Networking is a powerful tool responsible for the majority of career
placement. This goes beyond personal, long-term relationships and can
come from short term acquaintances developed through LinkedIn, Student
Group Associations and introductions at career fairs.
• LinkedIn
– Chemical Engineering Group
• Center for Career Education
– Lionshare
• Conferences
Questions?