Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
Engineering Employment Considerations
Resumes
Job Interviews
Career Development
Professor Bruce Oestreich
(pronounced – “A-Strike”)
Sophomore Engineering Clinic I
Oct 2014 1
Today’s Agenda
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
Generational Differences
Resumes – Industry Perspectives
Preparing for a Job Interview
Career Development
Q&A
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Working and Communicating Across
the Generational Divide
Working &
Understanding
General Preferences
Baby Boomers
(1946 - 1960)
Gen X
(1961 - 1985)
Millennials
(1986-2001+)
Communication
In person or call
E-mail me
Text or IM me
Recognition
Buy them dinner
Let them leave early
Develop them
Respects
Title
Ideas
Skills
Priorities
Work Comes First
Family Comes First
Friends Come First
Focused on
Process
Results
Involvement
Work philosophy
Lives to work
Works to live
Works to enjoy life
Information sharing
Print me a copy
Send me the data
I’ll Google it myself
At a company
…to stay
…for now
…to grow
How will YOU adapt to create a working and productive environment?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
Resumes
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Resumes
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
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The Future of Employment
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
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Who is Laszlo Bock?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
 TITLE:
Senior Vice President
 AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY:
People Operations
 COMPANY: Google
 Think He Knows about Resumes?
 Laszlo Bock’s Top 5 Resume
Mistakes:
Bruce Oestreich
– Number 5
 TYPOS
– 2013 Career Builder research found 58% of resumes have typos
– Number 4
 LENGTH OF RESUME
– His Rule of Thumb
– 1 Page for Every 10 Years of Experience
– Number 3
 FORMATTING
– Think about your recent Bottle Rocket Technical Report
– Everything Matters! Margins, spacing, font size, etc…
– Number 2
 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
– Most Companies have you sign Confidentiality Agreements
– You cannot share particular pieces of data with anyone during or after
employment
 Trade Secrets / Proprietary Information
 Customer / Client Names
– AND THE NUMBER 1 TOP RESUME MISTAKE IS – ….
 LIES!!!
– It’s simply not worth it
– People including CEOs of Company have been fired for this –
fundamental breach of Ethics
– Today – it’s too easy to get busted with Internet Searches and Personal
Networking (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc…)
– Hey – do you know this person? Did they really do all of these things?
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There is ALWAYS an Exception…
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
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College Student Resumes - Agenda
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
What is THE Purpose of a Resume?
What is Important?
What is NOT Important?
Considerations
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THE Purpose of a Resume
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 The ‘Sole Purpose’ of a Resume is to Get You an Interview!
 You will NOT get hired simply because of an outstanding Resume
– The Interview will do that (hopefully!)
 Once you land an Interview – your Resume MAY not mean much anymore
– Some Companies may ask you details about it to see if you really understand it!
– You’d be surprised at how many don’t
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RESUME´ – What IS Important?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Define Your Strengths
– Leadership
– Teamwork
– Initiative
 Emphasize these themes by highlighting specific examples
– Extra-curricular activities
 Intramurals
 Societies
 Associations
 Social Clubs / Social Media
– Highlight High School Activities as well
– Engineering Clinic – most schools do not have an equivalent program
 What makes you different (and better) than your Classmates (for starters)?
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RESUME´ – What IS Important?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Previous Job Experience – only if it is relevant to you filling the position
being sought
– If you started your own Lawn Business to get neighborhood grass – MENTION IT!
– If you flipped burgers at McDonald’s and hated every minute – DON’T MENTION IT!
 As Engineering Undergraduates, I suggest you provide a listing of courses
taken to date
– Don’t elaborate unless Course Title is unclear
 Use ACTION verbs wherever possible!
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RESUME´ – What is NOT “As” Important?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 You need to state what School you attend for obvious reasons; however, it is not as
critical as you may think
– Rowan vs Penn State vs Rutgers vs Stanford vs Virginia Tech, etc…
– Hiring managers typically do not put much weight on to which school you attend
– Most Engineering schools have solid curriculums – that alone is not a discriminator
 Grade Point Average (GPA)
– Can be a double-edged sword
– IF – you have a 4.0 GPA but have no extracurricular or social connections – I would NOT
hire you!
– IF – you have solid grades and have plenty of extracurricular activities – I am definitely
interested!
 The more responsibilities you can handle / manage – the more valuable you can be
– IF – you have grades you don’t want anyone to know about – DON’T MENTION GPA!
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RESUME´ – Other Considerations
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 DO NOT pay someone to write / review your resume!
– You’re in college – not seeking the C-Suite position!
 DO NOT spend countless hours figuring out the right font / paper / watermark / etc..
– Most Companies / Organizations drive you to an on-line application
– Font / Paper / etc… won’t matter
 PROOFREAD at least 10 Times (Of Course, Spellchecker / Grammar Check)
– THEN have someone else look at it as well (at least one other person)
 Make sure your CONTACT information is accurate
– Particularly your EMAIL address / Phone Number
– School Address vs Home Address?
– School Phone vs Home Phone?
– Provide the easiest way to contact you at the time
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RESUME´ – Graduate School
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 If you are planning to move on to Graduate School after completion of your Degree (as opposed to
securing a Job Position in Industry) your Resume will look different:
– Job Search Resume is to get you an Interview
– Graduate School Resume is to enhance your Application to a particular school and sell yourself
– Usually referred to as a “Curriculum Vitae” or CV
 For the most part, it mirrors the Job Search Resume
– No Typos
– Use ACTION Verbs
– Crisp Read
 Ways that it DIFFERS from Job Search Resume:
– 2 pages considered acceptable
– Separates Work and Non-Work related experience into different sections
– Include ALL of your experience – not just those targeting a specific Job (think KEYWORDS)
– More detailed explanation of time commitments (e.g., hours per week) for different experiences
– Passing Reference to your Education (Classes, Major, etc…)
 This is because your Transcript will accompany your Resume
 Also follows the Application itself
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Prior to Resume Submittal
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Most Job Applications are completed on-line these days in response to Job Positions
posted on-line
– Pay attention to “KEYWORDS” associated with the Position
– Be prepared to modify your resume to incorporate KEYWORDS into it
 Pay attention to the details – all companies do things just a little bit differently
– Some will have you copy and paste your resume into a pre-determined form
– Others may allow you to attach your resume as a word or pdf document
 Many companies allow you to save multiple versions of your resume
– This allows you to insert KEYWORDS unique to a Position then save different copies for
different positions
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Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
Job Interviews
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Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
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A Job Interview…
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Officer asks a young engineer
fresh out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "And what starting salary are you
looking for?"
 The engineer replies, "In the region of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits
package."
 The interviewer inquires, "Well, what would you say to a package of five weeks vacation,
14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of
salary, and a company car leased every two years, say, a red Corvette?"
 The engineer sits up straight and says, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
 The interviewer replies, "Yeah, but you started it."
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Prior to the Interview
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Meet their schedule – don’t make excuses about not being able to support
– If you really want this Position – make yourself available 24/7
 LEARN about the Company – especially the local office / plant you would be working at
– Understand some of the unique language
 Defense / Aerospace
 Pharmaceuticals
 Industrial
 Retail
– Figure out people you might be working for / with (if possible – some companies provide detailed “Who We
Are” sections
 INTERVIEW TIME:
– Put ALL relevant data in front of you on your desk / table / etc…
 Resume
 Job Application / Posting
 List of stuff unique to you
– Hobbies / Pets / Family / where you live / etc…
– Anticipate the types of questions they will ask
– Answer the question succinctly and completely – don’t drone on and on…
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Job Interviews – What Can You Expect?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Notification – Likely EMAIL and/or Phone Call
 Who do you deal with?
– Most Companies utilize a Staffing Service to process Resumes and schedule interviews (internal or external)
– They coordinate with Human Resources (HR) and the hiring Manager to validate the position / needs
– Staffing Services or HR may conduct a ‘pre-screening’ to ensure you are in fact, qualified for the position
 If this occurs, it is quick, succinct, and does not require preparation on your part
 Most Companies today will schedule an Initial Telephone Interview
– Usually the Hiring Manager with Staffing or HR support
– Depending upon Position – this could be the only Interview and you could be hired as a result
 Formal Interview – Usually Face-to-Face
– Hiring Manager with HR support
– Meet others in the Group / Organization – let them get a feel for you as a potential teammate
 Job Offer Acceptance
– Do you really want this job?
– Does it require relocation and if so, are you willing?
– Some options are usually available such as start date (within reason), possibly start time +/- 1 hour or so
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Job Interviews – What Will They Ask?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Describe any training, education or work experiences that have prepared you for this position.
 Describe a situation when you needed the cooperation of many diverse people in order to succeed.
How did your approach vary from one person to the next?
 Describe a situation when you faced a significant challenge / obstacle
– What was it?
– What did you do?
– What was the outcome?
 Describe a situation where you were dependent upon others for success / achieving a goal
– What was it?
– What did you do?
– What was the outcome?
 Why do you want this job?
– How will it make you a better engineer?
– How will you make us a better company?
 The popular movement lately is to ask questions in this Style – Situation / Action / Outcome
– Pay attention and be sure to answer all three
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Job Interview Considerations
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 DO NOT brag about being able to multi-task!
– No one will believe you!
 Exude Confidence!
– No one knows you better than yourself
 If you panic or get lost in a response – STOP!
– Do not stammer away with Ahs, Ohs, and Umms
– Collect yourself and repeat the question / situation to ensure you are on track
 Do not offer conciliatory questions
– Did I do okay on that?
– Did I answer it completely or correctly?
– Do I miss something
 Answer the question as best you can – conclude with pitch / tone / summary that implies you
are finished
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Job Interview Considerations
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 You will have an opportunity to ask questions of the people interviewing you
 Time Constraints may limit you to a single question – so think carefully
– What do you really want to know about this company?
 Work Environment
 Team you would be placed on
 Pay / Salary
 Benefits
 Work Hours
 Travel requirements
 Overtime
– What I liked to hear from potential employees was a challenging question back to me
 How could I best fit into the organization as an Intern / New Employee?
 What growth opportunities will be afforded me and in what time frame?
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Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
Career Development
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Why Sophomore Clinic is So Critical…
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Did you notice how many of those Interview Questions can be answered based on SEC I alone?
 Importance of Technical Writing to your Career
– Conference Papers
– Customer Proposals
– Technical Reports for Approval – Approval means “Payment ($$)”
 Less Obvious but Subtly Important
– Communications with your Boss
– Customer Interfaces
– Informal Communication vs Formal Communication
 Understand Your Reader and Their Environment
– The ability to write and speak well will significantly enhance your Career
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Why Teamwork is So Important…
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 In almost all cases, you will land a job in Industry that requires you to be part of a Team
 Teamwork is about building relationships
– If you are a problem child in Freshmen / Sophomore Clinic 
– Then Junior / Senior Clinic will be an Issue
– No one will want to work with you
– The same will happen in the real world
 Consider redefining your Team’s workload
– Some people are better writers
– Some people are better organizers
– Determine strengths and weaknesses – tweak to balance
– Hold yourselves and others accountable
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“The Rowan Advantage”
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 The Rowan Advantage simply put is – Engineering Clinic!
 No else captures what is done here!
– Other schools will tout CAPSTONE Projects and Solar Car Races and crap like that…
 Most of them are completed by SENIORS! Do you think they are invested?
 NO! They just want to get out and get a job or go on to Grad School
 Engineering Clinic truly is a discriminator!
– Technical Writing Skills
– Oral Presentation Skills
– Teamwork
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Your New Job!
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
 Day 1
– Most Companies do not do a very good job of
preparing for you – most prevalent with larger
corporations
– Computers / Badges / Passwords / Training /
Meeting Team / etc…
– Part of the Rationale is to ensure you really show
up!
 You’d be Surprised by the number who don’t
 1st Week
– Acclimation to Team
– Training Requirements / Company
Familiarization
Bruce Oestreich
 1st 6 Months
– Well into assignment
– Team dynamics understood
– Starting to look for what to do next
 1st Year
– Performance Review – could be earlier to match
their annual cycle
– How do I fit into the big picture / future of the
organization?
 Career Path
 1st 90 Days
– Assessment Report – is this going to work out for
them?
– For You?
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What Will Your Career Look Like?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
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What Will Your Career Look Like?
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
BRUCE OESTREICH - BOEING CAREER PROGRESSION
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8
NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
5
10
15
YEARS - BOEING EXPERIENCE
20
25
30
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Summary
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Your Resume represents the first impression of you in the ‘real world’
 Job Interviews are structured to see how you will respond to certain real
world situations
– It is likely that any situation or scenario can be answered by a real life
experience – probably from Engineering Clinic
 Career Development is YOUR responsibility!
– Even though you will mentors and people to assist, ultimately it is up to you!
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Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
Questions?
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More In Depth Interview Questions
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Describe a situation when your group became frustrated with a difficult project. What was
the situation? What did you do? What was the outcome?
 Tell us about a time when a project you were involved with faced unexpected
circumstances that threatened its success. What happened? What did you do? What
was the outcome?
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Team Dynamics
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Who feels they are doing all of the work?
 Why is that?
 Think about this carefully
 If you continue down this road – people will load everything onto you until you fail
 When you get to this point – recovery is very challenging
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College New Hire Experience Example –
The Boeing Company
Rowan University | Sophomore Engineering Clinic
Bruce Oestreich
 Boeing hired over 10,000 engineers of all disciplines in 2013
 You do not have to be an Aerospace Engineer to work at Boeing or any other Large Corporation
– ECE – readily available jobs in multiple related jobs
– Mech Engr – readily available jobs in multiple related jobs
– Chem Engr – readily available jobs in multiple related jobs
– Civil Engr – think of each Plant as a small city of 6,000 up to 70,000 people
 Cities need Civil Engineers for all kinds of efforts / growth / reduction / etc…
 Program Requirements dictate engineering needs
– These needs are then managed with Functional Departments
– Functions Identify Resource Requirements in terms of experience / salary / etc…
– Within Engineering, Skill Functionals Determine Needs




Flight Controls
Avionics Hardware
Airframe Stress
Dynamics
•
•
•
•
Materials and Processes
Avionics Software
Airframe Structures
Others
 Upon job start – you can expect:
– Basic Training requirements – applies to ALL employees when they join
– Unique Job Training requirements – dependent upon each position
– Thrown right into the fire – long gone are the days of waiting; not contributing; etc…
 Still some exceptions – Example would be waiting for a Security Clearance
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