Linkedin and internship?

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

<p>so I hear people about using Linkedin for finding internship and jobs. How do you use this website effectively? What would be the general process when trying to find the internship?
I'm a mechanical engineering major interested in mechatronics and something along the electric and hybrid vehicles or any automobile related field. Would it be fine to get an internship in other mechanical engineering field? Would it effect my chance of getting 2nd internship in autmobile field?</p>

<p>thank you!</p>

2

<p>LinkedIn is a tremendous networking tool - they have done a great job with their business model, and it helps employers and job seekers alike. How do you use LinkedIn effectively? Well, there are many articles about the subject, but here are some things I’ve picked up:</p>

<ul>
<li>Fill out your profile. Your profile should be as complete as possible, and it should show the same kinds of things that your resume shows.</li>
<li>Let your personality show. This does not mean stuff like, “I LOVE the Packers so you Vikings fans can go bleep off BOOM!” But there is nothing wrong with some little tid-bits to make your page really yours.</li>
<li>Don’t waste space. While it is important to keep a complete profile, it is equally important to keep a relevant profile. That job you had babysitting freshman year of high school? If you don’t have more relevant experience, or if you are going into child care, keep it in your profile. Otherwise, it is just taking up valuable real estate. Recruiters give your profile a cursory glance and will stick around if something sticks out, but don’t make them really hunt to find the best information about you.</li>
<li>Get street cred. But seriously, ask your professors and employers (past and present) to recommend you. Recommendations go a long way.</li>
<li>Expand your network. Typically you are advised to keep your social networking profile small. Having 5,000 Facebook friends is excessive - clearly some of those people are not actually your friends. LinkedIn is different. Whether you meet someone on an airplane or at a career fair, at a ballgame or at a family dinner, if you can remember the person’s name, try to connect on LinkedIn. The larger your network, the more likely that recruiters will find you and pick you up.</li>
</ul>

<p>Good luck!</p>

3

<p>Choose your linked in photo wisely. If you are looking for your first job or are early in your career, you don’t need a professional head shot. But, choose a crisply focused photo that shows your face and makes you look both friendly and professional.</p>

4

<p>I use LinkedIn extensively to find new consulting contracts. I don’t totally agree about “letting your personality show”. Interest in sports, etc. isn’t really an appropriate thing. This is a site for professional connections, not a social networking site.</p>

<p>A few additional suggestions:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Set up the job search function to look for engineering jobs & internships. It can email you daily with openings that might be a fit for you. Don’t wait for recruiters to come to you, use this function to find what they & the hiring companies are posting. However, with the basic membership, the emails don’t just keep coming forever. As best I can tell, after about 30 days they stop. I have had to re-create my search about once a month when the emails stop coming (can’t find an explanation on the site, I just think that is how the basic unpaid membership works).</p></li>
<li><p>I also think it is good to put a photo up. Ideally you want a head shot. Some people are able to successfully crop a candid shot into something that looks pretty professional. Others get a photo taken.</p></li>
<li><p>Make sure you set your resume so it is searchable/open to others to view. There is a place to do this in the settings.</p></li>
<li><p>Agree with chrisw to link with a lot of people. Sometimes students are hesitant (I think they have the Facebook model in mind, but these are not friends – they are professional contacts). You can link to anyone you have an interview with (informational or otherwise), older classmates who are out in the working world (GREAT source of jobs in the future), parents of your friends if they work in a field related to your interests, professors, anyone you have worked with (I usually wait about 3 weeks at a new contract, then link with pretty much everyone I have met so far). The biggest benefit of this is that you can keep in touch with them long term even if they move jobs/change emails. </p></li>
<li><p>I usually post a comment that I am looking for a new contract when I need one. BUT, not everyone reads all the LinkedIn updates that their connections make. So I also use LinkedIn to send messages to people I know letting them know I am hunting for something new, and asking them to let me know if they hear of anything.</p></li>
<li><p>Other ways to find internships besides LinkedIn: your college career center is a very good place to start. Monster (I just found a consulting contract thru them). Make a list of companies and watch their career websites. Sometimes you can set up email notification (make sure you make a list of the ids and passwords you use, since you will want to go turn off the notifications eventually). Sometimes you just have to keep going back and checking the websites.</p></li>
</ul>

5

<p>The post above me is spot-on, and you should follow all that advice if you’re looking for a job or internship. LinkedIn is a PHENOMENAL tool.</p>

<p>The one thing that I’ll add is to try to ‘connect’ with as many recruiters as possible on LinkedIn, even if you’ve never met them. Most recruiters want to connect with as many relevant job-searchers as possible. Hundreds. You want as many ‘hiring’ people as possible to have your resume in front of them.</p>

6

<p>Depressing recent New York Times article on job-searching. With this unemployment rate that’s still extraordinarily high, companies are in severe control for most positions, and have no problem stringing along candidates for months and interviewing them multiple times. <a href=“With Positions to Fill, Employers Wait for Perfection - The New York Times”>With Positions to Fill, Employers Wait for Perfection - The New York Times; </p>

<p>The comments on this article are depressing but realistic.</p>

<p>To those in college now, or those job-searching … TEACH YOURSELF SKILLS! Especially programming (Java, C++, C#, etc.). It’s really brutal out there if you don’t have skills.</p>

<p>Like I mentioned earlier, I definitely recommend connecting with tons of recruiters at staffing firms. Often they won’t have roles for you initially. One thing that can be extremely frustrating is how often they ignore phone calls and emails. Recruiters do this often if you’re of no use to them, or if they have no updates to give you. It really does s— to be ignored. My best advice to dealing with ‘being ignored’ is to constantly be looking for new people to connect with. … And for sanity’s sake, try to get some part-time job while job-searching for a “career” job. Even when money’s not an issue, being a full-time job-searcher can get isolating and depressing fairly quickly.</p>

7

<p>Unless you have a full Computer Science degree, just learning programming languages (regardless if self-taught, college courses, technical school courses, online courses, etc…) is not going to make much of a difference. There is no STEM shortage in the United States, or in any part of western civilization for that matter. The job market out there for IT-related jobs that require programming is just as brutal as everywhere else. This is big business, big media, and big politics propaganda focused on significantly increasing, or even eventually making unlimited, the foreign worker visa limits in order to continue increasing the already abundant STEM labor supply so as to further suppress worker compensation that is already falling.</p>

<p>Since the supply of IT workers is already significantly greater than demand, as is the case with almost every occupational area right now, when companies do hire American citizens for IT jobs (more and more rarely), they ask for <em>everything</em> for entry-level positions: internships or related work experience, a full CS / CE degree, certifications, high-level skill in many different things, and a geeky social personality on top of that. Basically they are looking for someone who has been doing advanced IT-related things outside of school for years, not someone who just decided to learn something after becoming unemployed. That used to work before the massive IT outsouricng one direction and the massive H1B influx in the other direction, but not anymore - they give those “programming monkey” jobs to far-cheaper H1B Visa workers now.</p>

<p>I mean, if you have nothing else to do and you want to learn basic programming, go ahead. But don’t seriously expect that to get you a job unless you have the other qualifications too. Take a look at these people from a wide diversity of fields and qualifications that thought IT was in-demand:
[Re:</a> WHY you SHOULD NOT go into Information Technol… - tech talk](<a href=“http://techtalk.dice.com/t5/IT-CS-Students/WHY-you-SHOULD-NOT-go-into-Information-Technology/m-p/198751/highlight/true#M2730]Re:”>http://techtalk.dice.com/t5/IT-CS-Students/WHY-you-SHOULD-NOT-go-into-Information-Technology/m-p/198751/highlight/true#M2730)</p>

<p>As is the theme in this thread, “who you know” is king over all else, and there really is nothing else you can do to make a difference in your job search, unless it is something unique.</p>

8

<p>GoalsOriented, I can’t speak to the tech industry as a whole, but I can speak to some companies within it.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>This is not true. There are plenty of jobs out there with companies who focus on services, not technology, and it is extremely helpful to have a foundational understanding of programming. Understanding the basics of VBA, SQL, Python, etc. will set you apart from your peers when you apply to a company for whom these skills are optional. </p>

<p>To use my own company as an example, we are a software and services company; to succeed, you only need to be willing to adapt and learn how to work in a user-friendly UI. As a result, programming knowledge is completely unnecessary. However, we frequently use VBA to create one-off processes, and we use basic SQL queries to help create reports for our clients. While you do not need to know any of that stuff, you can set yourself apart by knowing enough to be useful. </p>

<p>If you are applying to a job that requires programming as an essential daily task, you may be right, but plenty of jobs include programming as an optional task.</p>

9

<p>LinkedIn is a very good source to get a job, I actually got my first full-time job out of college through this site. Internships unfortunately can be just as competitive as getting a job in these hard economic times - but there are some pretty good tips to help you find an internships here - [5</a> Tips for Landing a Business Internship | Degrees In Business Blog](<a href=“http://blog.degreesinbusiness.org/2012/10/31/how-to-get-a-business-internship-in-college/]5”>http://blog.degreesinbusiness.org/2012/10/31/how-to-get-a-business-internship-in-college/)
Also see what works for popular LinkedIn users, what strategies are they using? How do they highlight key points on their profile? Take inspiration from what works for them.</p>

10

<p>Though Linkedin is a great resource for networking, finding FT jobs finding a ton of information for just about any career field through the groups you can follow, it doesn’t seem like the best tool for finding internships, or should I say, the only tool you should use. There are a number of websites focused primarily on matching under grads with internships, InternJump is one example
but there are others</p>

11

<p>Here is my advice to you on linkedin and other things:</p>

<p>Its good to have a Linkedin, and can help you network some with recruiters. I have not used it for much else.</p>

<p>The second thing is, you need to realize that the internet is the absolute worst place to search for a job. I recently got my dream internship and I did not get it on the internet. I have filled out hundreds of online job applications, and only one of those lead to a (failed) “phone screen” interview. The online application process is meant for the company to get employees quickly and to eliminate the absolute worst candidates. In other words, its a scheme by the corporate 1%ers to cut their costs.They use software to look for key words or phrases in resumes like “4.0” or “scholarship” etc. The downside is that its not very good at differentiating much after eliminating the very bad and average candidates.</p>

<p>So how do you get an internship, since applying online is worthless? You need to go to career fairs and talk to recruiters. I have gotten 1 very good offer just by leaving my resume with a recruiter (I literally did nothing beyond this, I don’t even think I applied online), and my dream offer I got after talking at a career fair and then 2 interviews. Yes, they will tell you to apply online when you talk to them, but that is a formality. They just have you do that so they have all your information when interviewing you, and also so they can keep track of you as a candidate. If they are doing on campus interviews or follow up phone interviews, your interpersonal skills and KNOWLEDGE OF THE COMPANY are most important. You also have to not be annoying, but be persistent at the same time (this is very hard for desperate seniors who are graduating with low job prospects, I have seen some seniors and grad students almost break into tears when they could not convince a recruiter to interview them). Also, don’t listen to people who tell you career fairs are a waste of time for freshman/sophomores. Start early. Yes, you will have a hard time finding one, but it is possible to find a good internship as a freshman with GOOD GPA and persistence. </p>

<p>Now, I am not saying it is impossible to find an internship off the internet. However, when you think about how much time you will waste filling out those forms and compare that to how easy it is to impress a recruiter, then you will see what I am talking about.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

12

<p>Also, you are interested in EVs. They recently opened up an REU on EVs at UMD. Apply for that.</p>

13

<p>LinkedIn acts as a tool for providing the info on various job opportunities. Recently, my friend got placed in MNC company through LinkedIn.</p>

14

<p>“The job market out there for IT-related jobs that require programming is just as brutal as everywhere else.”</p>

<p>Congratulations, GoalsOriented, on the most patently absurd statement around. The IT industry unemployment rate is 3.3%. That’s less than half the national average for all industries.</p>

15

<p>Me: AACSB-accredited program, MIS degree, one of top graduating students in entire business school across-the-board, one of top graduates in entire university GPA-wise, #1 graduate in MIS program, fair extracurricular activity, light student work experience…seeking, unemployed.</p>

<p>Another graduate I have met: ABET-accredited program, double degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, heavy student work experience, fair extracurricular activity, honors program graduate, high GPA, one Global 100 internship, proficient in JAVA, C/C++, and several other technologies…seeking, unemployed.</p>

<p>The Internet (not even comprehensive):</p>

<p>“Have a BS in Business Admin and Masters in MIS, still cant find anything.”</p>

<p>“I completed my MS in Information Systems in December and still getting the run around.”</p>

<p>“What can I do now? I graduated from some ‘prestigious’ four year university . . . with a 3.25+ gpa and have been looking for software work for close to a year now. Really, I am sick of looking for work + rejection now.”</p>

<p>“I used to make $90K per year in the computer industry (after 25 years of steady employment). Now I work for $9 an hour, temp, part-time. That’s all I can get with two bachelors degrees and 25 years of experience. With all the H1B workers coming over and working for cheaper labor rates, my career is over.”</p>

<p>“Recently I graduated from the Network Engineering program at Trios College in Ontario, Canada in September of 2008. It’s a shame that I spent $18,000 on this college program that should have guaranteed me instant employment in a very high demanding industry, yet I can’t even find even a basic entry level position to start a new career.”</p>

<p>“I will graduate in 3 weeks with a AS degree in networking. and a MCP certified, I have been have trouble finding any kind of IT jobs.”</p>

<p>“The problem I’m having is that no matter how many jobs I apply for, and no matter how well-written my applications are, I can’t seem to get further than the first interview. For some reason it seems a lot of employers will completely overlook my degree in computer engineering . . .”</p>

<p>“Being educated, with a 4 year bachelor’s degree in engineering (non IT), I want to start a career in IT. I have been a learner all the time, educated myself on various computer subjects. I tried applying for various entry level positions, got two calls but failed to even get to the interview.”</p>

<p>“I graduated from the Universty of Missouri in May of this year, with Bachelor’s Degrees in CS and IT (took me 5 years). . . And now here I am, 4 months/200 or so apps in. I’m trying to find a job in the Chicago area, or here in St. Louis as a backup. I’ve had one phone interview . . It’s like I’m not even being considered, and I have no idea why.”</p>

<p>“Not been able to find anything in the IT/ICT field since my graduation from Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (BS) in 2002.”</p>

<p>“I let my now ex-wife talk me into going to UoP for my BS in IT (circa 2002/2004). What a waste. $20k of debt and the degree is virtually worthless. Dumbest thing I’ve ever done!”</p>

<p>"B.S. Electrical Engineering, M.S. EE, and M.S. Applied Math(currently attending),last two form US University. GPA 3.55.
“I came to US in 1998 , and I have been looking for the job 10 years,as you can see! Live in South New Jersey, where you cannot get a job without connection, even it is $9. Third shifts,$7-$9 they want to hire you, don’t ask many questions but for everything else, it is a rocket science to get hired!!”</p>

<p>"He’s a pretty sharp kid, just graduated from a small liberal-arts school that has a computing program. He just got a job in Chicago, $12/hr, no benefits . . . "</p>

<p>“I have been looking for a full time job for about a year since I graduated from my college with a B.E. in computer engineering.”</p>

<p>“I graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) back in January 2005. After I graduated, I was unable to find a job . . . so in order to pay bills and student loans, I had to get a temp job doing customer service, making $12 an hour”</p>

<p>“I have bachelors degree in computer science. I have 10yrs of experience in software and 5yrs in .net. But now i have been laid of and out of job for past 4 months.”</p>

<p>“I am a cliche . . . I am 24 year old, B.Sc. Computer Science grad from an above average state school, and I’m unemployed.”</p>

<p>“I graduated with a B.S in Computer Science last year May 2007. Though after applying to hundreds of places I’ve only gotten a handful of interviews and no IT job as of yet! All my other friends who majored in business or accounting managed to get jobs fairly easily.”</p>

<p>“Soooo. I graduate May of 07, with a 3.3 and a BSIT but no experience in IT Security . . . And I am $#*7 out of luck”</p>

<p>“I finished my Associates degree in IT back in December and I still haven’t found employment in the IT field.”</p>

<p>"In 2004, took the school Valedictorian of my college class-- 1 year to find a job in IT. "</p>

<p>“I graduated from a university May of 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science with a concentration of Networking, and two years later I still can’t get a job. I’ve applied for hundreds of jobs and every company says that I don’t have enough experience, yet no one is willing to give me the experience that I need.”</p>

<p>[Re:</a> WHY you SHOULD NOT go into Information Technol… - tech talk](<a href=“http://techtalk.dice.com/t5/IT-CS-Students/WHY-you-SHOULD-NOT-go-into-Information-Technology/m-p/198751/highlight/true#M2730]Re:”>http://techtalk.dice.com/t5/IT-CS-Students/WHY-you-SHOULD-NOT-go-into-Information-Technology/m-p/198751/highlight/true#M2730)</p>

<p>“H-1B workers outnumber unemployed techies”</p>

<p>[U.S.:&lt;/a&gt; H-1B workers outnumber unemployed techies - Computerworld](<a href=“http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9133529/U.S._H_1B_workers_outnumber_unemployed_techies?taxonomyId=70&intsrc=kc_top&taxonomyName=legislation/regulation]U.S.:”>U.S.: H-1B workers outnumber unemployed techies | Computerworld)</p>

<p>“Outsourcing still growing, study finds…Public pressure does little to stem job losses”</p>

<p>“Jonathan Kisner, a software engineer in Fallbrook with 20 years experience in the industry, notes that he lost his job at Motorola in mid-2001 shortly after his manager asked him to fly to Taiwan and China to train engineers in the work that he and other members of his engineering group had been doing. Kisner was unemployed for more than a year and a half and did not settle into a permanent job until late last year.”</p>

<p>"Valerie Chau, a one-time software engineer in Rancho Pe</p>

16

<p>Hello Guys,
LinkedIn is a best social networking site for job search. Most of the organizations are connected to LinkedIn to recruit employees.</p>

17

<p>@GoalsOriented - Sorry about your unemployment. I’ve been there, and I know how it can suck.</p>

<p>When did you finish your MIS? How long have you been job searching? How many interviews have you had?</p>

<p>My next question to you is this: How many people are you connected to on LinkedIn?</p>

<p>I’m 26, a few years of work experience, no hard technical skills, connected to 1500 on LinkedIn. And after my last IT temp job ended in February, I got a great new permanent job within a few weeks. And I still get multiple phone calls a week from recruiters asking me to interview. … If you’re not already spending hours a day on LinkedIn, you ABSOLUTELY should.</p>

<p>In an earlier post, you mentioned “Who you know is King.” … You are completely right about that. But that’s the thing. The overwhelming majority of my connections on LinkedIn aren’t from people that my parents or I was personally friends with. It was about digging deep on LinkedIn, finding out who good recruiters / headhunters were, and introducing myself to them. Any job searcher should be spending hours a day doing that. … I’ve almost never gotten a good job from applying. I’ve often been asked to interview for great jobs because a recruiter I “knew” from LinkedIn had an in with the hiring manager, and got me an interview.</p>

<p>The more people that I’m connected to on LinkedIn, the more often I appear in search results, the more often that people see my profile and request to be connected to me, the more interview offers I get. I’m very content in my current role and plan on staying here for a few years, but when I have to job search again, it’ll be very easy for me to do, thanks to the vast network that I’ve built on LinkedIn.</p>

<p>You, and anyone else … feel free to private message me with any questions that you have. I’ll gladly help you with your job search.</p>