I was invited to go to Raytheon’s College Open House in a couple weeks. The program states that it’s from 7:45 to 12:30. What exactly should I be expecting from this? Is it similar to an interview, or is it more just meeting and greeting some people, and exploring the company a bit more?
How should I be preparing for this? Will they be asking me actual coding questions (should I brush up on Data Structures)?
Does making an impression here help my chances of getting an internship over the summer?
Sorry for all the questions, but any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hard to say without more information, but it’s likely akin to a publicity campaign on their part. They’re hiring engineeraike crazy and are probably hosting this to raise awareness of who they are, what they do, and what sort of career paths are available. I’d say it’s unlikely to be like an interview or have any formal questions, but I’d definitely attend it with a very professional mindset and ready to talk about your accomplishments and skills. Networking events like this can sometimes be fairly informal but still lead to job offers if you play your cards right with the right people.
As someone who competes with them for top students, I wish I could attend and just see what they’re saying to you.
To OP: this is way late but figured you could use this advice for future events. These company events are typically info sessions coupled with networking with recruiters, employees, and hiring managers. A lot of times they can result in an interview. Make sure to dress professionally and bring some resumes. Also have a pen and portfolio pad to write contact info or accept business cards if offered one. In person recruiting is much more viable than sending in an app online.
@boneh3ad My school is heavily recruited by defense and aerospace companies and I interviewed with quite a few and recently decided which offer to accept. I’d be happy to share my recruitment process with you as one company went above and beyond during the process that made it the one I went with.
I mean, I have a decent idea of what they are saying. I just need to figure out in what areas I can compete and in what areas I have to concede defeat when trying to recruit a student into graduate school that also has an offer from these companies. For example, I know what they pay and how hopelessly outmatched I am in that department, so it’s a matter of convincing students that research is a good career path so they should delay that paycheck gratification for a few years. That’s a tough sell in many cases.
@boneh3ad Interesting enough, on Saturday, I talked with my son (2nd year AE) about researching (early) the possibility of grad school. It’s a hard sell, on a day several of his older friends where graduating and taking fairly well paying jobs (as well as his sister, who’s an ISE). He also gets regularly invited to these company “open houses” and often hear’s their spiel. He’s interested in the possibility, since the field he wants to go into requires an advance degree, but I can see how it’s an uphill climb to make it happen.
His mother, on the other hand, was not very supportive of the idea.
“It pays what? It takes how long?” “Are you $#$#&^#…”
@Gator88NE What’s very attractive for those companies is they also pay for your masters degree so there is no loss of income or delay to advancing your career.
@10s4life, going back for graduate work has pitfalls. One, you have to be working in a place that has a school you want to attend. There aren’t any respected schools in the Palmdale/Mojave region for example. Two, once you start having a family, going back is far less attractive. It gets pitched a lot, but it isn’t without its faults.