Monday, May 4, 2009
First day at RIM
No work yet, all of the new interns had Orientation today which started bright and early at 7:45 AM. They took us to a fancy banquet hall for a day of information sessions and things that all employees are expected to know. Free breakfast, lunch and a chocolate fondue fountain aside, it was mostly networking with other people from the building I'll be working in. Met a variety of interesting people from different universities and programs. Also posed for the obligatory employee ID mugshot...
Sunday, March 15, 2009
University of Waterloo photos from 1981
I'm a big admirer of nostalgic photographs, and for UW students, this is the motherload. One could say that not much has changed in almost 30 years. Take a look at the Health Services pond, PAC, the science building pathway and most especially, Village 1 (even the outdoor basketball courts are the same!).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21132634@N06/sets/72157613680847105/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21132634@N06/sets/72157613680847105/
Friday, March 13, 2009
First UW co-op job search experience
With the start of 1B, we were introduced to the JobMine system that is used by Waterloo for the co-op process. About two weeks into the term, JobMine began actively listing and accepting job applications in two waves of Job Postings which opened and closed, lasting about three days each.
During the first posting, there were around 150 jobs related to engineering that could be applied for, and by default, they required a resume and class transcript (credits, grades). However, some of the more well known companies such as CIBC, IBM and RIM also required supplementary applications that needed to be filled out on their own webpages.
With 50 applications alloted per student, I took caution in not applying to too many jobs during the first Job Posting to ensure that I had an adequate amount on hand for the second posting. This was a BIG MISTAKE. With the current economic climate, much fewer companies are hiring interns and co-op students and it turned out that the second posting offered a measly 30 engineering jobs, most of which I did not possess skillsets for.
In the end, I ended up applying to less than 30 jobs which was definitely nerve-racking for the first week in which nothing happened. However, my fears were abated when I received one of the earliest interviews in my class for an IT support position at the Ministry of Government Services in downtown Toronto.
***
These are some of the more useful tips/tricks that I have acquired through the co-op experience:
1. Check your JobMine ALL THE TIME.
It makes you paranoid near the end, but by doing this and forming a habit, I managed to nearly always get first dibs on interview time slots.
2. Apply to jobs outside of downtown Toronto (i.e. Oakville, Burlington, Ottawa).
The competition for jobs in Toronto and Markham is outright scary with hundreds of applicants per job guaranteed. Applying to a more "out of the way" job greatly increases your chances at getting an interview.
3. Apply to ANY jobs you like, even if you feel underqualified.
Looking back, people I know with comparable skillsets managed to get interviews for jobs that I had skipped over. But this isn't to say that you should apply to Google or Apple as a first year student and expect a reply!
4. In an interview, be enthusiastic and focus on the process rather than the answers.
Especially for lower years, most companies doesn't expect a shockingly high technical level. Instead, they observe your personality, your eagerness to learn, and most of all, the way that you work through problems logically. When asked a technical question, don't be scared that you don't know the answer. Try to verbalize your ideas and all possible paths you might take to solve the problem.
5. Embellishing items in your resume is fine, but NEVER lie outright.
The employer will definitely ask you about the things you have written on your resume. They can also smell a liar from a mile away. If you are asked about something that you made up, it will be pretty obvious and you can say bye bye to that job opportunity.
6. Have some questions prepared that you can ask the interviewer.
When they have finished interviewing you, there is time set aside for your questions. Make sure that you have some relevant things to ask (i.e. your daily work schedule, people you will be working with, on-the-job training, etc). If you simply state that you have no questions, it will appear that you lack interest towards the job.
7. Don't skip an entire day of lectures because you had one or two interviews.
You will fail before ever getting to your co-op term. Enough said.
***
Finally, don't stress out if people around you seem to be getting a ton of interviews while you face rejection after rejection on your applications. Something will come through. After receiving my first interview, I ended up waiting upwards of two weeks while people in suits showed up to class on a daily basis.
By the end of the primary Employer Interviews, I had managed to land a total of five interviews. These were with the Ontario Ministry of Government Services, AMD, RIM, Oculus and IDT. Furthermore, using the techniques I mentioned above, along with strong 1A grades and a reasonable skillset, I was able to obtain rankings in four jobs and a direct offer from RIM, which I accepted. This equals: a 20% interview return rate in comparison to applications and a 100% job ranking rate. I must be doing something right.
And if, by some chance, a job offer eludes you during the primary hiring period, there are plenty of opportunities waiting in the open, secondary Job Postings period which is perpetual, with new interviews and rankings occuring each day. Many people I know found their jobs through this method.
Best of luck with your job search! And if you have any success with this guide or if you want to point something out to me, feel free to leave a comment.
During the first posting, there were around 150 jobs related to engineering that could be applied for, and by default, they required a resume and class transcript (credits, grades). However, some of the more well known companies such as CIBC, IBM and RIM also required supplementary applications that needed to be filled out on their own webpages.
With 50 applications alloted per student, I took caution in not applying to too many jobs during the first Job Posting to ensure that I had an adequate amount on hand for the second posting. This was a BIG MISTAKE. With the current economic climate, much fewer companies are hiring interns and co-op students and it turned out that the second posting offered a measly 30 engineering jobs, most of which I did not possess skillsets for.
In the end, I ended up applying to less than 30 jobs which was definitely nerve-racking for the first week in which nothing happened. However, my fears were abated when I received one of the earliest interviews in my class for an IT support position at the Ministry of Government Services in downtown Toronto.
***
These are some of the more useful tips/tricks that I have acquired through the co-op experience:
1. Check your JobMine ALL THE TIME.
It makes you paranoid near the end, but by doing this and forming a habit, I managed to nearly always get first dibs on interview time slots.
2. Apply to jobs outside of downtown Toronto (i.e. Oakville, Burlington, Ottawa).
The competition for jobs in Toronto and Markham is outright scary with hundreds of applicants per job guaranteed. Applying to a more "out of the way" job greatly increases your chances at getting an interview.
3. Apply to ANY jobs you like, even if you feel underqualified.
Looking back, people I know with comparable skillsets managed to get interviews for jobs that I had skipped over. But this isn't to say that you should apply to Google or Apple as a first year student and expect a reply!
4. In an interview, be enthusiastic and focus on the process rather than the answers.
Especially for lower years, most companies doesn't expect a shockingly high technical level. Instead, they observe your personality, your eagerness to learn, and most of all, the way that you work through problems logically. When asked a technical question, don't be scared that you don't know the answer. Try to verbalize your ideas and all possible paths you might take to solve the problem.
5. Embellishing items in your resume is fine, but NEVER lie outright.
The employer will definitely ask you about the things you have written on your resume. They can also smell a liar from a mile away. If you are asked about something that you made up, it will be pretty obvious and you can say bye bye to that job opportunity.
6. Have some questions prepared that you can ask the interviewer.
When they have finished interviewing you, there is time set aside for your questions. Make sure that you have some relevant things to ask (i.e. your daily work schedule, people you will be working with, on-the-job training, etc). If you simply state that you have no questions, it will appear that you lack interest towards the job.
7. Don't skip an entire day of lectures because you had one or two interviews.
You will fail before ever getting to your co-op term. Enough said.
***
Finally, don't stress out if people around you seem to be getting a ton of interviews while you face rejection after rejection on your applications. Something will come through. After receiving my first interview, I ended up waiting upwards of two weeks while people in suits showed up to class on a daily basis.
By the end of the primary Employer Interviews, I had managed to land a total of five interviews. These were with the Ontario Ministry of Government Services, AMD, RIM, Oculus and IDT. Furthermore, using the techniques I mentioned above, along with strong 1A grades and a reasonable skillset, I was able to obtain rankings in four jobs and a direct offer from RIM, which I accepted. This equals: a 20% interview return rate in comparison to applications and a 100% job ranking rate. I must be doing something right.
And if, by some chance, a job offer eludes you during the primary hiring period, there are plenty of opportunities waiting in the open, secondary Job Postings period which is perpetual, with new interviews and rankings occuring each day. Many people I know found their jobs through this method.
Best of luck with your job search! And if you have any success with this guide or if you want to point something out to me, feel free to leave a comment.
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