[markhazlett9]

Hello everyone,

I'm starting now to look for a summer job. I'm going to be ending my first year, and i'm looking for a java programmer support position or something like it. My question is, what do you think the best way to land a job like this is? Also, I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas to for medium sized applications that I could add to my portfolio, and what are some job titles that I should look out for?

Cheers

This post has been edited by skyhawk133: 08 December 2008 - 10:15 PM

[Martyr2]

Well more than a job you should look for an internship. Something that is high profile but you get paid crap for it. The reason is that by the time you graduate if you have things like "Worked for IBM, Worked for Sun Microsystems and worked for Local lotteries Corp" even if you didn't get paid it would look better than having worked on a small project for some small company where you got paid ok.

I have worked even at my local university as an internship once which was quite good for the resume.

But the best thing you can do is pass out a resume along with a cover letter saying you are looking to be an intern to all the big tech companies you want to work for some day. Many tech companies have intern programs, like to work with college students and it can get your foot in the door for when you finally graduate. Nice to say to the employer "Yeah I worked in your IT department before, I know many of your systems where this other candidate doesn't."

Even if they don't take you as an intern they will then have your resume on file later so you could be called up from the minors one day to play in the big leagues.

But at this point, throw out a nice polished resume and see what sticks.

As for specialized projects for portfolio you can do something that involves databases, networks or some kind of business applications. All three preferably. Companies store their data in databases, they communicate with one another in networks and they often have business specific applications to do their work (like accounting, commerce, banking etc).

[markhazlett9]

Ok right on! That's really helpful. Any Idea where I can find out about intern positions for larger companies? I haven't seen anything on their websites. Cheers

[Martyr2]

Typically you can call the company's HR department who would probably be the most likely people in a company knowing of positions. Often times these people are the same that conduct the interviews or preliminary screening of applicants.

Internships are not always offered directly on their website, but if you ask the HR about a possibility of internships they sometimes act surprised and even open up a position for you. Especially if you are cheap labor. I know several high profile companies that always take on students because they are very cheap or sometimes free.

[markhazlett9]

Martyr2, on 7 Dec, 2008 - 08:47 PM, said:

Typically you can call the company's HR department who would probably be the most likely people in a company knowing of positions. Often times these people are the same that conduct the interviews or preliminary screening of applicants.

Internships are not always offered directly on their website, but if you ask the HR about a possibility of internships they sometimes act surprised and even open up a position for you. Especially if you are cheap labor. I know several high profile companies that always take on students because they are very cheap or sometimes free.

Right on Thank you! I'll give it a try

[JBabineau]

I currently work at a staffing company/temporary employment so we deal with a lot of HR's people. Best word of advice I can give you is to throw your resume around. Even if it seems they are not looking they are always looking. You'd be surprised that throwing a nice resume at a company can do.

[akozlik]

If you're in a university right now and you're interested in an internship, contact your academic advisor. They have staff at every uni whose job is to get students internships. This is especially true for students in the technical fields. Every semester we have reps coming into our school and begging us to go do internships with them. I'm set up with one right now through my school working for one of the labs, and I'm loving it.

Definitely contact somebody regarding internships though. They'll have access to ones that you won't find anywhere else.

[markhazlett9]

akozlik, on 9 Dec, 2008 - 06:14 AM, said:

If you're in a university right now and you're interested in an internship, contact your academic advisor. They have staff at every uni whose job is to get students internships. This is especially true for students in the technical fields. Every semester we have reps coming into our school and begging us to go do internships with them. I'm set up with one right now through my school working for one of the labs, and I'm loving it.

Definitely contact somebody regarding internships though. They'll have access to ones that you won't find anywhere else.

Right on, i'll look into that

[homemade-jam]

Yeah, to echo akozlik, universities should be helping you out with placements or work.

Most of the ones I've been around are clamerring to give their students work!

[markhazlett9]

homemade-jam, on 9 Dec, 2008 - 12:58 PM, said:

Yeah, to echo akozlik, universities should be helping you out with placements or work.

Most of the ones I've been around are clamerring to give their students work!

That's true at my university too.. i'm finding however that the programming specific jobs that they have are limited, where as tech support and things like that they seem to be in surplus. Any thoughts?

[akozlik]

Well, we have mostly programming internships, but that's because we're in the technology belt in Florida. A lot of the huge corporations and government agencies around here have opportunities. We're talking Harris Engineering, Lockheed Martin, NASA etc. If you're in podunk Iowa your options may be limited.

[joshthejest]

I have been working at Career Services for my University for 3 years now, and have completed two summer internships with a high-profile corporation. I would like to second the internship idea, but just because you are looking for a good internship doesn't mean you have to settle for little or no money... especially for a Computing Sciences degree.

Steps (in any order):
Visit Academic Advisor
Visit University's Career Services (or like department)
Have your resume reviewed.
Get connected to recruiters that come to your University.
Go to local and especially University Career Fairs to talk directly with recruiters.

On campus jobs and part time employment are excellent while you are in school, but shoot for the stars during your breaks when you don't have any courses to take.

[markhazlett9]

akozlik, on 9 Dec, 2008 - 04:01 PM, said:

. If you're in podunk Iowa your options may be limited.

haha well actually I'm in Canada, but open to going pretty much anywhere. and I like the career fair idea, however maybe it's just my location but it always seems like the career fairs never have any Computer companies. How often at career fairs are they looking for people in the IT world?

[joshthejest]

We don't get any (large) direct computer companies... I'm from Corpus Christi so we get mostly companies from oil and gas... ExxonMobil Citgo etc... and also some of our other top companies for CS is USAA.

I have talked to people that have gone to straight tech companies like IBM and Dell, and I have found that the experience gained (by those individuals) is equivalent or better from companies that aren't directly connected to the computer field but rely heavily upon our field.

From my experience, I have learned more in one summer working for oil and gas than I have in any single semester.

[markhazlett9]

joshthejest, on 9 Dec, 2008 - 08:01 PM, said:

From my experience, I have learned more in one summer working for oil and gas than I have in any single semester.

Interesting I would never have thought that would be the way it is...