6 Secrets to Success - Secure Your Dream Internship/Career at the SHPE National Convention

Rockwell Automation and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) hosted a TweetChat to help prepare SHPE National Convention attendees pursue their dream internships and careers! SHPE Professional members from across the country joined the chat to provide advice to conference attendees. The advice below was gathered from responses from the following SHPE professionals. Make sure to connect with them on LinkedIn and follow them on Twitter for more great tips and content this week.

• Fernando Ceballos - @fdoceballos
• Jay Flores - @JayFlores2032
• Jonathan Franco - @SuperFranco17
• William Gonzalez - @NicaWilliamG
• Brianne Martin - @briannecmartin
•  Aileen Tapia - @aileenaime
• Andres Vargas - @IEAVargas
• Andres Vinueza - @Andresvi94

Also make sure to follow SHPE - @SHPE and Rockwell Automation - @ROKautomation

Here are the top tips!

Question 1: What are some of the top actions attendees can take prior to the SHPE National Convention to set themselves up for success? #AskSHPE

DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Make sure you've researched your top 3-5 companies & know what opportunities you'll have at the convention to connect with them prior to the career fair. Apply in advance to the positions you feel you are interested in and feel are best suited for. Keep those requisition numbers and be ready to provide those to recruiters.The more you prepare in advance the more you'll maximize your time during a very busy convention.

Have resume ready, your comfortable outfits picked & HAVE A PLAN!

Question 2: What are the best opportunities to connect with companies at the SHPE National Convention outside of the career fair? #AskSHPE

Most students approach convention focused on the career fair. Stand out by making your connections with recruiters PRIOR to the career fair at a workshop, competition or other events where you can make a more lasting impression than you can in the career fair booth.

Networking at events like the luncheons, breakfasts, hospitality suites and anywhere outside of the conference allows you to connect in a more relaxed setting. Recruiters recruit from the moment the convention starts. Be professional at all times!

Question 3: How should attendees approach recruiters if they don’t have previous engineering internship experience? #AskSHPE

Companies are looking for a wide variety of skills in addition to engineering experience. Look back on ANY work/leadership/life experiences & share the valuable skills you've gained in key areas like communication, time management, teamwork, and project management.

Remember that recruiters are people too. Approach them with professionalism but try to make a genuine connection! Talk about school projects, leadership experience, volunteer work, or travel experiences.

Showcasing soft skills is also important. What have you done as a leader? How have you impacted your community? What results have you delivered as part of a team?

Question 4: There are so many workshops and events on the SHPE National Convention schedule. How do I best focus my time and energy? #AskSHPE

WASTE ZERO TIME! From the moment you head to the airport till the time you make it back to your home on Sunday, it is game time! Avoid roaming convention with your friends. The schedule is posted online, make your own schedule! Apply to companies in advance! Connect before the career fair so that when you see them at the career fair, there’s a better chance that they will remember you and recognize your strong interest.

Question 5: How can I best prepare for an interview at the SHPE National Convention? #AskSHPE

Get to know the company you are interviewing with at convention prior to the interview. Go to their workshops, talk to recruiters, and connect in any way you can so that you can determine what is important to the company and what they are looking for in candidates.

Practice by finding a list of common behavioral and technical interview questions and determine whether you can answer them using your resume - make your own mock interviews with your friends. Remember to use the STARL method (Situation, Task, Action, Results, Lessons Learned) to help you stay on track when answering questions.

Question 6: What is your #1 tip for students to leverage the SHPE National Convention to land their dream internship or career? #AskSHPE

Secure your interview BEFORE the career fair! Do this by leveraging the entire suite of opportunities that the @SHPE Convention provides you with to engage with companies. From the moment you arrive every interaction at convention is an opportunity to connect!

Do your research! Create a game-plan prior to the conference to help maximize your opportunities and create a successful experience.

Be confident. Network with others. Have fun!

Want more?

Search for #AskSHPE on Twitter to see the full conversation. Leverage all of the valuable info and/or feel free to add your tips for attendees!