Name:Zack DeThomasis

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Greenfield Partners, Inc.

Position Title:Social Media Operations Coordinator

Major(s)/Minor(s):Media and Communications Studies

Work Term:Summer 2018

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I worked for a small, private IT staffing and recruiting company called Greenfield Partners, Inc located in Irvine, California.. My responsibilities included establishing the social media pages, connecting the content through all of the platforms to ensure that there was transparency across all pages. Additionally, I was able to learn the day-to-day operations of a small business and what it takes to establish and maintain it. I was able to sit in on phone calls and interviews between employers and potential candidates.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

My mentor was a personal connection and because he works within the staffing industry, he has many connections to various companies. Over the Winter break into the Spring semester of this past year is when I started looking and applying to different internship positions for this Summer.  It wasn't until midway through the Spring semester that everything was then set. I had asked him if he had any knowledge of any companies looking to hire interns in any marketing positions. Upon this, he then countered and asked me if I would like to work with him to get his company's social media pages started and functioning.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

It allowed me to be creative and rely on my own knowledge of social media. Additionally, I did a lot of research to see how other companies started and use their social media pages so that I could create something similar for Greenfield Partners, Inc.  it was also very challenging because Greenfield isn't a company that produces material goods, but rather it is a service that companies can use to come into contact with potential job candidates. The group at Greenfield really acts as more of the "in-between" for companies to candidates. Being a former athlete at UMBC, I have really only been familiar to things that were sports related. This internship was the first thing that I had done that wasn't sports related so I enjoyed that it was something new to me and maybe out of my comfort zone.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I was able to help out a personal connection with getting his business established on social media fronts.  Social Media is a prominent platform for companies in our current time, so to help someone out meant a lot.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

There is always a market for hiring interns.  Unfortunately, that's what makes getting an internship position so competitive. Before I got my internship at Greenfield Partners, I had applied to 4 different companies for their internship positions and had gotten denied to all 4 of them.  It really did force me to look back at my network and connections and then take it upon myself to reach out. Additionally, teamwork is KEY. Being able to communicate with your coworkers on ideas is a necessity. Like I said, there is always a market for interns and make sure to check base with any of your personal connections.

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Hopefully, you all had a good time at the Career Fair last Wednesday. At this point, the companies you talked to are beginning to look over resumes and decide who they want to advance to the next round in the hiring process, also known as interviews!

Before we dive into the strategies you can use to impress during the interview, there are a few basics that need to be covered first. Dress professionally. Wear at least business casual, but you might want to step it up a notch to business attire. Bring an extra copy of your resume, a pen and paper, and a bottle of water. Map out your drive (if you have to drive) the day before and account for traffic when deciding when you should leave. If your interview is on campus, make sure you know the building and room number.

During the interview, try and maintain an air of professionalism while developing a relationship with the interviewer. It's a tough line to walk, but resources linked below can help you practice and find that balance. Think of the type of interview as well, phone interviews and technical interviews are very different. When answering a question, keeping the acronym S.T.A.R. in mind is incredibly helpful. Stories that describe the Situation you were in, the Task you had to complete, the Action you took and the Result of that action communicate efficiently and clearly to the interviewer the message you are trying to get across.

At the end of the interview, you’ll get the chance to ask the interviewer questions about the company. I don’t know about you, but when asked to ask questions, every single question I’ve ever had immediately vacates my brain and I can’t figure out anything to say. So it's good to go in with a plan. Do research on the company beforehand and develop a list of questions to ask. They can be industry-specific or more general, like “How does the area I would be working in fit into the overall organizational structure?”. Finally, after the interview, send a thank you note to follow up. Thank the interviewer for their time and the opportunity, and reiterate how you hope to hear from them soon.

So, we’ve gone over everything you need to do, but how can the Career Center help you? We offer mock (practice) interview appointments you can schedule through UMBCworks. You’ll come in and interview with a career specialist, then they’ll give you feedback on your performance. We also offer a new online service called Big Interview. You can search through a database of questions, record yourself answering them, and send them to the Career Center for review. To get questions reviewed, simply send the recording through Big Interview to our email: interviews@umbc.edu.

Interviewing can be a scary thing, but with the tips laid out above, hopefully it’s a little less so. Make sure to keep an eye out for more employer events coming to campus soon, we always have fun things going on. See you next week, where we’ll talk about finding internships and full- time positions using more Career Center tools.

Name:Shannon Clancy

Internship, Co-op or Research Site: Ford Motor Company

Position Title: Product Development Intern

Major(s)/Minor(s): Mechanical Engineering

Work Term:Summer 2018

Tell us about your internship, co-op, or research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I work as an intern in a branch of Product Development called Body Exterior. Specifically, I am on a team who works with water management and water leak issues on vehicles. I have participated in multiple tests on vehicles and my project focuses on hole sealing process to prevent water from entering the car. I also have been working on my technical writing on the day to day by drafting design rules on various issues.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

I actually obtained this internship in a very unusual way from the typical apply, interview, hire process. Ford came to UMBC for the first time in 10 or so years in Fall 2016. At that time, I was a sophomore and was very interested in working on cars or possibly going into automotive engineering. The Career Center was holding a networking event for Ford where two representatives who went to school in MD, one from UMD and the other from UMBC to try to recruit interns and full-time employees. I went to the event and made a contact, John Reed from UMBC, who is actually now my manager. I applied for their summer 2017 internship, but due to unforeseen circumstances, my interview was right after their hiring process was underway and most interns had been hired by October 2017. I ended up not being hired by Ford for that summer. However, I decided that I was still invested and determined to have another opportunity with Ford. I kept in contact with John Reed through email and talked with him when he came for the Spring 2017 career fair. Between his first visit in Fall 2016 until I reapplied Fall 2017, we sent around 30 emails back and forth. He remembered my name and my experiences and would always want to know how I was doing in school and in my extracurriculars. Through keeping contact, John was able to find me a spot on his Body Exterior team and it was a moment I'll never forget as a first step in my career.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

I have enjoyed meeting the people I have so far. Ford is a huge company, and everyday I’m always meeting new people from such diverse backgrounds, even more so than UMBC. Everyone has a different story, and it’s something that has always intrigued me about others. I’ve gotten so much support, and learned more than I could have imagined, especially thankful for my supervisor and everything she has done for me. It’s also pretty cool to see and work on vehicles that come out in the next 1-3 years.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

I believe I have made an impact and will continue to make an impact after my internship is over through my summer project. Even though the end product will be a small part to a large process Ford has in designing, manufacturing, and launching their vehicles, it’ll help save the company a lot of time and money through preventative measures and checks.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Two things: One, understand everything happens for a reason and just keep trying. When I first didn’t get the internship with Ford, I was devastated. I knew since high school that I had an interest in the automotive industry and to be denied that was heartbreaking. But I didn’t give up, and John encouraged me to stay in touch and reapply for the following summer. So I made sure I still held my head high, and do the most that I could, which was talking to John. Two, networking is one of the most powerful tools you can have in your career. I believe I got this job at Ford almost fully because of networking. Obviously, you have to meet certain criteria of the company and have basic knowledge to have the position, but I impressed John and showed him my passion for working for someone like him and a company like Ford.

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The Fall Career & Internship Fair is tomorrow! Over 140 companies will descend on the RAC, looking to recruit students from UMBC for full time and internship opportunities. It's the biggest career event of the semester, and you can be a part of it by showing up tomorrow anywhere between 11:30 am and 3:30 pm. But Emily, you might ask, 140 companies in the RAC sounds very intimidating. Where do I begin? Well, I’m glad you asked.

Before the fair:

1. Research the companies. Check out the list of companies that will be there including what majors they are looking for, pick your top ten, and give them a google. Figure out what they do and what project you would like to be a part of. Preparation is the key to good networking!

2. Give your resume one final look over (this guide might help) and print out copies. Try to have at least at least ten copies, but bringing a few extras on top of that can’t hurt.

3. Pick out clean business professional clothes. Looking the part is very important. Picking out your clothes the night before can help you avoid unforeseen issues tomorrow morning. If you’re not sure what business professional looks like, check out this guide.

During the fair:

1. Bring everything you prepared the night before plus your student ID. Wear the clothes, keep the resumes protected from the rain, and remember your list of companies.

2. When you get to the fair, check your guide for a map or download the directory in advance. Find the companies you want to visit and make a game plan. Hundreds of students come to the fair, so having a plan of action can help you get through the crowds.

3. Visit your target companies. Network with recruiters. Give your 30-second commercial, discuss why you want to be a part of their company, and give them a copy of your resume. If they give you a card or contact information, keep it in a safe place!

After the fair:

1. Follow up. Reach out to those people who gave you their information. Tell them how nice it was to talk to them and reiterate your interest in their company. A thank you note or email goes a long way!

2. Take a break! Squeeze in a nap if you can fit it between classes and homework. You earned it.

Name:Devin Protzko

Research Site: NASA/JCET

Position Title: Research Assistant

Major(s)/Minor(s):Physics B.S. / Math Minor

Work Term: November 2017 - Present

Tell us about your research opportunity, including your day-to-day responsibilities.

I am a research assistant with NASA/JCET; mainly in preparation to pursue a Physics PhD. We are gaining a better understanding of hurricane intensification through eddy momentum flux and wavelet analysis, simulation modeling, and statistical variance scaling - as the accuracy of trajectory models have surpassed that of intensification models. My day-to-day comprises processing various forms of data (observational e.g. fuselage IWRAP, or model e.g. LES), morphing the raw data into something more quantitatively and qualitatively analyzable (functions, plots, etc.), reading relevant research, and collaborating with my adviser, Dr. Guimond.

To elaborate on the research itself, we utilize high-resolution observational data (IWRAP) to analyze coherent turbulent structures in rapidly intensifying Hurricane Isabel. Moreover, we use wavelet analyses to compare statistical properties of high-resolution features in observational data to that in model (LES) data, such that we analyze the role of small-scale features in large-scale flow patterns. The main objective is to better understand the physical processes that control hurricane formation and intensity change, specifically the relative roles of environmental and inner-core processes. There is evidence that small-scale processes in the inner core may play an important role in hurricane intensity, but these processes are only partially understood. The features – turbulent eddies, eyewall vorticity waves, mesovortices and hot towers – are on the order of kilometers wide and rapidly varying. Hence high-resolution models are thought to be necessary, but it is not clear what resolutions accurately model the relationship between large and small-scale features.

Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?

It all happened pretty fast. In Fall 2017, I took an elective called PHYS335 Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere with Dr. Sparling. About midway through the course, Dr. Sparling appreciated my performance, specifically a data analysis assignment comprising NOAA plots and hurricane development analyses. Soon after, I accepted a SURE scholarship opportunity with Dr. Guimond, who is one of Dr. Sparling's colleagues at NASA and has been my adviser ever since. Once the SURE scholarship ran its course and Dr. Guimond wanted to pursue summer work with me, we received summer funding through JCET.

What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?

I enjoy that I am constantly surrounded by people who are much smarter than me and passionate about their role in the puzzle of research. The scientific community, albeit initially humbling, catalyzes an impulse to share knowledge in a highly ordered manner, allowing for highly efficient communication. But training my brain to properly sift through dense articles has been worth it, such that conversations about niches of my field seem more casual and less esoteric. Secondarily, I lead an active lifestyle and the flexibility of research catalyzes a great work/life balance. For instance, I can set up a hotspot on the beach and work remotely (with adviser approval of course), as long as my deliverable tasks are ready by meeting time.

How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?

Our spring conference paper has been cited multiple times. Plus we are working on publishing an extension paper of sorts with plans to present it at the AGU (American Geophysical Union) Conference in DC at the end of the year. Coming from a seemingly spectator level as a student, it is very satisfying to interact with the scientific community on a more direct level.

What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience?

Standing out in class is one thing, but reaching out to professors, post-docs, etc beyond class is another. If you have a passion for a field but are unsure/overwhelmed by the sheer amount of paths within the field, just pick one. Some research experience as an undergrad is better than none. Plus, there is high value in acquainting yourself with the academic research process and community.

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There is an ancient riddle which has confused students since the beginning of time: How do I get experience when all experiences require experience? Figuring out how to break into the job market can feel like trying to jump on an already moving Ferris wheel. Confusing, intimidating, and not how you want to spend your weekends. But there is a way to round out your resume, gain leadership experience, and develop a professional network without snagging that elusive first job in your preferred field.

Campus involvement is a great alternative. Hopefully, you made it to Involvement Fest and have a few clubs you’re thinking about joining. If not, don’t worry! The full list of UMBC student organizations can be found here. It might seem intimidating at first, but taking a few minutes to look through the list is a great idea. There are professional societies, department groups, and recreational clubs. Find a couple that seem like fun, figure out what time they meet, and you’re good to go!

As a member of a club, you have the chance to do three things that help boost your chances of getting a job.

1. Leadership Opportunities. Clubs are a great way to take on responsibility in a relatively low-risk environment. Having a leadership position in a club gives you experience managing other people and their schedules, planning events, budgeting, and recruiting new members. These are great skills to highlight in a resume and provide great stories to talk about in interviews.

2. Networking. In a club, whether its related to your studies or not, you’re going to make friends with people who will be able to help your career down the road. Building connections in and out of your major is always a great idea, and clubs are great ways to get out, meet people, and create lasting friendships. It’s a stress-free way of beginning to cultivate a professional network.

3. The Human Element. Most employers aren’t looking for an emotionless robot to sit behind a desk and bang out reports day after day. And if they are, you probably don’t want to work for them anyways. Clubs and extracurriculars show your potential employer that you’re more than just a student. You have a breadth of knowledge and ideas that support and enhance your professional development. Having dedicated interests outside your field of study show that you commit to the things that you love, and you’ll commit to your new job too.