How to Stand Out among Thousands of Candidates?

How to Stand Out among Thousands of Candidates? GONG, SHAWN (宫唐小恒) For CSSA Career Panel Jan. 23rd, 2011

AGENDA • My Background • Why to Stand out? • How to Stand out? • Career Fair • Take-aways

AUDIENCES • Which department are you from? • VSoE • Marshall Business • SPPD • Annenberg Communication • …

AGENDA • My Background • Education • Work Experience • Leadership/Organizations • Awards • Professional Affiliations • Why to Stand out? • How to Stand out? • Career Fair • Take-aways

EDUCATION • MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering • USC, Expected Dec. 2011 • BS in Computer Science • Sichuan University, July 2007 • Ranked No. 1 in the graduating class

WORK EXPERIENCE • Graduate Student Assistant, National Center for Metropolitan Transportation Research (METRANS) • LA, CA Sept. 2010-Present • Intern, City and County of San Francisco San Francisco, CA May 2010-Aug. 2010 • Research Project Manager, Dept. of CS, Sichuan University Chengdu, China Sept. 2006-July 2007 • Program Manager Intern, Hwadee IT Co., Ltd. Chengdu, China July 2006-Aug. 2006

WORK EXPERIENCE • Means what? • No experience in my field-ISE at all!!! • Isn’t too SAD? No worries! • How to make up? • Academic Projects • Student Organizations

LEADERSHIP • Vice President of Marketing, Information Systems Association • Industrial Liaison & Alumni Relations Chair, Viterbi Graduate Student Association • Viterbi Engineering Senator, Graduate and Professional Students Senate • ISE Graduate Student Representative, Viterbi School of Engineering • Vice President, Bridges International, Campus Crusade for Christ • Co-Chair, Academic Alliance Committee, Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS • Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) • Institute of Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) • Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) • Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) • Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS)

AWARDS • USC • Leadership Award-OIS, • Outstanding Contribution Award-VGSA • Outstanding Committee Award-GPSS • SCU • Creative Talent Award • Leadership Award • Academic Excellence Scholarship (2005, 2006, 2007) • National Winner and Team Leader in Mathematical Contest in Modeling (2006)

MAKE UP for LACK of EXPERIENCE • Academic Projects • Leadership experience in Student Organizations • High GPA • Awards • Even irrelevant work experience • Demonstrate your skills that can be utilized to the position you apply: communication, project management…

WHY to STAND OUT? Which one is your resume?

HOW to STAND OUT? • Recommendations • Faculty • Previous or current Boss • Colleagues • Even Classmates • Networking

USC • What does USC stand for? • Trojan Family

TROJAN FAMILY • USC stands for • University of Strong Connections • USC has one of the strongest alumni networks in the country. • Trojan Family • Mission: To aid in the networking of fellow USC Trojans with one another.

NETWORKING • How? • Networking events • Company Information Sessions • Conferences • Organizations • Professional Seminars • Workshops • Alumni clubs

JOB SEARCH TESTIMONIES • Summer Internship (May convert into a full-time position), Southern California Edison • Summer Internship, City and County of San Francisco • METRANS Graduate Assistant • Director, China Viterbi Office • METRO • Intel • Several CS job opportunies from a recruiter • More than 10 interviews from HIMSS • All from recommendations and networking

ORGANIZATIONS • Information Systems Association – consulting http://www.theuscisa.com/USC-Information-Systems-Association/ • IIE, SWE, IEEE, ACM, ASCE… • http://viterbi.usc.edu/students/studentorgs/#professional societies • Ask Department Advisors and professors

CAREER FAIR • DON’T • Just “Turn in” your resume • Ask what the company does • Ask what positions they have • DO • Do research on your interested firms and positions • Shake Hands • Elevator Pitch • Ask questions you cannot find on its website • Tell them why you are the best candidate for the specific position • Objective: Sell yourself aiming to impressive recruiters to land an interview

TAKE-AWAYS • Find a professional organization in your field by asking department advisors or checking the websites • Get involved with the organization by attending the networking events and trying to take a leadership position • Do research before the career fair and impressive company representatives to get an interview • Get recommendations, job referrals, opportunities and just some valuable information from professors, classmates, friends and the alumni and professionals you meet at the networking events

GOOD LUCK! • Connections to Success

How to Stand Out among Thousands of Candidates?