Keep it easy to read. Make sure your resume is organized and updated – list your work history and significant coursework chronologically, most recent to oldest.

Focus on what’s relevant. Review key words in the job description you’re applying for, then compare them against your resume – do they match up? In the case of a job fair, be sure to look up the companies you may be interested in before you attend. If you’re at an engineering fair, make sure that the content on your resume is suited for that technical audience.

Get technical. If you’re applying for an engineering role in a technical field, be sure to list any technical work in detail, whether it was a personal project or a class assignment. Consider listing things like: hardware, test equipment, software, operating systems, networking, languages, web design or design/media software. (Bonus tip: Adding projects to Hackster.io  is a great way to document and share your technical expertise.)

Education is important, but don’t forget the other stuff. Be sure to include languages, volunteer and extracurricular activities, certifications or specialized training, awards and organizations.

Take action. When writing your resume, concentrate on keywords, action verbs and adjectives to describe your past work and experience. 

TI TIP: Always proofread your resume at least twice! A clean and professional resume makes a great first impression with recruiters, so ask a friend or family member to proofread your resume.

An Analog Integrated Circuit (IC) designer who started out as a design intern at TI’s office in Freising, Germany shares their tips and tricks to getting the most out of an internship with TI.

Mistakes are going to happen – and that’s okay. Just ask questions. The supervisors and managers understand that mistakes are going to happen and guide the interns through them along the way. Anytime interns encounter a problem, they are available to answer any questions, helping them learn the entirety of the design process. 

Grow your network. There are not many opportunities to work closely with systems designers, characterization and test engineers, designers and layout engineers. This is a great chance to make connections with everyone inside and outside of your department. There are even opportunities to have direct access to TI recruiters to ask questions and optimize the content of your resume.

Capitalize on school projects. Even if you lack practical experiences, good academic project experience can be one of the ways to prepare for an internship. Projects give real work experience and demonstrate to your potential team that you have the fundamental skills and the capacity to build upon them. This is the type of information that recruiters will be looking for on your resume.

Most importantly, remember that you’re getting the opportunity to work amongst some of the best in the business, and they’re ready to help you expand on your skills to be successful. 

Step 1: Research and review

Start simple with the company’s website and history. Then find news and information about the company’s growth, products, clients and vendors. Next, learn more about the company’s market share, executives and competition. Check out LinkedIn or Glassdoor for employee reviews and feedback.

Step 2: Understand the job description

Start with the general description of the role – like the overall responsibilities and minimum requirements. Go through and highlight keywords that are critical to the role. Then consider examples of how you accomplished something similar, and what skills you used. Be sure to jot down your results, too. If there is something in a job description you haven’t done before, develop a list of ideas on how you could acquire those skill sets and tackle those responsibilities.

Step 3: Interview preparation
Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes and think of questions they may ask. Review the job description again – do you have the experience, technical expertise and courses to meet those needs? When thinking about those answers, make sure you have examples to share. The examples should outline the steps you took, and the methods you used, while demonstrating the skills the company requires. Speak highly of yourself, your achievements and potential – but keep to the point!

TI Tip: Utilize the STAR Method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for answering more behavioral type questions.

Step 4: Interview attitude
Two pieces of advice – just be yourself and practice makes perfect! If you walk into an interview playing a role, your interviewer will notice. Also, be sure to practice in front of the mirror or even video yourself – consider your smile, handshake, expressions, confidence and level of enthusiasm.

Step 5: Prepare questions to ask
Usually, you will get a little time with your interviewer to ask questions. Be prepared with good questions, but also be mindful of what NOT to ask. Rethink your question if the answer is:

• Confidential. If you even think the answer may be confidential, just avoid asking.
• About benefits. If your question is about pay, benefits or vacation time – talk with your recruiter or wait until you get the job offer to ask.
• Something you could have found out on your own. If the question is too basic and easily available on the company’s website, your interviewer may think you didn’t do your research.

Best of luck in this next stage of your job search! As always, utilize your career center on campus for additional support. 

Take control of your content. Know what employers are searching for online. 

When employers start searching, there are several things that they’ll be looking for across your social presences. Here’s what they will expect you to have:

• A positive and professional image. Don’t have a headshot? Have a friend or family member take one for you!
• A standard presence on all social platforms. You don’t have to be active on every platform – but make sure your profile is consistent on those you do use.
• A LinkedIn profile. Be sure to add a professional online profile or resume. Your profile should reflect past accomplishments, merits and successes. This can be a form of an online resume.
• Blog/Website. Sometimes it’s stronger to give your work a proper place to live – like an online portfolio. Depending on your career path, consider creating a blog or website that can link together all of your social presences. Adding projects to Hackster.io  is also a great way to expand your portfolio and connect with other professionals. 

Run a check. Google search yourself! Be wary of red flags.

This is the easiest way to see what content pops up with your name. It makes it easier to review all your online content, posts and connections. If your LinkedIn profile appears first when you search, be sure and take time to update your profile and keep it relevant.

What’s a red flag? Think of it as any image or language that you wouldn’t be proud to share with your grandparents. This is why many social networks have settings that allow you to gate your content. While your Facebook photos may be several years old, they are still ‘out there’ for the world to see. Check to see if your friends’ posts are public and un-tag any content that employers may consider inappropriate.

Keep your goal in mind. Use the web to grow your network and land the job.

Remember your goal at all times when using the internet - you are looking for a job. You’re online to develop a compelling online presence and increase your network to improve your access to other professionals who can open doors for you. In building a strong online persona, you will:

• Establish yourself as an individual, apart from other job seekers.
• Demonstrate professionalism and/or expertise in a field.
• Convey that you’re keeping up with the times, and have online technical skills.  

Get your resume together. We get a lot of questions on what recruiters and hiring managers wants to see on a resume. Start with thinking about the skill sets and experiences that set you apart as a candidate.  

Have someone review your resume. It’s not just about catching typos… make sure you have the right content listed. Visit your career center and talk to a career coach to make sure you have the right mix of technical work, class assignments and personal projects listed. There’s a good chance your school is hosting corporate resume review or resume clinic on campus this fall – be sure to take advantage of those opportunities.

Research companies. Do you have an ideal role or company in mind? Start with a list of companies you’re interested in and sort them into A, B and C categories. The A companies are your dream job, the B companies sound great, but may not be exactly your perfect fit, and the C companies are those you want to learn more about. Research their company website, LinkedIn page, and check out employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor.

Practice with a mock interview. Be prepared to talk about projects you’ve worked on inside and outside the classroom and curriculum you’ve studied. Do you have a passion for engineering or a strong story around why you chose this path? Also, have questions ready for your interviewer. 

Attend campus career events! Fall is the essential time of year when most career fairs, tech talks and recruiting info sessions take place, and you make connections with recruiters and companies. Career fairs can be intimidating – you’ll be face-forward as you meet a lot of people and need to make a good first impression quickly. If you’re nervous, that’s normal! Ease into the career fair. Don’t start by visiting your ‘A company’ booth. Start with a C company on your list and get comfortable with the types of questions they’ll ask, how to introduce yourself to work out your nerves. Then hit up your A and B companies.