So I am about to graduate with my CE degree and I am also waiting on my FE scores....boo NCEES...but I am wondering when applying for internships and jobs what are things employers are looking for from a soon to be graduate and also a post graduate? I feel like I have done so much so far but I'm not sure how to put everything together in a certain way that would make an employer realize how valuable I would be to their company. Any advice from people who have been hired or who do hiring on things engineers like to see highlighted on resumes and in interviews? Thanks to much!! :]
Make sure your resume doesn't have silly things on it, like hobbies and non-professional society memberships on it (belive me, I've seen it all). It should be ONE page, and focus on your objectives, since you have no direct work experience. Make sure to join ASCE and all other pertinent organizations, and have them listed on your resume. Be up to date on Autocad, and microstation if possible.
Create a concise cover letter, and include it with your resume everytime you fax/email/mail it.
Always, always, send a thank you letter to anyone who you interview with. My cover letter and thank you letters have gotten me noticed more than a few times...many people never send a thank you letter, and an interviewer may have spent the day interviewing a hundred people.
What do CE employers want? Well you should be familiar with Codes and Standards, if by name only. You should also be familiar with any State specific references, (ie. the New York State Dept. of Transportation Bridge Manual and AASHTO is the Holy Grail for NYS bridge engineers). There is also a Highway Manual. You may not be experienced with them, but that you know they exist and you are good at doing research to find out what you would need on the job is a plus. Know the lingo.
Look pretty, but look professional if you get an interview. Don't afraid to be a woman, but don't jingle or smell up the room with perfume. I wear a suit, but will have a pretty nail color on and my hair down. I wouldn't want to just "blend" in, but I don't want to stand out like some sort of nut either.
And don't forget to SMILE. I like people who smile. Don't take yourself TOO seriously.
Oh, and good luck!