Countless online articles can tell you how to create the best impression during a job interview. But as with engineering itself, there’s no substitute for trying out those theories in the real world.
On Friday, the CSULB College of Engineering Office of Professional Development & Internships hosted its annual mock interviews, giving 530 students the opportunity to practice their interview skills with representatives from 48 employers.
Sponsored by Southern California Edison, the event drew many of the region’s top employers, including the Aerospace Corp., Boeing, Disney, Griffith Construction, NAVAIR, Northrop Grumman, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Ron Roberts, a recruiter with Griffith, said he was impressed with the CSULB engineering students’ enthusiasm. “I love the idea that the college is doing this,” said Roberts, a Cal State Los Angeles graduate. “These students have a hunger to learn.”
For students, the interviews also presented an opportunity to learn more about potential employers. Chemical engineering major Jasper Kelly said he hadn’t realized the diverse opportunities offered by the U.S. Coast Guard. When asked whether he wanted to work for the agency, Kelly said, “Maybe now I will.”
Some students who participated are graduating this semester and ready to hit the job market.
Others have a little time to prepare. Julie Liner prepared for her practice interview with Southern California Edison, where she’d like to work. “Most of the questions were expected. They were behavioral questions,” she said.
Honors student Daniel Lee said he doesn’t worry about the behavioral questions, which attempt to gauge soft skills. As a computer science major, however, he must master the technical interview, which includes algorithms.