Internships, Certifications, and Skills: Setting the Groundwork for Your First Position in Industry Kristopher Nelson, Manager U.S. Bank April 16 th, 2004

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Overview Introduction / Background Why Cover These Topics? Internships Certifications Skills Advanced Degrees & Industry Q&A

April 16th and 17th, 2004 My Background / Current Role Education Experience My Current Role ITIL – IT Infrastructure Library Set of processes covering core IT operational functions like incident, release, change, capacity, etc Why do I like IT management?

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Why Cover These Topics? The combination of these areas, along with your degree, can give you a leg-up on the competition! May spur discussion into other topics of interest They are often controversial Jobs are tight IT workers must be well-rounded -- especially in today’s economy I want to give you the opinions of a line manager

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Internships – Why? Why seek an internship? Experience is #1 - It will quickly trump your degree in importance and focus by hiring managers An opportunity to see how the IT trade is practiced Work to hire / industry contacts Will it matter if I am going to graduate school? Good for admissions, well-rounded candidate Helpful to narrow your graduate focus Might change your mind...

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Internships – Move Around! Move around and experience as much as you can! You only have 3-6 months If you obtained a programming internship, see if you can spend your last week shadowing a network engineer Ask for extra work, volunteer Tell your interviewer what was good AND bad about your internship “Treat the internship as a long-term job interview.”

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Internships – Take charge! Career Center Directly to companies and industries of interest Friends and relatives Leverage your professors and instructors In the end, searching for an internship is your job – take charge!

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Certifications Why certify? Industry recognition, moves us all toward the definition of a profession (like law, medicine, accounting) Contacts, networking Proves a base level of understanding to prospective employers Shows commitment – especially if done on your own time and with your own money Can open doors

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Certifications – Risks Why are many skeptical of certification? Can tie you to a specific vendor How valuable is my CNE now? Certification without experience is bad Certain people can pass any test – but couldn’t configure a server to save their life Often used, especially in the late 90’s, for non- IT people to get into IT

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Certifications – Bottom Line Get a certification if... You have a strong desire to enter a certain IT area You want to change directions within IT Other areas of your resume are weaker Certification is another tool in your kit, not the only tool!

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Skills Skill*: the ability to use one's knowledge effectively and readily in execution or performance. If you have good background in languages, systems, or projects – list them! Employers would rather not train you if they don’t have to When interviewing, discuss tough problems you have solved in the languages you know: “ I have done a good deal of network programming in Java, including developing a full-featured client” *Merriam Webster’s Online (

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Skills But remember … The key factor to a potential employer is that you have the ability to learn and pick up new skills Showing flexibility and being able to change is what will be needed now and into the future Consulting companies hire in this fashion If you are having trouble obtaining skills, try volunteering or helping a local business at no charge

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Advanced Degrees & Industry If your career direction points you toward industry, an advanced degree can be very beneficial How important is an advanced degree in industry? If you need depth in a specific discipline (graphics, AI, security) If you are focused on development and cutting edge technologies, and desire to work in a lab environment If you want to manage IT In most companies, execution and delivery are the key, regardless of degrees and certification

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Advanced Degrees & Industry When should I get the degree? Right after undergraduate: easiest to keep the momentum going, lack of experience may hurt you in obtaining first position While working full-time: employer may help pay for the degree, easier to apply learnings against current projects Between employers: good time to refocus, might be impossible due to lost wages or family obligations Financial factors play a key role in these decisions Lost wages, lost promotions, lost raises can all take years to recoup – assuming your salary increases due to your new degree! Ask as you interview if the employer has a tuition reimbursement plan!

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Summary Skills, certification, and internships can help give you a solid foundation for obtaining your first position in industry. First Position in Industry Undergrad Degree Undergrad Degree Internships Skills Certifications … Others

April 16th and 17th, 2004 Q&A - or -