海角社区 Engineers Highlight Their Communication Skills at Career Expo
February 14, 2014 | 海角社区 Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Outfitted in business attire, College of Engineering students fluttered from table to table in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center listening to industry representatives鈥� pitch about their engineering, science and technology businesses at the 海角社区 Career Expo on Feb. 11.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here to insure the folks know who we are and how we can be a mutual benefit,鈥� said Dave Reid, Cameron plant human relations specialist.
Reid, who is recruiting both interns and full-time employees, said he was particularly looking for students who offered more than just good grades.
鈥淲hen we look at people, we look at the whole person, not just the GPA,鈥� he said.
Many employers were searching for students with good communication and teamwork skills.
鈥淲hat I鈥檝e noticed is [海角社区 engineers] are hard working. They鈥檙e pretty good communicators, open and flexible. They have a good work ethic,鈥� said Reid.
Students were also aware of the importance of a great conversation.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about first impressions. It鈥檚 good practice with interviews,鈥� said Nathan Hitchcock, chemical engineering sophomore.
Toni Borel, biological and agricultural engineering graduate student, said she was excited to network and make connections.
鈥淵ou get to meet people face-to-face. It鈥檚 better than an online application,鈥� she said.
Borel also attended 海角社区 College of Engineering鈥檚 networking reception at Lod Cook Alumni Center the night before the Career Expo. Borel said she hoped the contacts she made Feb. 10 would give her an advantage over other applicants.
鈥淚 met people last night that I can talk to today and give them my resume,鈥� she said.
More informal than the Career Expo, the networking reception provided students one-on-one connections with employers before entering the arena of companies.
鈥淲e get to see the companies on a more personal level and get that connection before the Career Expo,鈥� said Giovoni King, electrical engineering senior.
King, a member of the 海角社区 Student Government Engineering College Council, was guiding corporate sponsors to their tables and encouraging students to speak to employers with confidence.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking for well-rounded students who can engage in conversation,鈥� said King.
Bryan Dugas, John Deere staff engineer, stated that students possessing 鈥渟oft skills鈥� stood out to him among the rest. He encouraged students to be 鈥渟elf-motivated鈥� and be experienced in verbalizing ideas to a team.
Kris Hickman, Crest Industries, LLC, director of recruitment and public relations, said the College spends more time developing those soft skills than other schools.
鈥淲e can always teach how to do a job if they have the basic skills. They have to have that personality and will to want to learn,鈥� said Hickman.
Dugas said John Deere prefers to recruit at 海角社区 because native Louisianans understand the culture at the Thibodaux site. He explained that many students from 海角社区 are familiar with farming and contribute positively to the Southern culture that exists at John Deere.
Having employees who have experienced Louisiana culture builds better teams, said Al Bailie, BASF employee relations manager.
鈥淭hey understand the culture here. It鈥檚 important that people [at BASF鈥檚 Geismar site] are from here. That goes to building strong teams,鈥� said Bailie. 鈥淎t the end of the day, it鈥檚 about partnership.鈥�
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For more on the 海角社区 Career Expo, visit /careercenter/events/expo.php.
Article and photos by Danielle Kelley, 海角社区 College of Engineering communications intern. For more information, contact Mimi LaValle, College of Engineering, mlavall@lsu.edu or (225) 578-5706.