Attend the Career Fair, Insider Tips from Dr. Riedesel

photo courtesy of Career Services
photo courtesy of Career Services

The Fall Career Fair and You!



UNL's Fall Career Fair has arrived. The biggest day for computer science & computer engineering students is Thursday, September 26, but many companies will also be on campus Wednesday, September 25. The time is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the City Campus Union. My message to all my advisees is to check it out, even if you are just a freshman seeing programming for the first time. Get experience working the floor and visiting with the representatives BEFORE you are seriously looking. Sophomore year is not too early for many students to find significant internship opportunities.



Go to http://www.unl.edu/careers/fall-career-fair-days and look under "Student Information" for complete information. "2013 Participating Employers" takes you to a searchable database. The “Details” link will take you to a schedule of events, and other information regarding the fair. Check out the link to "Tips for the Career Fair" for guidelines on how to prepare and what to expect.



I go to the career fairs regularly, spending hours talking to the representatives, some of whom are former students of mine. My goal is to find out what their expansion plans may be, their needs for hiring permanent employees and arrangements for internships, the skill sets they are looking for, and more.



There are the usual big-name software corporations such as Microsoft, major specialized information technology companies including Cerner and Epic, and firmware/hardware companies like Garmin. In addition there are a host of excellent smaller companies right in the Lincoln/Omaha area.



For those with the inspiration and patience to look around among all the 200+ companies being represented at the Fall Career Fair, there will be some wonderful opportunities. Nearly all of the companies, regardless of the product, have computing needs. Some work is farmed out, some have other sites where it is done, some have it done locally. The challenge for each company is to draw the attention of students, and for students to hear their unique advantages.



Occasionally there is a substantial computing component that might easily be missed. For instance, a couple years ago I checked on John Deere, the tractor manufacturers. I had recently helped my brother calibrate a fancy device that utilized GPS and interfaced to his planter. Indeed, John Deere was looking for Computer Engineers to work on this technology. Union Pacific has massive computing needs in monitoring the entire rail system and scheduling just-in-time shipping with its clients.

Below is my list of must visit companies, which is based on past experiences and current promotions. But it may be wise to not neglect the gems I might have missed!



Questions? Come find me! I will gladly share whatever information I pick up.



Charles Riedesel

Chief Undergraduate Advisor

Computer Science & Engineering

259 Avery Hall

402 472-3486
chuckr@unl.edu




ACI Worldwide
Cargill*
Cerner* (W)
Deliveron Consulting Services
Design Data Corporation* **
DST Systems, Inc.
EF Johnson Technologies* **
Epic
First Data* (W)
Fiserv* ** (W)
Gallup* (W)
Garmin International Inc.*
Hayneedle Inc* ** (W)
Hudl* ** (W)
Humanex Ventures* ** (W)
Hyland Software* ** (W)
Interactive Information R&D i2RD**
John Deere
Microsoft Corporation*
NorthWind Technical Services, LLC
Peace Corps (W)
Pen-Link Ltd* ** (W)
Reinke Manufacturing Company Inc*
Sandhills Publishing* ** (W)
Software Technology Inc* **
Sogeti LLC
Solutionary
Tinker Air Force Base Science and Engineering
U.S. Department of State; Bureau of Diplomatic Security
Union Pacific Railroad*
University of Nebraska Computing Services Network* **
VMInnovations** (W)

FactSet Research Systems have a position open for a Software Engineer. They will only be present at the Fall Career Fair on Wednesday, September 25. For more details, please go to Husker Hire Link.

* denotes companies that have hired CSE students for internships or full-time positions

** denotes companies based in Lincoln

(W) denotes companies that will be present both Wednesday, September 25 and Thursday, September 26

More details at: http://go.unl.edu/vuvn