Professional Development

The NC State Career Development Center holds weekly in-person Engineering Drop-In Hours on Centennial Campus every semester. Students can meet with a career counselor to have their documents reviewed, and quick career & job search questions answered. You can also sign up for one-on-one appointments. 

They also hold workshops regularly on topics such as resume writing, LinkedIn profiles, interview preparation, and job search strategies.

Engineering students can also find opportunities for jobs and internships at the following link: Engineering Jobs & Internships

PackPros is a FREE professional development and career readiness series led by Career Development Center Staff, Career Ambassadors, and leading employers from around the region. From LinkedIn to cover letters, we share our most useful job-seeking tips. Learn More.

Resume & Cover Letter Templates

Engineering Career Fair Prep Guide

Why You Should Attend

• Provides an opportunity to meet and interact with a large number of companies at one time

• Provides an opportunity to market your knowledge, skills, and abilities to a targeted group of employers

• You will be able to meet and talk to people who already work for the companies you are interested in

• Contacts as career fairs can serve as a starting point for you to develop relationships with companies

What Companies are Looking For

• Solid GPA

• Relevant work experience (co-op/internship)

• Strong communication skills

• Demonstrated leadership abilities

• Involvement in extracurricular activities

• Track record of achievement 

What to Expect

• Spend significant time at the event

• Pace yourself

• Distribute a large number of résumés

• Manage what you carry (typically career fairs don't allow book bags in)

Preparation Checklist

• Visit Career Services website & office

• Know your target companies

• Buy the proper attire

• Rehearse your introduction

• Create a polished résumé(s)

• Develop a plan for follow-up

Do Your Homework

• Know which companies are attending

• Know which companies are hiring your major

• Know which companies are not hiring your major

• Prepare for a career fair as if you were going to an interview

What to Wear

• Two-piece matched business suit

• Navy, black, or dark gray

• Pants or skirt acceptable for females

• Conservative blouse for females/conservative tie for males

• Comfortable shoes

Introduction

• Be proactive if the recruiter doesn't start the conversation

• Tell the recruiter your name, class, major, and type of position you're seeking

• Practice – but don't sound like you're reading a script

Follow-up

• Follow-up within 48 hours with recruiters from companies you are interested in

• Email or handwrite a thank-you note

• Customize your note to each recruiter, drawing on some memorable aspect of your conversation

• Ask a follow-up question

The FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) Exam is a national exam that tests core engineering fundamentals and is the first step toward becoming a licensed Professional Engineer (PE). Passing the FE earns you Engineer in Training (EIT) status and keeps the door open for careers in consulting, public-sector work, and regulated industries. Even for students unsure about licensure, taking the FE is valuable because it’s easiest while the material is fresh and provides long-term career flexibility.

NC State offers E 490: Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam Preparation, which equips students with study materials and resources to help them confidently prepare for the exam.

For registration and more information: click here.

Characteristics of a resume that gets results: 

• Professional in appearance

• Clear, concise, and well-organized

• One page preferred, two pages only if extensive work experience

• White or off-white paper 

• 10-12 pt. font size 

• Tailored for the organization or position 

• Career-related projects, skills, and interests

• Relevant paid and unpaid experiences 

• Demonstrated accomplishments 

• Involvement on campus or in the community

FAQs

• CONTACT INFORMATION:  Don’t forget to list a reliable email address and phone number, and include you’re your school address and permanent home address.  Some employers may need to contact you after you leave campus for a summer position.  Note:  if you don’t use your unity email address, make sure that your personal email address sounds professional (see electronic etiquette article, above) and have a professional message on your voicemail.

• What's the FASTEST way to improve a resume?  Remove everything that starts with "responsibilities included ..." and replace it with on-the-job ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 

• What's the FIRST STEP in writing a resume?  Decide on a job target (or "job objective") that can be stated in about 5 or 6 words. Anything beyond that is "fluff" and indicates lack of clarity and direction. 

• HOW FAR BACK should you go in your Work History?  Far enough; and not TOO far. Underclassmen college students can list high school work experience, but the high school items will probably drop off during college. 

• Don't include "Hobbies'' on a resume…UNLESS the activity is somehow relevant to your job objective. OR it clearly reveals a characteristic that supports your job objective. (A hobby of SkyDiving (adventure, courage) might seem relevant to some job objectives (Security Guard?) but not to others.) 

• What if you don't have any EXPERIENCE in the kind of work you want to do?  GET SOME! Find a place that will let you do some VOLUNTEER work right away. You only need a brief, concentrated period of volunteer training (for example, 1 day/week for a month) to have at least SOME experience to put on your resume.   Also, look at some of the volunteer work you've done in the past and see if any of THAT helps document some skills you'll need for your new job. 

• Students can make their resume look neater by listing seasonal jobs very simply.  Use something such as "Spring 2006" or "Summer 2006" rather than 6/06 to 9/06. (The word "Spring" can be in very tiny letters, say 8-point in size.) 

• What if your job title doesn't reflect your actual level of responsibility?  When you list it on the resume, either REPLACE it with a more appropriate job title (say "Office Manager" instead of "Administrative Assistant" if that's more realistic) OR use "their" job title AND your fairer one together "Administrative Assistant (Office Manager)". 

• What if you don't have your degree yet?  You can say "BS Degree in Chemical Engineering, expected date May, 2028." 

• What if you have several different job objectives you're working on at the same time?  Or you haven't narrowed it down yet to just one job target? Write a different resume for EACH different job target. A targeted resume is much, much stronger than a generic resume. 

• Want to impress an employer?  Fill your resume with "PAR" statements. PAR stands for Problem-Action-Results, in other words, first you state the problem that existed in your workplace, then you describe what YOU did about it, and finally you point out the beneficial results.

  • • Example: "Transformed a disorganized, inefficient warehouse into a smooth-running operation by totally redesigning the layout; this saved the company $250,000 in recovered stock."

• What if you never had any "real" paid mainstream jobs - just self-employment or odd jobs?  Give yourself credit, and create an accurate, fair job-title for yourself. For example, "A&S Hauling & Cleaning (self-employed)" or "Household Repairman--Self-employed," or "Child-Care--Self-employed." Be sure to add "Customer references available on request" and then be prepared to provide some very good references of people you worked for. 

What makes a Good Cover Letter?

Everyone who sends out a resume does! Even if the cover letter never "came up" in conversation or wasn't mentioned in an advertisement, it's expected that you will write one.   It is regarded as a sign of laziness (sorry about that) to send out a cover letter that is not tailored to the specific company. In the days before word processors, you could maybe get away with it. Not anymore. 

Yes, it adds to the wear and tear of looking for a job! But the good news is: the cover letter gives you another chance to emphasize what you have to contribute to the company or organization. Don't give the person screening the resumes a second to entertain the thought: "But how can this person help US?" Your cover letter will answer that question in your own words. Your resume will also answer that question but in a somewhat more rigid format.

What makes a Good Cover Letter?

1. No spelling or typing errors. Not even one.

2. Write it in your own words so that it sounds like you--not like something out of a book. Employers are looking for knowledge, enthusiasm, focus.

3. Show that you know something about the company and the industry. This is where your research comes in. Don't go overboard--just make it clear that you didn't pick this company out of the phone book. You know who they are, what they do and you have chosen them!

4. Use terms and phrases that are meaningful to the employer. (This is where your industry research and networking come in.) If you are applying for an advertised position, use the requirements in the ad and put them in BOLD type. For example: the ad says-- 

"2 years' experience processing magnetic media (cartridge, tape, disc); interface with benefit plan design, contracts and claims; and business background with strong analytical & technical skills--dBase, Excel, R&R, SQL." 

Make sure your cover letter contains each of these requirements and shows how you measure up.

What to Expect in a Typical On-Campus Interview

• Interviews are usually 30 minutes in length – arrive 10 minutes early so the interview can begin promptly.

• The interviewer will usually spend a few minutes at the beginning introducing himself/herself and giving some information about the company and job openings – it is fine for you to take notes.

• The interviewer will ask questions based on the student's resume – he/she will want to hear specific examples of behaviors from past experiences, not hypothetical or vague answers.

• Time will be left at the end for your questions – be sure to have specific questions about the job openings or location, etc. 

• If you want to highlight or point out something you've accomplished that didn't come out in the interview, mention it to the interviewer at the end if there is time.

• Ask for the interviewer's business card if he/she hasn't already given you one.

Do's and Don'ts

• Answer questions honestly, thoroughly, and sincerely – if you don't know the answer, indicate that.

• Do not try to tell the interviewer what you think he/she wants to hear.

• Don't be afraid to discuss your successes and most positive traits.

• Be careful about saying negative things about past experiences (e.g. insult a company that you interned with).

• Don't display a negative or arrogant attitude.

• Be polite, tactful, and sincere – eye contact is also important.

• Be neatly and appropriately dressed in professional business attire (conservative, not trendy).

• Do not be late unless there is an emergency!

How to Prepare Ahead of Time

• Confirm the date, time, and location for your interview.

• Review the company's website and any literature you've obtained – know the latest "news" about the company.

• Talk to any student on campus that has interned/co-oped with the company (Career Services or the co-op office can tell you).

• Generate quality questions to ask about the company based on what you've read and heard – don't just ask questions for the sake of asking them – make them count.

• Review your resume again to make sure everything is accurate and that you're prepared to answer any questions pertaining to it.

• If for any reason you must cancel or withdraw from an interview, contact the company and/or Career Services promptly – don't be a "no-show".

• If the company needs an employment application or other forms filled out before the interview, do this as soon as you receive them and submit them by the deadline.

• Find out whether you need to bring your transcripts to the interview (Career Services should be able to tell you).

• Even though the interviewer already has your resume, bring an extra copy to the interview just in case he/she needs another one.

Follow-up

• Email or write a "thank-you" note to the interviewer – email is perfectly acceptable.

• Provide the interviewer with updated contact information if it's changed since you last communicated with him/her.

• If you are receiving other offers/have deadlines and need to hear back from the company, contact the interviewer to get an updated status and explain your timeframe. 

• If you think of any questions that you forgot to ask during the interview, don't hesitate to email them to the interviewer!

Sample of Traditional Interview Questions 

• Tell me about yourself.

• What are your strengths and weaknesses? 

• Why did you apply for this job? this company?

• What jobs have you enjoyed the most? The least? Why? 

• What are your short-range and long-range goals? 

• Why did you choose your area of study? 

• Describe your working style. 

• What do you know about our company? 

• What qualifications do you have that make you think that you will be successful? 

• What academic subjects do you like the best? Least? 

Sample of Behavior Description Interview Questions

• Give me an example of a time when you did more than was required in your job. What was the result? 

• Describe the most stressful situation you have encountered. How did you handle it? What was the outcome? 

• How do you set priorities? 

• Describe a situation where you wished that you had behaved differently. What was the outcome? 

• We've all had to work with someone who was difficult. Tell me about the most difficult situation that you have experienced and how you handled it. What was the result?

• How do you define doing a good job? 

• Tell me about a time when you did not meet your own standards of performance. What did you do to change that? 

• Describe a position where you felt that you learned a lot. What advantage was that to you? How have you used those skills?

• Describe the ideal job for you. What tasks would be required? 

• Tell me about a situation that occurred as a result of a lack of communication. 

• Describe a situation where you had to change your work plan very quickly in order to accommodate a more urgent situation. How did you feel about that? 

• Do you find yourself taking charge of situations? How? 

Earning a Bachelor of Science in CBE offers graduates a wealth of exciting career opportunities across diverse industries. The interdisciplinary nature of an CBE education prepares individuals to work in roles that involve designing, developing, and optimizing materials that drive innovation and address societal needs. Here’s what you can expect:

Starting Salary: $75,000 - $100,00

A Few Examples of Top Hiring Companies of CBE Graduates: ExxonMobil, Eastman Chemical, P&G, Merck, Novo Nordisk, International Paper