It’s the Viterbi Career Services Weekly Wire for April 27, 2005!

The VCS Weekly Wire is sent to students in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering to highlight career-related events and programs for engineers.

********************

VCS DROP-IN HOURS – for resume reviews and quick questions:

Mondays, 10am – noon, RTH 218

Wednesdays, 2pm – 4pm, RTH 218

********************

INTERVIEWTRAK RESUME DEADLINES

The following opportunities are listed in order by resume submission deadline. You have until 11:59pm the day of the deadline to submit; however, we recommend that you not wait until the last minute in case you run into any problems.

This list is compiled weekly in order to assist you in your search; it includes deadlines from today through next week. We recommend that you check InterviewTRAK regularly to view a comprehensive list of opportunities and to plan for those deadlines that are farther out than one week.

Deloitte & Touche LLP – Tax Mngt. Advisory Services Group Consultant: Seeking BS; CS, ISE; Graduating 12/04 – 08/05; US Citizenship or Permanent Residency required. Submit your resume through InterviewTrak by 04/29/05.

Accenture ASIA – Entry Level Analyst: Seeking BS, MS; ChE, CVL, CS, EE, ISE, ME; Graduating 05/05 – 08/05; Any work authorization. Submit your resume through InterviewTrak by 04/30/05.

Bearing Point – Intern: Seeking BS; EE, ISE, IOM; Graduating 12/05 – 08/06; US Citizenship or Permanent Residency required. Submit your resume through InterviewTrak by 04/30/05.

IT Strategists – Intern and Full-time: Developer / Tech Consultant: Seeking BS, MS; CS, CECS; Graduating 12/04 – 05/06; Any work authorization. Submit your resume through InterviewTrak by 04/30/05.

LA City Department of Building and Safety – Structural Engineering Associate: Seeking BS; CVL; Graduating 12/04 – 08/05; US Citizenship or Permanent Residency required. Submit your resume through InterviewTrak by 05/03/05.

Crane Pacific Valves – Desktop support / PC Tech Intern: Seeking BS, MS; CECS, CS; Graduating 12/05 – 12/07; Any work authorization. Submit your resume through InterviewTrak by 05/04/05.

********************

INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Summer Internship Opportunity at Geffen Records New Media Department
Want to work in the music industry? Are you interested in the internet? Want to work hands-on with artist's websites? No design skills required. Some Photoshop and Excel experience required. Excellent written English skills are a must. During this internship you will learn about online marketing, website management, online traffic reporting, audio and video encoding and much more. Compensation is for school credit only. You must be available to work in Santa Monica 2-3 days/16-24 hours a week. Many of our past interns have continued on for 2 semesters and we have referred them to paid jobs in the industry. This is a great opportunity don't pass it up. Check out our website at www.geffen.com for links to some of our artist’s sites. If you're interested please email your resume to .

NOAA Scholarship Program

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ernest F. Hollings (Hollings) scholarship program is designed (1) to increase undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education and foster multidisciplinary training opportunities; (2) to increase public understanding and support for stewardship of the ocean and atmosphere and improve environmental literacy; (3) to recruit and prepare students for public service careers with NOAA and other natural resource and science agencies at the Federal, state and local levels of government; and (4) to recruit and prepare students for careers as teachers and educators in oceanic and atmospheric science and to improve scientific and environmental education in the United States.

Up to $28,425 available per student; up to $8,000 of academic assistance per year for full-time study during the junior and senior years; a 10-week, paid ($650/week) internship during the intervening summer; housing subsidy during the internship; round-trip travel to the internship site; and travel expenses to the

Hollings scholarship program conference.

Eligibility Requirements:

• U.S. citizenship

• Full-time junior in Fall 2005 in an accredited college or university within the United States or U.S. Territories;

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) in all completed undergraduate courses and in the major field of study;

• Majoring in a discipline area related to oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, or education, and supportive of the purposes of NOAA's programs and mission, e.g., biological, life, and agricultural sciences; physical sciences; mathematics; engineering; computer and information sciences; social and behavioral sciences; and teacher education.

Application Deadline: May 23, 2005

For more information and application materials,visit: www.orau.gov/noaa/HollingsScholarship or contact:

ATTN: NOAA/Hollings Scholarship Oak Ridge Institute for

Science and Education P.O. Box 117, MS 36 Oak Ridge, Tennessee

37831-0117

(865) 576-3424

********************

TIP – What To Do Before You Accept A Job Offer, By Amy Boutell, WetFeet.com

There's nothing better than getting offered the job you want. But no matter how psyched you are to have an offer, you should always give yourself some time to think it over—preferably a day. Spend this time figuring out if the offer truly is right for you. The following guidelines are precautionary, but they'll prevent problems from happening down the line.

Get the Offer in Writing

The written offer should spell out the important terms of the job and your obligations to the company. Even if you've already had some time to think over an offer and you've assured the company that you'll accept it, you should still ask to see the offer in writing. Make sure the job title, salary, and benefits match or improve upon what you had in mind when you said you'd accept it. If it doesn't measure up, promptly send it back and let the company know what's amiss.

Know What You're Getting into

Be sure that you have a clear understanding of your job responsibilities. Again, you may be thinking "duh," but many people don't really know what is expected of them before they start working. We always think of the right questions to ask after the interview, so by all means ask them—before you make a serious commitment. Ask for a job description that spells out your responsibilities. This will help you understand the position and the expectations—and later on down the road, if you've exceeded the requirements for the position, it will give you some leverage with which to negotiate.

Make sure the description of the job appeals to you and serves your objectives—not just those of the company. It may be better to temp and hold out for something better than end up in a situation you eventually regret.

Like the People

You should try to meet the people you'll be working with day to day. You may get along swell with your manager-to-be, but what if the people on your level are intensely competitive, boring, or unfriendly? Would you be able to succeed at your ideal job in a less-than-ideal company? Get a sense not only of the individuals at the company but the office culture as a whole.

Find out the Hours

Many people accept a job without knowing what kind of time commitment it will involve. Ask the employees you meet—your interviewer—how many hours a week are standard. Is overtime paid for or included in your salary? In many positions, you'll be expected to work a 50-hour week—and you should know that in advance. Otherwise, both you and the company lose when you quit after a month of training.

Find out the Benefits and Consider the Perks

Find out when benefits begin, whether the company will reimburse you for doctor's visits before the insurance kicks in, and what the policy calls for. (Many plans don't cover dental or vision benefits.) Other benefits to find out about include profit sharing, life insurance, health club benefits, relocation expenses, and tuition reimbursement. If you have questions about benefits in general, consult Employee Benefit News or call 800-966-3976.

Also, if you're evaluating more than one offer and feel pretty much the same about all of them, you may want to ask what the company offers in the way of additional perks. For instance, does the company pay for dinner if you work late, pay for car service home, or count overtime hours toward extra time off?

Can You See Yourself in This Picture?

Imagine what your new life will look like at this new job—commute in the morning, the neighborhood you'll be working in, the clothes you'll have to wear. Are you excited about the job or are you simply resigning yourself to it for the time being? (Depending on your options and goals, the latter may be good enough.) In any case, you deserve to be excited about the package deal. Remember, you've already got the offer. The ball is in your court. Be gracious and polite while sizing up the opportunity, but don't walk on eggshells lest you get stuck in a rotten situation.

In evaluating job offers, take the time to make sure you're making the decision for reasons you're comfortable with—and taking the job that you want. Keep in mind that by being up front with yourself and your potential employer, you're saving both of you time and money down the road. The more clarity you have about the situation you're getting into, the more likely you'll love what you're doing and stick to the position you've taken.

********************

QUESTIONS?

Visit the Viterbi Career Services web site at http://viterbi.usc.edu/careers/ or contact Christopher Noll or Tisha Armatys in RTH 218.