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Alright so lately I've been really apathetic towards school (junior in college). I was really sick of working retail jobs during breaks and the summer while feeling all of the information I was paying to learn rotting away in the back of my head.
I made it a huge point to go to my university's career fair this semester. I prepared two weeks in advance - revising my cover letter and resume, tailoring each cover letter towards each employer I planned to visit and researched all of the companies.
I guess it paid off. This week I was informed of an offer of an 8-month long software development co-op for IBM. I was also offered a summer internship for a technical specialist position at Lockheed Martin.
These are two companies I was banking on heavily. I went to an info session for IBM the day before the fair and talked to the presenters (because they actually did a really good presentation and I thanked them for it, etc) and was offered an interview on the spot for the next day! I got to bypass the huge line and walk right up to the booth and the presenters were like "this is the guy from yesterday I told you about! sign him up for an interview!" and it felt great.
Lockheed is one I did not expect to get to be honest...but I had 2 behavioral interviews with them at the "unclassified building" and they went well enough such that I was offered a summer internship. They also had Panera cater lunch for us, how badass is that?
I just feel so good right now after not doing so well on my midterms (I had two for each class - did well on the first round not so much on this round) and it was such a pick-me-up. Now I have more problems, but it is a good problem to have: which to pick?
Guess all of this education does really pay off. Keep your chins up dudes (girls too).
 
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Congratulations 
Where do you go to school, btw?
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ask them what project you will be working on and see what interests you and how much you will be learning. While salary as a co-op/intern is important, long term, what you will be learning while working there is more important so don't get hung up on a few dollars hourly difference between jobs.
IBM has a fairly well planned co-op program and likes to build relationships with their co-op candidates so that when they graduate, they will be able to get right in to working full time for IBM.
I have no experience with Lockheed so I won't comment.
PM me if you have any questions.
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United States12607 Posts
Higher education is like this. You spend years wading through classes, almost forgetting why you're there. "Will all this tuition ever pay off?" "Why am I still doing schoolwork at age 22?"
Then you get a fantastic job offer and all the work immediately seems worthwhile. Congrats Hizzo.
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Awesome! I am a Junior in High school and I was starting to think school was not worth the time. Thanks for your story, it really got me to thinking that "I" can do it.
P.S. My first two years of HS I had a 4.0 avg, but I am slumping atm. The classes are a bit difficult, and I was starting to get little worried. Thanks again.
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Nice work! Did you decide on which one to chose? Or can you do both?
Note: after doing an internship at these places it pretty much guarantees you a job there afterward uni if you want it, unless you screw something up royally.
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On November 11 2010 13:56 lixlix wrote:
ask them what project you will be working on and see what interests you and how much you will be learning. While salary as a co-op/intern is important, long term, what you will be learning while working there is more important so don't get hung up on a few dollars hourly difference between jobs.
IBM has a fairly well planned co-op program and likes to build relationships with their co-op candidates so that when they graduate, they will be able to get right in to working full time for IBM.
I have no experience with Lockheed so I won't comment.
PM me if you have any questions.
They said rational / agile development working with C++ and using their jazz server. I've really been neglecting salary for the most part as while they are both nice, I am treating this as a learning experience more than anything. I want to get out of it whatever I can and also make sure that what I'm doing (with respect to my degree) is right for me.
I've heard good things about both companies working with hires from the ground up and that it is not uncommon for interns and co-ops that perform well to be invited back and / or eventually hired for real (for real is for lack of better words in my head).
On November 11 2010 13:57 JWD wrote:
Higher education is like this. You spend years wading through classes, almost forgetting why you're there. "Will all this tuition ever pay off?" "Why am I still doing schoolwork at age 22?"
Then you get a fantastic job offer and all the work immediately seems worthwhile. Congrats Hizzo.
I won't lie, I treated this like many other things my parents have told me: Take it with a grain of salt and believe it when I see it. Well, I've now seen it so I guess the old folks were right (again, as usual).
On November 11 2010 13:57 Xyloid wrote:
Awesome! I am a Junior in High school and I was starting to think school was not worth the time. Thanks for your story, it really got me to thinking that "I" can do it.
P.S. My first two years of HS I had a 4.0 avg, but I am slumping atm. The classes are a bit difficult, and I was starting to get little worried. Thanks again.
Yeah I had that problem as well except I pulled a 3.5 (after digging myself out of a hole). I have that problem right now actually, after my freshman year I had a 3.8, after sophomore going into this year a 3.5 and I'm trying to keep it from going down any more lol. Hopefully we both get out of our slumps.
On November 11 2010 13:59 voss wrote:
Nice work! Did you decide on which one to chose? Or can you do both?
Note: after doing an internship at these places it pretty much guarantees you a job there afterward uni if you want it, unless you screw something up royally.
I've thought about it all day, and I will decide after I ask my Lockheed recruiter exactly what the position "Technical Specialist" entails even though I can't be told what the project is about because it is top-secret. I know more of what to expect from IBM and "Software Developer" seems like it's a pretty clear cut job title.
Lockheed definitely has the cool factor though. Security clearance, and new hires talking to us about programming badass stuff (missiles / jet systems)...it's nuts man. Unfortunately I cannot do both (IBM is 8 months starting january and Lockheed is the summer).
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my doctor friend is making like 12K+ a month and my other friend studyin computer shit in this school where grads have almost a guarantee spot at IBM or some shit makin good money and it made me open my eyes this past weekend dude... I feel so shitty for not going to school and Im 23... Im decided that I need to get back in fulltime dude... trust me .. ur in the right path and congratulations...
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On November 11 2010 14:07 InfeSteD wrote:
my doctor friend is making like 12K+ a month and my other friend studyin computer shit in this school where grads have almost a guarantee spot at IBM or some shit makin good money and it made me open my eyes this past weekend dude... I feel so shitty for not going to school and Im 23... Im decided that I need to get back in fulltime dude... trust me .. ur in the right path and congratulations...
If you're anything like me then if you can find the motivation you can do whatever you want. Hopefully you find the motivation to go back and do well and that everything works out for you dude.
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I personally would go with IBM.
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Mere words alone cannot express my jubilation over this thread.
edit:but they can try.
It feels like you go to school to get a degree. That job is the motivating force to all this shit we have to wade through. Good job getting that job OP.
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On November 11 2010 15:20 Cube wrote:
I personally would go with IBM.
Idk dude it's tough.
On November 11 2010 15:23 Hidden_MotiveS wrote:
Mere words alone cannot express my jubilation over this thread.
Me either, that's why I made it. Thanks for stopping in.
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On November 11 2010 13:57 JWD wrote:
Higher education is like this. You spend years wading through classes, almost forgetting why you're there. "Will all this tuition ever pay off?" "Why am I still doing schoolwork at age 22?"
Then you get a fantastic job offer and all the work immediately seems worthwhile. Congrats Hizzo.
That's what I fucking hate about school. I'm currently in that god damn phase. I'm a Junior right now as a Chemistry major and school hasn't done shit for me. According to most Labs around here, they are hiring technicians as long as you have 3 years of experience. I have 3 years of experience and I'm getting shot down everything. I just want a small job to get my career path going while I finish school, but that's not happening >_<. God damn I hope I finish soon.
Congrats though, OP! I'm happy for you. I just hope an opportunity like this comes along for me soon so I can finally put what I've learned to use. I love working in a lab, but hate studying for classes. If I can get a job in a lab where I can enjoy doing whatever (even if it's grunt work, I would love it!) then I would be so much more motivated.
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First of all, congrats!
To be fair, I've heard more than a few negative things about work at IBM (several of my friends are doing co-op there at the moment), though most of it is typical of any large corporation. It might also be specific to their campus here (Toronto), but I would take it with a grain of salt.
Make sure you get specifics of what you would be doing in that job. A friend of mine received the title of Software Developer at IBM (co-op) but ended up doing mundane testing or creating small little tools that fit into larger tools, and so on and so on (essentially soul-depriving work). Perhaps your experience will be better though, I certainly hope so. Can't say anything about Lockheed though.
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Yo, if you go with Lockheed, just know that they respect good work. If someone asks you to do something, do it and don't complain. You will stay where you are in the company if you pull the "thats not my job" line, never moving up. My father moved up rather high in that company and he attributes that attitude to his success.
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FFFFUUUU you're lucky, it's opportunities like these when you're in your last couple of semesters, the companies roll around and start talking to people in job fairs that make the HUGE difference between getting a half-decent job at a mid-sized outfit earning a bit above what a two-bit community college/diploma mill would, and getting that big-time entry-level offer that you'd have to grind ass while working in, but pays you twice as much.
I missed the boat, graduated early, and never got around to passing my resume around in those job fairs. Everyone else in my batch here in the Philippines did, and they're earning at least 1.5x I am; and have been working for the same amount of time in one outfit, while I've jumped twice over the last two years because of circumstances outside my control. So shit sucks right now, but I'm determined to jump two steps ahead of them again.
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On November 11 2010 14:07 InfeSteD wrote:
my doctor friend is making like 12K+ a month and my other friend studyin computer shit in this school where grads have almost a guarantee spot at IBM or some shit makin good money and it made me open my eyes this past weekend dude... I feel so shitty for not going to school and Im 23... Im decided that I need to get back in fulltime dude... trust me .. ur in the right path and congratulations...
my cousin worked for 5 years after highschool in some factory job delivering gym equipment.
yes hes made money but all his friends were graduating, becoming lawyers, getting into med school. one had an internship at some super fashion place.
so he basically said fuck it and did night classes to improve his grades and he's doing hotel management right now while working part time at his old workplace.
if you want it; you can go get it. it takes work but its as simple as that. my cousin proved it;
(i know it doesnt sound huge but i guess for the family it is since not a lot of the offspring in my generation chose the postsecondary education path)
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On November 11 2010 17:07 Joementum wrote:Show nested quote +On November 11 2010 13:57 JWD wrote:
Higher education is like this. You spend years wading through classes, almost forgetting why you're there. "Will all this tuition ever pay off?" "Why am I still doing schoolwork at age 22?"
Then you get a fantastic job offer and all the work immediately seems worthwhile. Congrats Hizzo. + Show Spoiler +That's what I fucking hate about school. I'm currently in that god damn phase. I'm a Junior right now as a Chemistry major and school hasn't done shit for me. According to most Labs around here, they are hiring technicians as long as you have 3 years of experience. I have 3 years of experience and I'm getting shot down everything. I just want a small job to get my career path going while I finish school, but that's not happening >_<. God damn I hope I finish soon. Congrats though, OP! I'm happy for you. I just hope an opportunity like this comes along for me soon so I can finally put what I've learned to use. I love working in a lab, but hate studying for classes. If I can get a job in a lab where I can enjoy doing whatever (even if it's grunt work, I would love it!) then I would be so much more motivated.
Thanks dude. That's unfortunate about your school, they don't have a career fair or anything of that nature?
On November 11 2010 17:18 fOrQQ wrote:
First of all, congrats!
To be fair, I've heard more than a few negative things about work at IBM (several of my friends are doing co-op there at the moment), though most of it is typical of any large corporation. It might also be specific to their campus here (Toronto), but I would take it with a grain of salt.
Make sure you get specifics of what you would be doing in that job. A friend of mine received the title of Software Developer at IBM (co-op) but ended up doing mundane testing or creating small little tools that fit into larger tools, and so on and so on (essentially soul-depriving work). Perhaps your experience will be better though, I certainly hope so. Can't say anything about Lockheed though.
It seems no one can say anything about Lockheed, due do the neuralization and all. But on a serious note, I figure that IBM will be more of a "normal" job than what I would be doing at Lockheed so the coolness factor is definitely very important to me, but on the other hand it's 8 months of experience at IBM versus ~3 months at Lockheed so that is also large consideration.
On November 11 2010 18:04 Apexplayer wrote:
Yo, if you go with Lockheed, just know that they respect good work. If someone asks you to do something, do it and don't complain. You will stay where you are in the company if you pull the "thats not my job" line, never moving up. My father moved up rather high in that company and he attributes that attitude to his success.
That's good to know. I currently work at Costco in the meat dept. (cutting meat, cleaning up the room at the end of the day) and I never complain about having to do anything, I never call in sick (I mean fake sick, if I was truly sick I don't think I should be around peoples' food), and I never come in late. I guess I could attribute that to mostly working with old guys and wanting to do all the work for them so that they don't stress themselves out or hurt themselves, but if it translates into one of these new jobs I think I'll be golden.
On November 11 2010 19:09 Ciryandor wrote:
FFFFUUUU you're lucky, it's opportunities like these when you're in your last couple of semesters, the companies roll around and start talking to people in job fairs that make the HUGE difference between getting a half-decent job at a mid-sized outfit earning a bit above what a two-bit community college/diploma mill would, and getting that big-time entry-level offer that you'd have to grind ass while working in, but pays you twice as much.
I missed the boat, graduated early, and never got around to passing my resume around in those job fairs. Everyone else in my batch here in the Philippines did, and they're earning at least 1.5x I am; and have been working for the same amount of time in one outfit, while I've jumped twice over the last two years because of circumstances outside my control. So shit sucks right now, but I'm determined to jump two steps ahead of them again.
At least you're aware of that. Just because you missed the boat now doesn't mean it will not dock again (at least that's what I want to say but I don't know shit about industry yet). I'd imagine that with good work ethic, references, lots of relevant work exp., and a good resume and cover-letter that you could likely get a position at one of the 'big ones'.
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It pays off if its a technical career. Lucky for you, you picked a good part of college. But most don't they get a business degree or hospitality and are left with a minimum wage job and in debt.
But your not them so great job.
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Too bad the requirement courses for engineering are so hard and extremely stressful. 
Well great job getting what all of us dream to achieve one day!
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On November 11 2010 23:05 grats wrote:
It pays off if its a technical career. Lucky for you, you picked a good part of college. But most don't they get a business degree or hospitality and are left with a minimum wage job and in debt.
But your not them so great job.
I've always been technical minded and interested in computers, so I've been destined for a tech field. I started off as Info Sci, and that just wasn't for me and went to Computer Engineering. I fucking hate circuits and would rather program so I got the hell out of that and went to Comp. Sci. and I'm rather happy here.
I guess I'm lucky that I have a natural interest in what I do, since computers will be around always.
On November 11 2010 23:32 Disregard wrote:Too bad the requirement courses for engineering are so hard and extremely stressful. Well great job getting what all of us dream to achieve one day!
It is stressful, but it's really rewarding at the same time. You can say yeah, I got through that shit, I'm a baller. Plus as much as I always say I hate my classes and shit, I would have it no other way - if I were doing something easy I'd probably want to die.
Thanks for all the kind words.
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Calgary25981 Posts
Congrats I don't have anything more to add than that.
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Lockheed aaaaall the way, no contest. Will look crazy good on your resume.
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Holy crap... jealous right now i hate you
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Congrats know how you felt -- was in your position a while ago. Do a good job and get the full-time offer! (or a good reference
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On November 12 2010 02:12 Thrill wrote:
Lockheed aaaaall the way, no contest. Will look crazy good on your resume.
I wish it were that easy. I am leaning towards IBM heavily right now because:
- I know I will be developing software
- Assuming training takes what, 4 weeks, I will effectively have 7ish months of real work experience versus 2-3ish with Lockheed.
- Doing the co-op for 8 months will give me next semester off (less burn out) and will generate enough gain such that I will only have to take loans out for 1 semester instead of my whole senior year.
- I know I will be programming in C++ and I feel that 7 months of industry C++ will teach me efficient coding, assimilation to standardization, and good coding practices.
- Location: Raleigh / Durham area near Duke and UNC
Lockheed
- Tech Specialist position was not able to be elaborated on so I'd have no idea what I would be doing.
- Top Secret security clearance
- Valley Forge / King of Prussia area (outside Philly)
- Has the potential to be very awesome and interesting but this is dwarfed by the sheer amount of experience difference.
The way I see it is that experience is golden (to someone with none: me). Both companies are very well known, large, accommodating, and (in my eyes) rather prestigious. Would I rather have less or more hands on experience on the job?
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Congrats! I was worried this would be a blog about how you couldn't find work after school.
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Too bad I'm not done with school, lol...soon....soooonn. Thanks^^
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You can always go IBM if you want to go there, but the TS-compartmentalized clearance you'll get from Lockheed if you ever do your work there OPENS a lot of classified-level jobs after you've proved yourself an asset to whoever hires you, even if you leave Lockheed in the future. Not to mention that people working on these kinds of projects generally like each other, so even if you leave, you'll end up having a good pool of positions other people would have no way of accessing.
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On November 12 2010 08:53 Ciryandor wrote:
You can always go IBM if you want to go there, but the TS-compartmentalized clearance you'll get from Lockheed if you ever do your work there OPENS a lot of classified-level jobs after you've proved yourself an asset to whoever hires you, even if you leave Lockheed in the future. Not to mention that people working on these kinds of projects generally like each other, so even if you leave, you'll end up having a good pool of positions other people would have no way of accessing.
I accepted IBM's offer. It's not like I cannot go to Lockheed in the future if IBM does not work out. And as cool as defense contracting is, there are plenty of other cool opportunities. I even have a cousins in Accenture and Raytheon that could possibly open up doors for me in the future by passing on my resume for me - you never know what's out there.
I couldn't go wrong either way and I feel IBM is the best for me after dwelling on the positives of each for the past three days.
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EPT
