News & Insights

Chet Joshi is one of Salas O’Brien’s dynamic recruiters dedicated to helping us find top talent. With over 15 years of HR and recruitment experience, we asked Chet to share his advice for students seeking an internship, co-op, or full-time role with Salas O’Brien.

What characteristics are you looking for in a new hire with Salas O’Brien?

I seek candidates that have a combination of relevant technical skills and strong interpersonal skills. Having the ability to integrate the two is key when working in a highly collaborative environment like Salas O’Brien.

Traits I keep an eye out for are:

• High emotional intelligence
• An interest in problem solving
• Curiosity with an eagerness to learn
• Adaptability
• Positivity
• A strong work ethic

How important is networking, and what tips do you have for students to effectively network with professionals in their field?

Networking is a crucial component of the job search process.

Students should actively network and build their professional circles even before graduating college. This can be done by attending career fairs or industry events, connecting with college alumni, and joining local professional organizations in their desired field. If in-person networking is not an option, students should create a LinkedIn account to connect with individuals in their desired profession.

Being proactive and getting acquainted with industry experts will help students open doors to new opportunities and land their dream job.

What’s the best advice you received early in your career?

The best advice I received starting out in my career was to act as a sponge, as in, learn everything you can to become the best you can be. Take on projects to expand your skillset, ask seasoned team members for mentorship, and take on passion projects when you have free time.

With that being said, it’s important to remember that learning is continuous, even for experts if they want to keep their expert title.

What is the one thing you recommend everyone do to bolster their LI profile?

This is so important that I’ll offer two things!:

• Keep an up-to-date and professional profile. Recruiters treat LinkedIn as a digital resume, so make sure your recent skills and experience are visible.
• Request professional recommendations or skill endorsements from previous faculty or supervisors. Building a track record of success strengthens your professional profile.

What is one piece of advice for a student attending their first career fair?

Career fairs are prime environments for students to find new internships or early career positions and build their professional network (remember networking is crucial)!

If I had to share one piece of advice for careers fair it would be—prepare. Show up to the fair prepared and ready to land an interview. To do this I recommend:

• Researching the companies attending your career fair and finding the ones that interest you; understand how your skills align with their needs.
• Creating a brief but well-rounded elevator pitch that highlights you and your accomplishments.
• Approaching every conversation with interest and enthusiasm.

What resources or tools do you recommend students use to stay updated on industry trends and job opportunities?

Now, more than ever, students have a world of tools at their fingertips to stay up-to-date on trends and opportunities. My advice to them is to take advantage of what’s most likely in their hands right now—a phone. Use the device to:

• Read industry publications and websites.
• Sign up for conferences and networking events.
• Find job openings by staying active on LinkedIn or other social media job boards, professional associations, and company career pages.

Want more tips?

If you’re looking for career fair tips or want to know how to structure an elevator pitch read, “Mastering career fairs: Top 10 tips for students.”