Blog Post: Recruiter’s Notebook: Ron Thomas

Name:

Job Title/Employer: Engineering Learning Champion/Raytheon

Year of Graduation: 1977; 1984; 1995

Degrees/Major: M.S.E.E. (1977), M.B.A. (1984), Ph.D., Systems Engineering (1995)

What kind of recruiting do you do for your company?

I am the ASU campus manager for Raytheon and coordinate the recruiting of new college graduates and interns.

Who is your company’s ideal recruiting candidate?

A candidate with a B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in engineering with a high GPA, internships with similar companies to Raytheon, and who demonstrates active leadership in student activities.

What strengths do Arizona State University graduates bring to the hiring table as job candidates? 

ASU graduates have the following strengths for Raytheon:

1. They have team experience

2. They have practical engineering skills

3. They have work experience with other companies through internships

4. They are attracted to Arizona and other Raytheon locations

What can current students or alumni do to improve their chances of finding work with (or though) your company?

Here are a few tips: Maintain a high GPA; participate in student organizations; take on leadership positions in student organizations; attend job fairs and recruiting events and get to know hiring managers; apply for internships at rayjobs.com; upload your resume to databases such as Jobing.com’s ASU portal or the ASU Career Services database; apply early in your senior year to rayjobs.com.

Any other job-hunting secrets you’d like to share?

Take advantage of any help offered through ASU Career Services, including their workshops on resume writing, practice interviewing and job searching.

Come to any recruiting event well prepared—dress, talk, and act like you want the job with the company you are interviewing. Follow up with the companies you are most interested in by sending thank you notes and letters of inquiry as to hiring status on positions you’ve applied for.