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MI 250

Job resources

Different kinds of job fields and job titles where programming is relevant

I’ve put together a summary of jobs from HW#4 (SS25) which will give you some idea of the types of jobs your classmates are looking for, many of which are programming-focused or involve working closely with programmers, web technologies, data, software, etc.

Summaries from previous semesters: FS24, SS24

I’d recommend looking through these as a way to figure out what kinds of jobs titles to search for when you are job hunting.

Where to find jobs

A great place to start if you’re overwhelmed is the ComArtSci Career Center. The folks there can help you figure out what kinds of jobs to look for based on your degree and what you want to do, how to craft a resume or write a cover letter, etc.

Most in-person tech-focused jobs in Michigan are in the Detroit Metro area and Ann Arbor. There are also some in the Lansing area and some in Grand Rapids. Chicago also has a lot of tech jobs. There are also a ton of full time remote tech jobs out there, too.

General sources for finding job postings

Many of these systems have features that allow you to save specific searches and have new jobs matching those searches sent to you via email. I highly recommend using this feature if you’re actively searching for jobs. (Key tip: you can filter all the emails these sites send you into a “Jobs” folder so they don’t clutter your inbox.)

Local resources

Follow companies

Big tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Amazon all have their own job boards. Many smaller companies and organizations also post new jobs on their company websites. If there’s a particular company or organization you’d like to work for, keep tabs on their website or social media for job postings.

Companies also post jobs on LinkedIn a lot. It can be really helpful to look for jobs at specific companies on LinkedIn because then you can also search for employees of that company and see what kinds of job titles people there have and what kinds of work experience those people have. If you have MSU listed on your own LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn will also tell you if any MSU alums work at those companies - a lot of alums are open to being contacted through LinkedIn by current students who want to ask questions about the kind of work they do.

Job/career fairs

ComArtSci holds career fairs once a semester: keep an eye out for emails from them for the dates, or contact the career center to ask. MSU also has a general listing for MSU-hosted career fairs.

Some other local-ish career fairs:

How to find career fairs:

Tips for going to job/career fairs:

  • dress nicely - slacks / skirt / blouse / jacket / collared shirt / etc. Wear comfortable shoes, you’ll be standing the whole time. No jeans or t-shirts! Don’t have any nice clothes? Try the MSU Career Closet
  • print out copies of your resume - 10-15 copies - so you can hand them out
  • don’t expect to get a job or even an interview (but sometimes this can happen). Main reasons to go to a job fair: a) see what kinds of companies are there, b) see what kinds of people they’re looking for, c) get contact info for recruiters (e.g. LinkedIn)
  • look at the list of companies who will be there ahead of time and prioritize who you want to talk to first (especially important for really big fairs!)
  • have an elevator pitch: your name, major, year in school, what kind of position you’re looking for. Ask them to tell you what they’re looking for.