The Career Success Center’s #MySuccessIs campaign was created to engage College of Business students in order to help them to be successful academically and in seeking employment after graduating. Senior Business Information Systems student Parker Edwards is a perfect example of someone who made the most of his undergraduate experience, having landed some great internships while in school and receiving a job offer with a software company in Portland before even graduating. Check out Parker’s story and advice for future and current students below!
Parker Edwards, Business Information Systems
What are your post-graduation plans?
I’ll be working immediately after graduation as a technical project management intern at Jive Software in Portland.
I worked for three years with the College of Business in the IT department. This gave me a good inside look at what it takes to keep the College running. I also developed my technical skills and problem solving abilities through a bunch of projects that have had a direct impact on how staff, faculty and students use our technology.
I also worked last summer as an intern with Alaska Airlines. I worked in the Maintenance and Engineering division as a systems and process analyst. I got a lot of experience where I was able to put the material I’ve learned in class to practice to solve real problems. Some of the scripts and tools I wrote while I was there are still in use across the maintenance stations. During my internship, I also was able to take advantage of the employee flight benefits. I went on day trips to Honolulu, San Francisco, San Diego, and Barrow, Prudhoe Bay, and Anchorage, Alaska. I was also able to take a long weekend and go to Disneyland with my girlfriend.
What advice would you give current and future College of Business students about how to be successful in their program and in seeking a job?
Get as much experience as possible. All of my experience has built on itself and been instrumental in helping me find job opportunities after graduation. Getting a job on campus has also been extremely beneficial. It has allowed me to build a relationship with many professors and staff members at the College, and has given me many great networking opportunities.
I’d also say to be open to all kinds of companies in your internship search. I spent so much time looking at ‘tech’ companies that were very widely discussed within my major that I overlooked a lot of other great companies. Alaska was one of them, and without the Career Success Center helping me broaden my search, I probably wouldn’t have found that internship.
Did you utilize the services at the Career Success Center? How did they help you prepare to enter the job market?
I attended an informational session put on by the CSC for jobs and internships at Alaska Airlines. It was this session that I realized what a great opportunity an internship with Alaska would be, and I went through the process of perfecting my résumé, mock interviewing, and contacting the company representative, all because of the CSC.
I believe that my internship with Alaska has been one of the most important pieces of my work history and has allowed me to find many opportunities for employment after graduation. On top of that, I had one of the greatest summers of my life and made a lot of good friends as an intern. And this was a direct result of the work done by the CSC!
If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
I’d like to be able to fly like Superman.
How would you have used your superpower (or not used it) while getting your degree?
I don’t think being able to fly would have helped me much, but I definitely would have taken a bunch of trips to a more sunny place whenever the weather here got bad.
What is your favorite thing about Corvallis?
It is small enough that I feel safe as a student, with enough to do that I don’t ever feel too bored, but not big enough that I feel like just another ‘face in the crowd.’
What’s your favorite thing about OSU/OSU’s campus?
Although it isn’t currently finished, I love Austin Hall. I’ve been able to tour the inside and it is going to be the most beautiful building on campus. I think it inspires collaboration and creativity in a way we haven’t seen yet on campus.
If you knew you were leaving Corvallis for good, where do you go for your last meal here? What do you order?
Mongolian Grill, without a doubt. It is the BEST place in Corvallis, and the assortment of food you can get is amazing.
