BOEING

Established by William Boeing in 1910 in a hangar next to Lake Union, Boeing has become a company nearly synonymous with the Pacific Northwest. Whether you hope to remain local or travel internationally, Boeing could be a good start. Although the company moved its headquarters to Chicago in 2001, it retains a strong presence in the Seattle area.

Tammy Shilipetar, a college recruiter for Boeing, said the company “places a significant emphasis on having a diverse, engaged and involved workforce.”

“Diversity gives us a competitive advantage,” she said, adding that those with different skills and experiences help the business fulfill its needs.

Boeing is a homegrown company that is nevertheless international in thinking and scope. It employs nearly 160,000 people in 49 states and 70 countries, with customers in more than 90 countries.

When hiring, the company looks for forward thinkers who seek to do their jobs with the “speed, agility and creativity” necessary to work in the global business environment, Shilipetar said.

Students interested in applying can use Boeing’s online system, which receives hundreds of applicants when jobs become available. The online system automatically filters applications according to key words used in the job description. To successfully apply to any company that uses an online system, look carefully at the job description and use those same words in your résumé, Shilipetar said. Also, be sure you are applying for a job for which you are qualified.

“Not meeting the basic qualifications of the posting would be the main reason [for an applicant to be rejected],” Shilipetar said.

Apply to as many openings as might be a fit for your background and skills. With the online system, it is easy to apply to multiple jobs once your résumé has been submitted.

Once you apply, don’t forget to stay on top of job listings.

“Keeping abreast of these openings provides you the best opportunity to find a position that’s a great fit for you,” Shilipetar said.

If you follow Shilipetar’s advice, you might get an interview.

“Be prepared,” she said. “Practicing and sharpening your interview technique is the best thing to do.”

Boeing’s interview process is based on behavioral questions such as, “Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision.” Practice interview questions can be found online, but it’s up to you to sift through your experiences to find those that are the most applicable.

Vic Snyder, a senior career counselor at the UW Career Center in Mary Gates Hall, suggests practicing interviews out loud at least three times.

“There is a difference between thinking what you want to say and voicing it,” he said.

The Career Center offers mock interviews for students’ benefit and will also videotape the sessions to point out criticisms. Free workshops about résumés and salary negotiation are also offered.

Boeing hires graduates from universities throughout the world. However, the UW enjoys a close relationship to the company, partly due to the large contingent of UW alumni who work there.

“Our partnership with the UW through recruiting, research and continuing education for Boeing employees continues to be one of the strongest relationships we maintain,” Shilipetar said.

Boeing hires 50 to 100 interns from the UW every summer. Many work in the Seattle area, while some travel to Southern California, St. Louis or other Boeing locations.

REI

Founded by Lloyd and Mary Anderson in 1938, Recreational Equipment Inc., or REI, has become a prominent feature of the Puget Sound. A leading provider of outdoor recreation products, REI is headquartered in Seattle and has more than 90 additional stores throughout the country.

“The heart of our business is the outside environment,” said Jason Orr, assistant store manager at REI in Redmond. “Most of the jobs at REI are going to be sales specialist jobs, which involve learning about products.”

The core values of the company are authenticity, quality, service, respect, integrity and balance, according to its Web site. From hiking to snowshoeing gear, REI provides outdoor amenities for everyone from the sports enthusiast to the seasonal skier.

Like most businesses, REI looks for applicants who can uphold their work ethic to the company’s standards. Orr said he expects new hires to have a dedication to service, including serving employees and managers within the company.

“[The applicant] should have a commitment to serve the community,” he said. “They should have the ability to serve people by creating a welcome environment and providing a positive, solid place for them to be.”

This is in line with the company’s mission to cater to each individual customer’s needs. An integral aspect to working at REI is the opportunity to connect with customers on an outdoor level.

“A new employee should look at the product, but should also take a look and focus on the customer first,” Orr said. “Most customers want to have fun.”

Orr started working part time in retail as a salesperson 13 years ago when he was an undergraduate at UW Bothell. While there, he worked in a rigorous, team-based environment and developed a foundation of business fundamentals.

“It was very hard to coordinate schedules, and that really prepared me to work collaboratively,” he said.

He also built strong relationships with faculty who personally cared and invested time in his development.

“They challenged me in ways I’ve never been challenged before, and I am still in contact with many of them,” Orr said.

The hard work paid off; by the time Orr graduated, he already had 10 years of work experience under his belt. He stayed with REI because of the team-oriented and customer-centered work atmosphere.

Since jobs are relatively competitive at REI, Orr advises applicants not to be discouraged if rejected from a position. He said an applicant can be hired based on an unknown element of “fit” — a certain team dynamic may already be in place, and what an applicant brings to the table may determine how that person can perform as a member of a larger team.

“Sometimes it’s not a mistake someone made,” he said. “Don’t beat yourself up. It’s a process. Certain practice is good, like doing mock interviews.”

Don’t forget that the home of REI sits in the heart of outdoor exploration: the Pacific Northwest. But recreational interest doesn’t stop here.

“We care a lot about the Puget Sound region — this is where we’re based,” Orr said. “At the same time, there are people who haven’t heard about REI but need the products that we provide. “

Prospective hires should also be aware of where stores are located, match them to their individual time frames and be open to relocation.

While mountain-climbing devotees seem like typical REI matches, Orr said anyone can work at the company.

“Customers come to us because we have experienced hikers, elite hikers and beginners,” he said. “There’s a neat range, and we want many different kinds of employees. At the end of the day, we want to make sure our employees are passionate about customers and the outdoors.”

STARBUCKS

Some call it a morning pick-me-up, while others take pride in recognizing it as a piece of Seattle.

Employees will tell you it’s the espresso, the service and above all, the community.

Starbucks Coffee has been a part of the Seattle scene since 1971, when it opened its first store across from Pike Place Market. Since then, the company has expanded its store to more than 42 countries worldwide.

The success of the company has been attributed to many factors, but Starbucks partners make up an integral part of the welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re a student or a recent graduate, Starbucks can be a strong beginning toward a successful career.

“One of the things I look for [in an applicant] is someone who is a self-motivated, passionate and determined person,” said Nancy Richardson, manager of marketing integration at Starbucks Coffee International. “These basic attributes are typically not things you learn in a classroom.”

In addition to these abilities, prospective Starbucks employees should focus on developing additional individual skills.

“I think when you come out with a marketing or finance degree, most of your peers have a similar skill set,” Richardson said. “What separates you from other applicants are the other competencies.”

Richardson listed leadership, courage and dealing with ambiguity as core skills Starbucks requires in its candidates. The company is dynamic and entrepreneurial, which makes the ability to adapt to new situations crucial. In addition, going above and beyond your job description and moving onto new projects with short notice are important skills to keep in mind.

More specific abilities Richardson mentioned were presentation skills and working in teams.

“We present all the time,” Richardson said. “That’s such a vital skill. You might be working on a project for three months and those 10 minutes in front of senior leadership will determine what they think of you and whether your project will be approved or not.”

Another aspect that ties Starbucks to its consumers is global communication.

“It’s a challenge to deal with so many different groups of people,” Richardson said. “We want to have someone who can communicate using many methods of communication. We end up doing live Web meetings and conference calls, so it’s not always face-to-face. We work with 43 different markets, and our job is to support them.”

Though it’s always valuable to have multi-lingual partners, it is not a requirement, Richardson said. However, an employee does need to have an understanding of the global market. Understanding different cultures and ways of doing business in other countries can sometimes be more important than speaking a language, she said.

There are entry-level positions available for undergraduates and specialist or management opportunities for graduates. Internships are available for both undergraduate and graduate students.

“Many Starbucks partners begin their careers at the heart of the company: in a store,” Richardson said. “This way you have the operational experience to add to your résumé in addition to your degree. We are looking for people who are passionate about working at Starbucks and view the company as a place where they can learn, develop, grow and simply love what they do every day.”

MICROSOFT

From the buildings where students have class to the computers on which they type their essays, Microsoft is everywhere on the UW campus. The company also actively recruits UW students, and the first thing it looks for in a potential candidate is passion.

“Overall we’re really looking for smart candidates who are passionate about technology,” said Betsy Dimalanta, a college recruiter for Microsoft. “We make sure we’re hiring the best of best at the UW.”

Applicants should be enthusiastic about solving problems, whether it’s technical or on the business side, Dimalanta said.

A global outlook is also a plus. Microsoft and most other companies are looking for applicants who can flourish in the global environment that has become modern business.

“Our products go so far,” Dimalanta said, adding that applicants who can think globally about how a family in Europe or Africa can make the most of technology are assets to Microsoft.

The recruiting process is extremely competitive. But the best thing you can do is take the risk, no matter how few openings there are. The Microsoft recruiting team partners with students to find the right fit and Dimalanta encourages candidates to take the time to know their recruiters.

“It’s not only a one-time, come in and leave with an offer and you’re done’ deal,” she said.

Dimalanta encourages UW applicants to make the most of their local advantage.

“We are right across in the backyard of UW,” she said. “There are a lot of connections; you’re going to have a lot of professors who know people working at Microsoft.”

Applicants can even contact alumni who are Microsoft employees. Getting to know Microsoft on a deeper level is impressive to a recruiter, especially during an interview.

Personal networking is the best way to find a position that’s a good fit for you, said Vic Snyder, a senior career counselor at the UW Career Center.

“Networking is taking place more and more online. However, it can be beneficial to network face-to-face,” Snyder said. There are many student chapters of professional organizations that can connect students with alumni, and many clubs regularly invite employers to campus.

Knowing the company well and taking the time to do personal and hands-on research is an advantage, Dimalanta said.

Dressing appropriately is also a large part of being successful in an interview.

“Most tech companies dress pretty casual,” she said. “It goes back to knowing the company well. I recommend to wear slacks and a nice shirt because it’s pretty casual.”

Bringing extra copies of your résumé is also beneficial. Microsoft recruiters usually have copies, but bringing your own gives the impression that you are a prepared and forward-thinking individual.

“Take deep breaths,” Dimalanta said. “What I’ve seen as a recruiter is everyone gets nervous. I’ve seen candidates who let their nerves overwhelm their passion.”

Think about interviewing as a conversation with the top leaders in the industry who want to hear your ideas.

“We have no magic formula as in to do or what not to do,” she said. “We’re really looking for passionate people.”