Are you hoping to find a successful career in the field of technology? Are you considering the idea of a graduate degree to help get you there? These three Bentley graduates were once in the same position.

Now that they have their degrees and are enjoying successful careers, they’ve decided to share how they landed the job of their dreams, as well as some things they learned along the way.

Tatyana, Human Factors Engineer

Tatyana O Budantsev

MBA, MSHFID, May 2013

Human Factors Engineer, Ximedica

I received an email from my advisor, Lucy Amello, in the beginning of March asking if she could forward my resume to a company who was looking for someone with my background. I told her she certainly could, and before I knew it, Aiden from Ximedica contacted me saying he was interested in meeting me. He stated that he wanted me to meet two other people from the team, as well and that he would let me know when they wanted me to come in.

I went in for my interview that Tuesday. I was expecting it to be a one-hour first round interview, but it turned into a three-hour interview, during which I met my future boss, two other senior researchers from the team, and the human resources director and got a tour of the office.

By the end of the interview, Aiden looked at me and said, “Do you want a job?” I told him, “Of course!” (After all, that was the reason I was sitting in front of him!) He was very forward and said that they wanted me on the team and all that was left was to negotiate a contract.

The next day I sent everyone I met an email letting them know how much I appreciated meeting them. The director of human resources contacted me saying she wanted to speak with me on that Thursday morning, so we did, and she told me more about the company. Later that evening, I received a PDF of my official offer letter, which I signed and emailed back the following Monday. 

Tatyana’s Advice

You never know where your job will come from or how an interview will play out. Always make connections wherever you can and be prepared for anything to happen. Some interviews will go surprisingly well and others won’t.

I think it’s important to keep trying, and at the end of the day, go with your “gut” feeling.  I said yes very quickly to this offer, even though I was in the final stages of interviewing at another very attractive company. I just knew that Ximedica was the place I wanted to be because of the people I met and talked to. Beyond getting a job, your number one goal should be enjoying the work you do and the people you work with.

Margaret, IT Consultant

Margaret Kudzotsa

MBA, MSIT, May 2013

IT Consultant, Hitachi Consulting

I first came into contact with Hitachi Consulting at the 2012 Fall Career Fair where I talked to the Senior Manager at their booth. I asked questions about what being a consultant involved and about the company itself.

When the job came up on BentleyLink, I applied and got through the first round of interviews. I was invited to the second round of interviews at the company's offices in Waltham, which I was very nervous for. The interview was to last the entire day with lunch, a case study, and individual and group interviews.

Lucy Amello, my Career Services advisor was a great help and mentor. She not only advised and coached me, but also connected me with Bentley Alumni working at Hitachi. The interview sessions on BentleyLink also helped me practice my interview skills. Even though I hadn’t considered consulting before, I thought it was a great opportunity for me to work with diverse companies and in different industries. So, I decided to accept the job offer!

Margaret’s Advice

Be open-minded to different opportunities that you might not have thought of or considered, and try to find out what each job and company is about. You might be surprised!

Ecaterina, Industry Marketing Intern

Ecaterina Captari

MSMA, Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics, December 2013

Industry Marketing Intern, Autodesk

I found out about my Autodesk internship from Jessica Brill, the former president of Bentley’s Graduate Marketing Organization (GMO). Jessica had completed her internship at Autodesk the summer before and brought up the internship in conversation a couple times throughout the spring semester. I didn’t seriously consider the position until Insider Insights, an event organized by GMO where former Bentley marketing interns, including Jessica, shared their internship stories with first-year students.

Having taken classes with Jessica and having worked with her in GMO and the Center for Marketing Technology, I knew that she had a pretty good gauge of my skills and drive. Hence, when I decided to apply for the position, I asked Jessica to recommend me. I then went through phone interviews with my recruiting manager and his manager, as well as Autodesk’s University Relations representative.

My internship was a great learning experience!

Ecaterina’s Advice

I was originally looking for marketing research analyst internship positions. Since I knew that Jessica’s internship was focused on social media, I was at first reluctant to apply for this internship, even though I had completed a social media internship in the past. It turned out that this year’s project was very different, focusing on researching the social media behavior of a specific Autodesk industry. I employed primary and secondary research to understand customers, which is exactly what I want to build a career in.

The lesson here is, focus is good, but you’ve got to stay open to possibilities that may not look like the perfect match in the beginning. Sometimes these either turn out to be exactly what you’re looking for or they get you interested in things you’ve never before considered doing.

Take Their Advice

Out of these stories, there seems to be a resounding message: Be open-minded and willing to take a risk or try something new. You never know where the job of your dreams is waiting, and you might be surprised at how you get there. For these women, a graduate degree was a step in the right direction.

Is it time to get your graduate degree?