The career showcase involves activities to help students get a jump start on networking in the computing job market by introducing them to the culture of the computer science field. In the morning, students interact during small group sessions and panel discussions with the instructors and staff. The second half of the day is focused on networking with industry recruiters.
The showcases are held twice a year in Portland, Oregon, in June and December. A wide range of companies attends the events.
These are some of the companies who have participated in past conferences: Allion, Biotronik, Cambia Health Solutions, Coelo, Daimler, eBay, Elemental Technologies, Emerge Interactive, Garmin, Google, HP, IBM, Intel, iovation, ISITE Design, Jama Software, Jive Software, Mentor Graphics Corp., McAfee, NVoicePay, Pariveda Solutions, Puppet Labs, Rentrak, Resource Data, Inc., Slalom Consulting, Thomson Reuters, US Army Corps of Engineers, WebMD and Xerox.
Student Comments
“I really appreciated the opportunity to do the technical interview because it gave me the confidence that I could do it.”
— Wing Yee Leung, New York, New York
“I’m not from a tech-savvy part of the country and so it was great to get exposure to a lot of technical companies.”
— Emily Meeker, Jonesboro, Ark.
“I really appreciate the Career Showcase events because they give me a chance to interact with potential employers in a low-pressure environment and learn firsthand what kind of qualities they are seeking in potential new hires.”
— Bryon Burleigh, Philomath, Ore.
“I feel motivated, excited, and encouraged to see the graduates who have gotten jobs.”
— Sarah Thorup, Seattle, Wash.
"This was my first quarter in the program and I wasn't sure what a Career Showcase could do for me this early on. It gave my studies a clear direction. There was a cross-section of tech companies who, in one-on-one interviews, made it clear what they were looking for in potential hires. This is great for me because it gives my classes real purpose and motivation. Early, or even new to this program? GO!"
— Ray Foote, Seattle, Wash.
Overviews

Diversity
Two students talk about their experience at the Career Showcase.
Videos from Past Events

Panel Part 1 - Meet the Graduates
Alumni of the online CS program give students an industry perspective on getting interviews, code samples, resumes, cover letters, and other tips on getting a job.

Part 1: Meet the Graduates, Career Showcase Panel
Three graduates of the program talk at panel discussion at the Career Showcase. In Part 1 meet the graduates Vaughn Schmidt (Garmin), Joshua Urlaub (HP) and Justin Ihara (Micro Systems Engineering, Inc.).

Part 3 - Industry Perspective on Hiring
In Part 3 of the panel discussion at the Career Showcase, seven representatives from industry discuss issues related to hiring and answer questions from students.

Industry panel
A panel of industry representatives answer questions from students. Representatives from WebMD, McAfee, Intel, and eBay speak about seeking a development environment, balancing life and work, finding mentors, challenging yourself, staying flexible and caring about what you are doing.

Technical interviews
Two recent graduates spoke at the Career Showcase about their experiences with interviewing for their first technical job.
Keynote Speakers

Keynote Speech - Career Showcase
Paul McKenney, distinguished engineer at IBM Linux Technology Center, gives the keynote speech, "Education: A Foundation for your Career."

Mark Skarpness
Mark Skarpness, Director of Systems Engineering, Open Source Technology Center, Intel Corporation. Skarpness talks about his background in software at Intel and the development of Intel's Open Source Technology Center. He discusses the importance of open source, and gives tips on how to build an open source resume. Skarpness gives his views on how software engineering will grow in the future, and what skills will be valuable.