I Got Hired: Graduate Control Systems Engineer

Posted on: 4 July 2023 by Samantha Riella in Graduate stories

Richard Szyszko is a Bachelor of Engineering graduate now working as a Graduate Control Systems Engineer at Northrop Grumman.

How did you get to where you are now?

I heard about the position from a friend who works in the Aviation Industry and suggested to apply for defence companies. I originally applied to be a Cyber Security Analyst but after realising that an analyst position would be a repetitive role with no chances of progression, I decided to revert back to the industry of my degree.

What has been your best experience as part of your role?

Two weeks training with the other graduates on the course. Staying in a hotel with the other graduates, who all come from similar backgrounds as I am, and the non-formal but at the same time formal conversations that we have together when at the office.

What has been the most challenging part of your graduate journey?   

Applying for positions was the most challenging part of the graduate journey. Not being sure if a job is suitable to what I wanted to do was a big worry of mine, and whether the company would want to employ me over other applicants. Making sure my CV was well written, and looked interesting to potential employers was a difficult task, but using LaTeX solved this issue.

What are your top tips for other students and graduates?   

• Out of 100 applications, I only received 15 replies, to which I only received two interview offers. Create a professional and eye-opening CV for potential employers - make it interesting to look at and not just lines of text.
• Networking is always important - the more connections you have the more opportunities you’ll be able to receive.
• Always prepare for interviews and prepare for questions relevant to the company itself and its ideals - you will want to seem as the ideal candidate so be careful for unexpected questions during interviews.