How To Prepare ' for Life After College

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How To Prepare . for Life After
College

• Jeff Smith, TAC Houston
• Texas AM UniversityFebruary 21st, 2007

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Todays Objectives
Introduce Schneider Electric/TAC
Help define a great career
Hiring process
Positioning for a great career
Your Questions
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Who We Are
Schneider Electric
19 Billion US
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What We Do

• Energy Solutions
• specializes in performance contracting, which
  offers clients an efficient and effective means
  of improving buildings. We accomplish this by
  upgrading aging equipment, reducing maintenance
  expenses, lowering utility bills and improving
  building comfort all backed by a no-risk
  guarantee.
• Systems Integration
• provides turnkey solutions for new construction
  and retrofit projects, working directly with end
  users, property owners, facility managers,
  contractors and engineers. This division delivers
  efficient building solutions for HVAC, lighting,
  precision environments, and security and access
  control.
• Partner Sales
• markets our products through an independent
  distribution channel comprising systems
  integrators and control specialists who install
  our systems in end users buildings.

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What's Our Record
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Great CareersBegins with COPS

• Culture
• Opportunity
• Profitability
• Stability

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Culture is KeyWhere you spend your time

• Spend 45/50 hrs per week _at_ work
• Ethical/unethical
• Energizing
• Fun
• Demeaning or Coaching
• i.e. First Thursday

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OpportunityWhat Does the Future Have in Store

• Growing.Flat.Shrinking
• Ask about five years of revenue
• Ask recruiters what theyve been up to
• Promotions from within
• Retention numbers are key

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ProfitabilityFuel for the Engine

• Shareholders (SE) own the business
• Your performance is your product
• Poor performance
• Indirect impact on shareholders
• Limits growth position opportunity
• Stresses the culture
• Employees feel the pain
• Look for Sustained Profitable Growth

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StabilityAbility to Stay the Course

• Look for cyclical business patterns
• Unstable or gaps in work history is not good
• Easiest time to find a great job is now
• Companies line up to hire you
• After this, you will have to find them
• First job is similar to playing the market
• Do your homework
• Look for fit
• Match Reward to Comfort

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What Makes a CompanyDifferent?

• People
• Innovation
• Expanding Services
• Geographic Expansion
• Sales Success

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Our People Our ProductQuality

• Required Skill Base
• Hiring
• Development
• Placement
• Retention
• Management

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Investment in PeopleTraining Development

• Contract interpretation
• Conference training
• Presentations
• Bid Process
• Professionalism
• Sales pipeline management
• History of ESCOs
• Savings
• ECMs
• Sales process
• Mock projects
• SPIN selling
• PSS
• Sales ride-alongs

• HVAC application
• Lighting theory and application
• Engineering Principles
• Basic electricity
• Safety
• Hardware for HVAC and controls
• Open Systems
• People Skills
• Utility rates
• ISO Quality systems
• Installation field training
• Percent of completion accounting
• Time management
• Role plays

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The Hiring ProcessExcellence In Excellence Out

• Resume Sort
• On-campus interview
• Math, Mental and Profile testing
• Office visit scoring
• Follow-up contacts tracked
• GPA

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Positioning for a Career vs a JobInternships are
a Key

• A Career is a relationship
• An investment in your future
• Two way street give and receive
• Determine what you WANT to do
• Get to know each other
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Not test drive your new car?

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Thank you for your attention.

• Questions ?