Identity-Based Resources

The Engineering Office of Career Development and Corporate Relations is committed to supporting students from all backgrounds in our career coaching, programming, and approach to cultivating employer partnerships. We seek to reinforce a sense of belonging for all students in Auburn Engineering and offer a place of welcome, support, and empowerment as you design your career.

Awareness, Attitudes, & Advocacy

As you pursue opportunities based on your interests and motivations, keep in mind that an ability to demonstrate awareness, attitudes, and skills to engage and include people from different local and global cultures is considered a career readiness competency for employers that value and likewise reflect within their company policies and practices.

Before applying

Examine the company’s recruiting practices.

• Participate in employer information sessions, career fairs, and other campus recruiting events where you can talk with a company recruiter. Ask questions such as
  • Can you tell me about your company’s current hiring initiatives?
  • Are there any initiatives currently in place to diversify the company’s workforce?
• Talk to current staff at the company and get their perspective. You can reach out to professionals and learn from their experience by conducting an informational interview.
• Search the sources below including professional associations and job boards to find resources, networking opportunities, and special programs. You’ll find programs such as
  • Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s LOFT SOURCE program
  • INROADS Internships
  • AAAS Entry Point!
• Access company-specific websites and search for the Careers and/or Diversity and Inclusion section of the website. Unique programs for specific hiring initiatives can often be found in these sections. Examples:
  • Accenture Student Empowerment Program
  • Department of Energy Minority Student Partnership Program
  • Federal Diversity Internship Program
  • NASCAR Diversity Internship Program

During the interview

Learn about the company culture and find out if there are employee programs in place to help foster an equitable and inclusive culture.

Sample Questions

• What are your most important values as a company?
• In what ways does this company support a diverse workforce?
• Is there an employee interest group for staff with my shared identity?
• What percentage of employees make up that identity group?
• What percentage of employees in this identity group are executives and managers?
• What groups do you consider underrepresented, and how is the leadership team taking steps to hire and empower people who fit that category?
• Do your employees participate in diversity training, such as unconscious bias or cultural competency training?
• Do you allow job candidates to tour the office or facility prior to accepting a job offer?

After getting an offer

Investigate where and with whom the company does business. Review the company’s anti-discrimination policies and research the company’s compliance with federal laws.  Evaluate the benefits package. Look for components such as:

• Compliance with Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity employment
• Childcare resources and dependent care benefits
• Parental leave benefits
• Employee health and wellness benefits
• Pay equity standards
• Retirement plans
• Flexible spending accounts
• Health savings accounts
• Learn more about components of a job offer

Look for and Listen to Inclusive Employers

1. Participate in employer information sessions, career fairs, and campus recruiting to learn about company culture and employer practices.
2. Check out the articles and websites below for tips on how to conduct your research, questions to ask, and to identify companies that have been recognized for their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Looking for an Inclusive Employer? Ask These 9 Questions During Your Interview
• How to Tell If a Company Actually Cares About Diversity and Inclusion According to Ellen Pao
• 12 Ways to See if a Company is Actually Inclusive
• Corporate Equality Index

3. The Engineering CDCR hosts employer panels on topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion each semester. Participation in these panels is a great way to

• Learn about company approaches to establishing inclusion and belonging
• Learn from alumni and other professionals about how they respond to discrimination, bias, or lack of inclusion in the workplace
• Connect with other students, alumni, and professionals about meaningful topics that impact your professional future

Past employer panels include:

• Inclusivity in the Office, on the Jobsite, in the Field
• How Did I Get the Job? Decoding Hiring Practices
• Self-Advocacy at Work: Strategies for Navigating Sticky Situations
• Breaking Down Buzzwords
• How do I Ask About ____? Candid Conversations with Industry Leaders
• Design for Humanity Challenge

How Career Coaches Can Help

Engineering Career Coaches can help you find opportunities to explore careers, connect with professionals, and consider ways that will help you assess if a company is right for you.

For example, a Career Coach can help you navigate questions such as:

• Do I share my identity in the application process?
• How can I access mentors in career fields of interest to me?
• Are there particular employment opportunities and internships accessible to students with my specific identity or background?

Resources, Empowerment, & Support

We have included specialized career information below to assist students in their career development and shed light on relevant topics based on identity group. If you identify with a group not listed here and are seeking career resources, please contact the Office of Career Development and Corporate Relations at engcdcr@auburn.edu.