Preparing for Career Success for Computer Science Students and New Graduates

Abstract

In this colloquium talk, we will provide career guidance for Computer Science students who are graduating or have recently graduated and are seeking roles in the technology industry. We will cover how to identify opportunities for Computer Science graduates, how to network, current market trends, and possible pitfalls and challenges job seekers may encounter. We will also discuss the mechanics of preparing and executing a job search, provide suggestions and tips for developing interview skills, and offer advice on networking for career growth.

This talk will be given by Karen Donoghue, MS, a Tufts Computer Science graduate and Product Designer who has taught in the CS Department at Tufts. It will also include Craig Newell, a software architect (most recently at BenchSci in Toronto) and former Chief Architect for Mobile at VMware, who will discuss technical career ladder roles in North America. This talk may include others actively engaged in the technology industry's engineering, product, and design roles.

Speakers:

Karen Donoghue, MS MIT

Karen Donoghue is a Tufts Computer Science alum who has taught in the department, mentored students, and helped Tufts CS alums get pipelined and hired for internships and full-time positions. Karen is a consulting product designer for corporate clients and an Advisor on product design for early-stage startups through her company, HumanLogic. Karen has designed initial releases of products that have produced significant impact, including the UX for Resilient Systems, a startup acquired by IBM Security.

Karen also serves as an Advisor to startups including Turivius (Sao Paolo), and SecurityScorecard (NYC). Karen recently completed a multi-year advisory role at Aiberry (Seattle), a startup venture delivering a software solution for real-time mental health insights and monitoring. Karen also recently served a one-year appointment as an advisor to the Tufts University Department of Computer Science.

After earning a BS in Computer Science from Tufts University, Karen earned an MS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab. Karen is an inventor and author of two business books on user experience, the most recent of which is “Envision Product: User Experience for Founders.” (2021) co-written with Craig Newell.

Craig Newell

Craig Newell is a software architect - most recently at BenchSci in Toronto - and former Chief Architect for Mobile at VMware. Craig will discuss technical career ladder roles in North America.

This talk may also include others actively engaged in engineering, product, and design roles in the technology industry.