The following alumni are examples of recent graduates from Iowa State who are now succeeding in a variety of fields in the “real world.” They reveal what they did at Iowa State to help them land jobs and offer advice on how to impress employers.

Name: Trisha Barntsen

Graduated: May 2007

Major: Marketing

Current job title: Assistant analyst

Company: Securian Financial Group

Location: St. Paul, Minn.

Activities at Iowa State: Gamma Phi Beta sorority, Salt Company, Dance Marathon, SOISU matinee coordinator, Blood Drive

What she did at Iowa State that helped her to land this job:

All the activities she was involved with and doing well in school helped her get the job.

“Being involved in leadership positions and different organizations on campus helped me get a job after graduation. It’s important to have leadership experience as well as examples when interviewing.”

Name: Katie Farrell

Graduated: May 2007

Major: Mechanical engineering

Current job title: Engineering leadership development program associate

Company: Lockheed Martin

Location: Eagan, Minn.

Activities at Iowa State: Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, Dance Marathon, Tau Beta Pi, Engineering Leadership Program mentor

What she did at Iowa State to help her land this job:

“I always tried to involve myself in a variety of activities and step outside my comfort zone whenever possible in order to gain experiences that would make me stand out. I took every opportunity to take on different roles in diverse groups of people because when employers are looking at candidates, they want to know that potential employees can work well with others. I also found it to be very important to be proactive when it came to contacting individuals I had met from companies I wanted to work for. Let them know you’re interested in the company, give them an idea of what you’re ultimately looking for, and if you’ve made a good impression on them, they’ll help you get the job you want.”

Name: Chris Miller

Graduated: May 2006

Major: Agricultural business

Current job title: Loan officer/Branch manager

Company: Northeast Security Bank

Location: Fredricksburg

Activities at Iowa State: Ag Business Club, Dairy Science Club, intramurals

What he did at Iowa State to help him land the job:

“What helped me was the Agricultural Business Office and the Iowa State Career Services and my past job experience during college.”