Gator Motorsports Forum

Mike Braddock wrote:This thread is intended to provide feedback on each event we host or attend so next year's team can learn from our experience. After an event, one of the event organizers should post a short update here so it's all in one place. If other team members want to provide feedback as well, that's great. This will allow the team to analyze which events/methods of recruiting seem more effective than others. It will also allow the team to plan for the events better the following year. Please organize your replies like this:

Subject Heading: MAE recruitment

Event Description: Recruitment presentations in MAE courses

Event Date: First and second week of school

Event Location: We have been presenting in every section professors allow us to for:

• Statics
• MoM
• MoM Lab
• Dynamics
• Fluids
• Numerical Methods
• IEA
• SolidWorks
• Materials

We also tried targeting Thermo and Mechanical Design, but haven't been able to get a hold of the professors teaching those classes.

Note, when asking professors (in person!) for permission, some will allow you to speak in the beginning of class, others at the end.


Team Resources Needed: One or two team members per class, a flash drive equipped with a presentation as the one attached

Feedback: So far it seems to be going very well. We have had 20-30 kids in the shop on a daily basis this week, and are struggling to keep groups on the machines to four people. Multiple of these members have said the presentations were what convinced them to come in, so I would absolutely continue doing them in future semesters. An added bonus to doing this is that by showing off some of the technical stuff we do, it seems to be opening professors' eyes as to what the club is about. Some have made comments to us after presentations along the lines of "wow, that is very impressive work" and on my way out of the classes I have heard others go on tangents before starting class about how joining groups like these are one of the few ways to really develop your technical skills while at school.

As far as things to improve go, I would make sure to contact professors the week before school starts. We failed to do that this year, so started speaking on Wednesday. We want to try capturing these students on the first week before they have any homework commitments to keep them away. Some presentations also rolled into Friday (and now, Monday of week 2), which Sean presciently tried to avoid. Friday still gave a good turnout, but not to the degree that we had on Thursday, I don't think. We're also concerned that those kids who said "we'll stop by next week" after classes on Friday, ultimately won't.

I would also practice the presentation once or twice before the first one you give. During the first presentation I was pretty nervous, skipped some important details, and in general I didn't feel I was too convincing. The second presentation on the other hand went much better, and the more I present the more flawless they become.

I wouldn't bring anything else like fliers since you can't give them out too easily in a lecture hall. I would definitely include the contact information as we did in this presentation though. I have gotten multiple text messages and emails asking details like when we'll be at the shop, and of the kids I replied to, many ended up showing up. As far as other groups doing this, I think SAE so far is the only one, which is great. We're trying to target the intermediate-level engineering classes for now to try to get kids that already have their feet wet technically (whether it be with drafting, analytic knowledge, or machining). Next though, (if professors allow, which granted, may not happen considering drop-add about to end), we want to target the freshman classes like Chem, Physics, and Cal, as well as Electrical Engineering courses. Since business is done on video, we will likely be making a flier for them to forward to their students.

So as to not be a nuisance to professors, try to keep the presentation under three minutes.

Subject Heading: Industrial engineering recruitment

Event Description: Recruitment presentations in ISE courses

Event Date: First week of school

Event Location: We presented in the only section offered for Simulation. This is the course that teaches Industrials to use Arena

Team Resources Needed: One or two team members, a flash drive equipped with a presentation as the one attached

Feedback: The presentation seemed to go ok. There were three Industrials that seemed interested, but none has showed up to the shop yet. Two of them will be easy enough to contact because they were involved with BEC last year, but we'll see if we manage to get them to show up.

Unlike the MAE presentation which focused on all of the way that the students' classes could apply to what we do in SAE, I tried to appeal to the ISEs by explaining how we've begun falling off our placings in business (but remain top 10) because the loss of our team's ISE students, and how we need their help to climb back up. I explained that we want to keep an excellent placement in this event, because it is after all a points competition, and suffering in one single event can drag the entire year down. I also tried to pitch the club and business presentation as a great resume builder.

In retrospect, it would have been wise to familiarize myself better with the business presentation, and exactly what the ISEs do for it before presenting. Although I think it went ok, I don't think the presentation was nearly as effective as the one for MAE students.

For additional feedback, I would simply look at the feedback for the MAE presentations, much of the same information applies.

Event: General Body Meeting

Event Description: Recruitment by outlining the details of our FSAE program

Event Date: September 13, 2011

Event Location: MCCB G086 (will be discussed further down)

Team Resources Needed: All system leaders and executive board had to present in order to show leadership within the team, as well as powerpoint slide show.

Feedback: We had great turn out for the first time in a long time. MCCG G086 has a room capacity of 87 and there were people that could not find a seat. Registering for the room was a big problem, because I had a requested a room of size at least 100 and I got MCCB G086. Hopefully, this will not happen again with proper planning. Otherwise everything went very well, and the following event new student shop day (NSSD) was advertised during General Body Meeting.

Event: PSM, P&G, Ford, and Sikorsky Information Sessions

Event Description: These four companies contacted our team in order to provide information sessions to be hosted for the Formula SAE team and the general UF student body. These information sessions last about 45 minutes to an hour and demonstrate the advantages of working full time (or intern) with them.

Event Date:
PSM Info Session: September 27, 2011
P and G Info Session: September 27, 2011
Ford Info Session: September 27, 2011
Sikorsky Info Session: September 28, 2011

Event Location:
PSM = MAE-B Conference Room
P&G = LIT 0109
Ford = LIT 0109
Sikorsky = The Shop

Team Resources Required:

PSM:
The team did not any resources truly, except that PSM provided cupcakes which were very delicious. (and candy corn It was my first time trying candy corn. Not Bad)

P&G:
The team was requested to order pizza (from Five Stars) and P&G would cover the cost. In addition, soda and cups were needed as well.

Ford:
The team had left over pizza but they did not request anything except to register for the room.

Feedback:

So September 27, 2011 was a busy day.

The PSM info session was scheduled for September 27, 2011 at 5:00 PM. Usually, it is done in the shop, but because of the date and early time we were forced to find a location. This resulted in me registering for a small classroom. Then, we changed our minds about location and got the MAE-B conference room. Regardless of that little communication problem, the info session went great and the location was perfect. Definitely do the same for spring.

As soon as the PSM info session ended, P&G was up in LIT 0109. I actually stayed behind to speak with PSM for a bit, so got to LIT 0109 just in time. Something we should be careful of it not to over extend ourselves, especially distance wise. I cannot speak for how getting the food and drinks went because I did not have anything to do with that aspect, but they were there when I got there. Unfortunately, we forgot cups . Sean, kind man, saved us by getting cups and we could all now have something to drink. The info session went well and following after them, was Ford.

Ford came in, set up and began presenting. Here is where a problem arose. When I register for a room, (if you read my post about registering for rooms which I am sure everyone has) I make sure we don't conflict with anything. Going beyond the call of duty, I always personally make a note that once I get a room, I verify that we have not been double booked and that there are no tests that night. Well despite me checking, somehow a test was scheduled that day in that room at 8:20 PM.

I will say as an avid test taker I do not get to the exam at 8:19 PM, sit down and take it. I get there at about 7:50 PM, sit down and study up, talk to some friends, and begin praying. Well, surprise I am not the only one who does this and people who were NOT there for the Ford info session began showing up, sitting down and well getting ready to take their test. I have no idea how a test in that room did NOT show up when I checked. I plan to make it a mission to make sure registrar will next time provide me with a little email just so before hand I can make sure we are out of there as quickly as possible.

After Ford finished presenting, we had to hurry out so the TA's could begin setting up for the test, destroying any valuable networking time anybody had in mind. I will be sure this does not happen again.

The next day, Sikorsky was scheduled in the NPB 1101. Apparently, the career showcase people told Sikorsky that the technical day was Thursday, NOT Wednesday. This resulted them giving us the wrong date for the information session. So in the end they canceled the one in NPB 1101 and held one in the shop after Night with Industry hosted by our fellow Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

All in all, everything somehow worked with a few hiccups on the way.

Ideas and things for spring career showcase:
1. Book rooms early during key times and have companies just choose which one they want. This way we don't need to register for rooms during a high room registration time and get caught with LIT 0109 and NPB 1101. Not that they are bad rooms, but not great real estate close to the shop.
2. Bring Cups
3. Interact with Registrar to avoid testing during that time
4. Order a little less pizza
5. Make sure everybody knows proper location and times. (Including those doing the presentations..)