Hood Alum Shares Career Success

Yashraj Sinha is a recent alumnus of Hood's Masters in Computer Science program. An international student from India, Yashraj completed an internship with Cisco Inc. last summer, an experience he credits as being instrumental in landing a full-time position after graduation. We caught up with Yashraj and he shared the highlights of his Hood experience with us below.

Yashraj Sinha

Program

Computer Science (M.S.)

Department

Computer Science & Information Technology

Alumni

How would you describe your time at Hood and in Frederick in general?

It has been one of my best experiences in life so far. Coming to Hood was the first time I traveled outside my country. I also experienced snow for the first time in Frederick.

How did the Graduate School help you? What resources did it provide you?

The Graduate School was supportive at all stages of my learning by providing me with the flexibility in coursework and allowing me to undergo an independent study in order to explore the field of study I was interested in.

What informed the decision to do an independent study?

I was interested in developing a software which could perform diagnosis of hardware. And this was made possible by the help of my supervisor, Dr. Xinlian Liu.

What did you achieve from the independent study?

It was a great experience learning and exploring new areas. It also contributed towards securing my new job.

How did you become a part of Hood’s Computer Science Advisory Board?

My prior industry experience at leading global organizations like Bosch and Cisco afforded me with the opportunity to contribute to serve as a graduate student representative on the advisory board. I was given the chance to present my ideas to industry leaders. And this ultimately helped in landing a summer internship.

How did your internship experience contribute to your job search success?

Having internship experience in a US organization is a major boost to your profile since it sends the message that one understands the American work culture. Thus, it separates you from the crowd of fresh graduates.

What is the new position?

I received offers from a number of leading organizations, but I am joining Cisco Systems.

What career/job search tips will you offer to international graduate students?

It’s a numbers game. Apply to as many open positions as possible. The more positions you apply to, the greater your chance to succeed. Until you are getting at least three responses daily (either rejects or interview calls), you should keep applying for jobs. Focus on applying at the career portals of your target companies and the popular job boards. Invest sufficient time to prepare your resume and cover letter and strive to perform better at each interview.