College Gateway

"Welcome and thank you for considering employment with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems. GDAIS is a highly competitive, innovative and customer-centric player in the C4, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance market where you can build a rewarding career. The talent we find on college campuses is a terrific way to bring an influx of energy and enthusiasm into our business. We are strongly committed to attract, retain, and develop the very best people. We know that great people make great companies."
--Lou Von Thaer

About GDAIS

• Quick Facts about GDAIS
• Careers - Kick Start Your Career
• Benefits - Learn the benefits of employment.

University Relations

• GDAIS Sponsored Schools - Where we look for talent.
• Calendar of Events - Visit us when we are on campus.
• Careers in Your Major - Find the right career for your major.

From the Desk of College Recruiting

• Resume Tips - Go from good to GREAT!
• Interview Tips - Leave a lasting impression.
• Hiring Process at GDAIS - Navigate our process.

Quick Facts

• President - Lou Von Thaer
• Headquarters - Fairfax, Virginia
• More than 8,500 employees worldwide
• General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is part of the General Dynamics Information Systems and Technology group that also includes the following business units: C4 Systems, Information Technology, and United Kingdom Limited

Leader in Transformational Systems
and Services

• Leading mission solutions for:
  
  
  • Department of Defense
  • Intelligence Community
  • Homeland Security
• 70% hold security clearances
• 55% are engineers
• 70+ locations throughout the United States and overseas
• Over 50 years of experience as a trusted partner

Benefits Info

• Many employees enjoy a flexible 9/80 work schedule where you work 80 hours in 9 days over 2 weeks and receive every other Friday off.
• Full-time employees are eligible for a variety of health and welfare plans and enjoy a generous paid time off schedule.
• Student interns are eligible for GDAIS Savings and Stock Investment Plan (SSIP) as well as company-paid holidays that occur during the internship, one floating holiday* for each three months of employment, and credit union membership.
  
  *A floating holiday is a paid day from work taken at a time chosen by the employee with manager's prior consent.

Schools

GDAIS participates in several campus events during the school year. We continue to visit the following universities:

Calendar of Events

Careers in Your Major

• At GDAIS, we typically focus on hiring for the following majors:
  
  
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Systems Engineering
  • Other technical degrees
• We also look for candidates from disciplines such as math, physics, finance, and human resources.
• Learn more on our Featured Opportunities and Managing Your Career links
• If you are ready to get started, check out the open positions!

Resume Tips - Go from good to GREAT!

• Tip 1 - Use Titles That Match The Position You Desire
  At General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, we receive many resumes every day. Therefore, your resume must grab the recruiter's attention within a 5-second glance. The best way to do this is to use job titles and skill headings that relate to and match the position you applied.
  
  
• Tip 2 - Use Style That Captures Attention
  When glancing at your resume, quick judgments can be made. If unrelated job titles or skills are prevelant, the chances are very high that an immediate impression is formed that you are not qualified for the job you applied. Additionally recruiters lack the time to review each of your job descriptions to decide if you have the skills required. You Must Do That For Them! The style of your resume must emphasize the most important information about your work experience, skills and education. At first glance this information forms the image that employers have of your skills and abilities.
  
  
• Tip 3 - Create Content That Sells
  Resume style should grab attention but it's really the content of your resume, the descriptions of your knowledge, skills and abilities, that determine how many interviews you generate - as well as the number of offers you receive.
  
  
• Tip 4 - Quantify and Use Power Words
  Using numbers to illustrate your accomplishments and responsibilities can greatly enhance your image. They create striking images in an employer's mind, whereas general statements are easy to overlook. Typically the more specific you can be in describing your duties the better. Another strategy that is extremely important in managing the impression that hiring managers develop about you - is to use Power Words or verbs that match the level of position you applied.
  
  
• Tip 5 - Study Job Descriptions to Identify Key Words
  The ability to evaluate the key words that employers provide in job descriptions is a key component in creating commanding resumes.
  
  
• Tip 6 - Identify and Solve Hiring Manager's Hidden Needs
  In addition to the skills listed in the job requisition, the hiring manager will have many more needs that should be identified and addressed in your resume and cover letter. To beat the intense competition, it is important to identify and anticipate the full range of needs each manager faces and show how you can solve those needs.
  
  
• Tip 7 - Sell the Benefits of Your Skills
  Most resumes provide a list of tasks that each candidate has been responsible for - without explaining the benefit of those skills to employers. For example, explain what you did to a process to make it more efficient.
  
  
• Tip 8 - Create An Image That Matches The Salary You Desire
  When writing your resume, be mindful of the level of job and salary you are pursuing. Be sure to create an image that presents you at the appropriate level. For example, language used in a resume for an $8 an hour position is much different than the language used for a $20 an hour position.
  
  
• Tip 9 - Prioritize the Content of Your Resume
  Avoid the big mistake that applicants make by listing very important data at the beginning of their job descriptions. As you create statements for your resume, prioritize them by importance, impressiveness and relevance to the job you are seeking. Remember that a strong statement which uses power words and quantifies will affect every statement under it.
  
  
• Tip 10 - Fine-Tune and Target Your Resumes and Cover Letters
  Generally, you will create many more interviews by fine-tuning your resume and cover letter to address the specific skills each employer defines. This "relabeling" is entirely truthful and is extremely important in landing more interviews because it allows job seekers to apply for, and look qualified for, a wider range of jobs.

Interview Tips

• Before the Interview
  
  
  • The first impression. There is no second chance to make a good first impression! Dress professionally, shake hands firmly and maintain confident eye contact. Do not chew gum or smoke. Remember to smile.
  • Plan ahead. Do your research. Know about the company, the position and the people you are about to interact with.
  • Play-act. Rehearse your role, practicing with a friend or relative. Try to come up with probable questions - particularly open-ended ones - and plausible answers.
  • Dress to impress. be well-groomed, clean and confident.
  • Confirm. be prepared: know the time, date and location of the interview. Bring the necessary certificates, résumés and recommendation letters with you. Upon arrival, ensure the receptionist knows you are there.
  • Arrive 10-15 minutes early.
• During the Interview
  
  
  • Be on time. You do not want a bad start - and tardiness will not help. If you cannot escape being late, call!
  • Look them in the eye. Maintaining eye contact is critical. Not only does it imply attentiveness and establish good rapport, it shows your essential interest in the interview.
  • Define yourself. Accentuate specific achievements: what are you proud of and how you solve problems and learn.
  • Be positive. Enthusiasm counts! be sure to avoid negative comments about past employers.
  • Be candid, courteous and confident.
  • Be adaptable. Concentrate on clues provided by setting and mood to tailor your presentation.
  • Question. Your interviewer should not be the only one to ask questions; ask about the company and the job to show your interest, but keep it relevant.
  • Listen and do not interrupt.
• After the Interview
  
  
  • Be thankful. Thank the interviewer for their time and interest when you leave and as a follow-up in writing. Summarize the interview, re-emphasizing the reasons you believe you should be hired. Add that extra personal touch that is sometimes lost in today's busy business world.
  • Take your notes. Position responsibilities, key concerns/points discussed, names of key personnel and any other important info gained.
• Contact Your References

Hiring Process at GDAIS

• Recruiting
  Each year, GDAIS actively recruits students from a select group of colleges and universities. In most cases, we begin our recruiting activities during the fall semester to promote our entry-level opportunities. We attend career fairs, host information sessions and accept resumes via multiple online job postings.
  
  
• How do I look for jobs at GDAIS?
  We ask that students interested in applying to GDAIS submit their resume directly for the position of interest through our careers website. All of our locations hire recent graduates depending on business needs. If you are interested in more than one location, it is recommended that you apply to the appropriate open requisition that relates to each location. Due to the nature of work performed U.S. citizenship is required. In addition, many positions require access to sensitive information, therefore candidates selected for these positions will be subject to a security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to U.S. government classified information.
  
  
• Am I an ideal candidate for GDAIS?
  GDAIS is always looking for qualified individuals. Most of our positions are for Engineering Disciplines.
  
  • Degree: BS in Electrical, Computer Science, and/or Mechanical Engineering
  • GPA: 3.0 or above
  • An interest in National Security and technology are a must.
• What happens to my resume after I submit it online?
  After GDAIS receives your resume, a Recruiter will review your resume to determine if you are a qualified match. In the event that your skills match a current need and the Hiring Manager expresses interest, we will contact you for an interview.
  
  
• Is there anything else I should do after I apply for the job online?
  We receive thousands of resumes each day. To differentiate yourself from the others, we recommend you work closely with your University Career Center and introduce yourself to GDAIS Recruiters and Hiring Managers by visiting our booth during Career Fairs. Please review our calendar of events to see when we will be on your campus.
  
  
• What is the interview process like at GDAIS?
  Depending on the department you are applying for, you will be contacted for either a phone or an in person interview. Expect many technical and behavioral questions. The technical questions will allow the interviewer(s) to assess your unerstanding of the fundamentals you learned while in school and the behavioral questions assess your ability to respond to various situations that occur in the workplace. Some examples of behavioral questions can be found here (note these are just examples and not necessarily the exact questions that will be asked in your interview.) Your interviewer may be a combination of a Recruiter, the Hiring Manager for the department and possibly other members of the team you may be working with.
  
  
• Post-Interview Feedback
  In most cases, the Recruiter, or a member of the Staffing and Recruiting Team, will be in contact with you by telephone or by e-mail shortly after the interview.

List of Behavioral interview questions:

• Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
• Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.
• Give me an example of a time when you set a goal and were able to meet or achieve it.
• Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone's opinion.
• Give me a specific example of a time when you had to conform to a policy with which you did not agree.
• Please discuss an important written document you were required to complete.
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.
• Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and you were required to prioritize your tasks.
• Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision.
• What is your typical way of dealing with conflict? Give me an example.
• Tell me about a time you were able to successfully deal with another person even when that individual may not have personally liked you (or vice versa).
• Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
• Give me an example of a time when something you tried to accomplish and failed.
• Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead.
• Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.
• Give me an example of a time when you motivated others.
• Tell me about a time when you delegated a project effectively.
• Give me an example of a time when you used your fact-finding skills to solve a problem.