Brandon L’Heureux, a 2023 graduate with a major in mechanical engineering and a minor in mathematics, has embarked on a promising career path as a Mechanical Engineer at Harvey Performance Company in Gorham, Maine.
During his time at Merrimack, Brandon utilized many resources on campus to strengthen his career development. He met with Laura Thibodeau, his career advisor, once a semester for advice and resume help until senior year when he was actively applying for more jobs. Brandon also took a one-credit course, which gave him insights into professional development and clarified his career trajectory.
During the spring semester of his senior year, Brandon attended the Professional Development Retreat. He says that this opportunity helped him with his professional development not only because he “got to practice talking to potential employers about what makes [him] stand out,” but he was also able to connect with them on a personal level.
Having just graduated in May of this year, a full-circle moment happened this fall when Harvey Performance attended the O’Brien Center’s Careers in STEM Internship and Career Fair. Brandon was able to attend as a representative from the company to talk with students about his experience and opportunities within the company. It was exciting for Brandon to return to campus after graduation, giving guidance and inspiration to current students.
When going through the job search process, Brandon made sure his resume was updated, utilized connections on LinkedIn and remembered to keep his options open. Advice he would give students when looking for an internship or job would be to “apply to anything and everything even if the requirements seem tough. Try to turn interviews into conversations rather than just answering questions; connect with the person in front of you.” You can do this by finding something in common with them and asking questions about the interviewer and the company rather than just answering the interviewers questions.
Brandon’s journey exemplifies the power of preparation, networking and a proactive approach to career development. Utilizing campus resources and engaging in meaningful networking opportunities provides a blueprint for success to Merrimack students.
