Ask the Pack – Engineering

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Need help with your NAE Grand Challenges project? Ask the Pack can connect you with a helpful alum.

Want access to Pack engineers across the globe? Just Ask the Pack.

Wondering "what's next"? Want to know what a day in the life of an engineer looks like? Let the Pack help.

Interested in what life is like at your dream company? Ask a fellow Pack member.

Having trouble unlocking your career potential? Let a fellow Pack member open doors for you.

With a community of more than 250,000, Ask the Pack will connect you with the best engineer or Pack member to help.

You ask.
They answer.

Pack pros love helping students and alumni. So what’s one question you have for someone who’s done what’s ahead of you?

Need inspiration? Here's what others like you have asked.

“Hi, I'm Mina Lu, a freshman working on the enhance virtual reality Grand Challenges project. Our team is looking for some real-world guidance so that our solutions have the maximum chance of being implemented.

Key questions relate to practical limitations such as: cost of device, maximum weight of device; need for wireless; length of battery charge, etc..

Really looking forward to connecting, Mina”

“Hi, I'm Jada Lumley and I'm a junior studying Aerospace Engineering. I'm an international student and most interested in working for a large company after graduation.

I would love to better understand what my realistic career opportunities are. I would also like to hear about alumni's career journeys and get their advice about what more I can do to be the best candidate for internships and jobs.

Kind regards, Jada”

“Jack Jones here. I'm a junior in mechanical engineering with a minor in computer programming. I'm specifically interested in renewable energy but have struggled to garner much interest from employers as my degree is in mechanical engineering.

I'm looking to chat with Mechanical Engineering graduates that shifted their career into another field post-graduation. I'm really just am curious to hear more about that process and how it went for you/any advice you might have for me.

Thank you so much!”

“Greetings, my name is Fen Lin and I am a graduate student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. My focus is on signal processing and machine learning.

What companies focus on these areas? Which companies do you think are the best to work for and why?

I'm grateful for your guidance and assistance.”

“Hello - my name is Paige Thomas. I am a mechanical engineering student in the process of finding a post graduation job. I am most interested in the automotive industry.

It would be great to speak to engineering alumni who either work for automotive companies or automotive suppliers. I am particularly interested in the culture, and the experience of female employees.

I really appreciate your time and assistance.”

My name is Sera Kamran and I am a recent NC State alum who majored in Chemical Engineering. I currently work for a medium sized materials science firm where there is little opportunity for promotion over the next several years.

I am contemplating graduate school, but not sure it is worth it. How much do you think having a Masters degree would improve my job prospects outside my existing firm?

Thank you so much! Excited to hear from y'all!

How It Works

01 You ask.

Need help with an idea or active startup? Wondering about career options?

02 We recruit.

Our technology (powered by Protopia) uses AI to find the best experts to answer you.

03 Get answers.

We “hunt” until you have one or more responses. Delivered right to your email inbox.

04 Say ‘thank you.’

And build your network by continuing to stay in touch (such as via LinkedIn).

Not sure how to ask? We’ve got a short video that will turn you into a networking rock star.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT CAN I ASK?

Literally anything to help with your academic or professional development. There are thousands of alumni, faculty, staff and friends that can help with class projects, building and growing a startup, or figuring out career options.

WHAT'S A GOOD QUESTION?

Think of your question as an advertisement. Share who you are, what you are doing, and what you need help with. Focus on keywords that will get you the right connections. Keep it short and sweet. Here’s a short video on how to craft a great question that will get you results and help build your network.

WHO WILL SEE MY QUESTION?

We send your request to the best alumni, faculty, and staff in your area of interest.

CAN I REQUEST SOMEONE SPECIFIC?

No. We make our matches based on availability, proximity, experience, and skills.

CAN I ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION?

Yes, of course! Once we make a match you’ll have direct, one-to-one communication and can ask additional questions.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET AN ANSWER?

Our goal is to get you answers within 3 business days. But it depends on what you’re asking. It can go as quickly as an hour to as long as 10 days or more.

WILL MY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS BE CONFIDENTIAL?

Your question will not be made public. It will be seen only by matched experts and a handful of administrators.

IS THERE A LIMIT TO HOW OFTEN I CAN ASK?

No. You can ask as many questions as you would like. In fact, we encourage it as this is the simplest way for you to build your professional network.

I was really impressed with how easy it was to get in contact with NC State alumni. I just had to submit a question and I heard back from multiple Wolfpack alumni within days. Super easy and helpful! I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. It’s quite awesome to see just how large the NC State community is, and really encouraging to see how willing alumni are to help out current students.

Definitely recommend.

After submitting my question, within a day I had multiple alumni offering me help and guidance. Several of whom were more than willing to connect with me on LinkedIn and review my resume for tips and editing suggestions. Perhaps the best part about my experience is that it did more than help with the simple question I asked. I believe it played a large role in helping me land my Co-op position.

The process took all of about 5 minutes to submit my question and I received so much great feedback from different alumni.

The mentors were so insightful! One hopped on a video call and shared a lot of valuable feedback, while pushing me to think outside the box. I am going to meet with another soon. They are investing so much time and effort in connecting me with incredible resources and people. They are really going above and beyond to leverage their networks. It means the world!

Go ahead and ask

It has never been simpler to get help from others that have done what’s ahead of you.

Seriously.