Name: AJ Hobbs
Year Graduated: 2014
Degree from Clemson: B.S. in Industrial Engineering
AJ also serves on Clemson University’s Board of Young Alumni for Industrial Engineering.
How did your experience at Clemson University help you find your first position after graduation?
After Clemson, I attend Purdue and got a M.S. in Industrial Engineering with researched applied in healthcare. Beyond classwork and undergraduate research, my participation and leadership in the Clemson Chapter of IHI Open School was critical in securing and succeeding in this role. The organization exposed me to grand challenges in healthcare and prepared me to think and communicate across disciplines.
If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
What would you look for if you were in the position to hire new graduates from CU?
I would look for excellence in both analytical and soft skills. An ideal candidate needs to be able to solicit and understand an organization’s needs, translate those into requirements, develop creative and logical solutions, and ultimately implement solutions to improve organizational performance.
What influenced your decision to attend your graduate school? Was it worth it?
Getting a graduate degree is beneficial to a career in healthcare, sharpened my analytical skills, and helped me develop personally. Definitely worth it!
What advice would you give to current IE students?
Engage in the diversity of the IE community, your classmates and beyond. My IE study/friend group helped each other through so many tough classes! I’m also still in touch with Clemson IE folks I met in other roles – students who graduated both before and after me, professors, and graduate students who were my TAs. We’re all here to support one another!
How can we get in touch with you?
Feel free to connect with on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandajanehobbs or on Instagram @hobbs.aj.
