Timothy Michaud once played Halo 2 with a friend and 30 others in a single dorm room, but the December graduate returned to campus Thursday to help students in the School of Information Technology and Computing learn how to find jobs when they graduate.

Michaud now is a security consultant at Cigital Inc., a Virginia consulting firm specializing in software security. He works as part of teams testing security systems of major banks, Fortune 500 companies and Google.

Talking to a group of 15 students and six faculty members, Michaud emphasized the importance of a good cover letter and resume. He also covered what to wear and what his company looks for in potential employees. And he emphasized the ability to write and being patient while searching for jobs and maintaining a job.

“Networking with people will matter if you have a job or not,” Michaud said.

Raymond Pettit, instructor of computer science, said he’s proud when he and fellow professors hear about successful students. He said ACU students from the SITC receive employment at almost a 100 percent rate.

Pettit said some potential employers seek to interview students but are turned away because there are not enough students to be interviewed.

Pettit tells students who are searching for a job to network with professors and the Career Center.

“Biggest take away – so much he learned to get that job was outside class,” Pettit said.

Michaud said he plans to stay at Cigital for the next few years.

“This is pretty much my dream job,” he said.