In October 2005, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs instituted a new regulation for all federal contractors. It stipulated a number of parameters that defined an applicant and what protocols would be necessary in the hiring process. The department gave until February 6, 2006, for all federal contractors to comply, possibly requiring them to redefine their hiring process entirely.

Adam Forbes, global university relations manager of Honeywell, agreed to discuss how his company had to change its hiring process and how this would affect applicants. Though Forbes’ description was specific to Honeywell, many corporate federal contractors also had to interpret the new regulations and redefine their hiring process.

According to Forbes, Honeywell internally clarified the new regulations and now has a single clearly defined process for hiring. All prospective employees must apply through the company website. Forbes also mentioned four key points that define an applicant as an individual who submits an expression of interest, is considered by Honeywell for a particular position, meets the basic qualifications for that position, and does not withdraw from the process.

With these new regulations, the interactions between RPI’s Career Development Center and companies have become more critical. CDC Director Tom Tarantelli explained by saying, “Employers need a place and people on campus who can help them to identify talent for their respective organizations.” As a result, the center is in constant dialogue with the recruiters about these issues. Even more than before, the CDC administrative specialists have to be active participants on a national level so that employment trends and regulations are understood and students can be adequately advised.

Despite this, the CDC supports the new regulations because the purpose is to ensure fair and equitable treatment of applicants. The OFCCP began to develop changes last year, specifically in the spring semester, when students had to be more proactive in their searches by applying online and reading job descriptions more carefully.

Both Forbes and Tarantelli emphasized that students need to be proactive. They need to be spending time reading the details associated with the employers they are interested in. Additionally, students are in charge of their own search for employment. No professor, staff member at the CDC, or parent can be in charge of the direction of their job hunt.

Some companies are accepting resumes at career fairs while others are not. In the end, the best idea is for students to be vigilant and to research companies they truly want. “This extra step acts like a self-selection activity with students having to do it to be considered,”

emphasized Tarantelli.

In light of the changes, many students might wonder about the purpose of a career fair such as the annual NSBE/SHPE Career Fair held last month. Forbes and Tarantelli were both adamant in their opinions that the career fair remains an integral part of hiring, even with these new regulations. Forbes believes students need to redefine the way they view a career fair. He said, “The career fair should be more exploratory and students should capitalize on the people from the various companies.” He continued, saying that the motivation for students should be focused on learning the story of the company, and as a result making a more informed decision about the company they would ultimately like to work for.