Many RPI students noticed last weekend’s NSBE/SHPE Career Fair. However, in the rush of trying to find a job, like most of RPI, including Oneka Harriot, the majority of those may not be aware of the efforts made by recruiters at the Career Fair.
It was 7:30 last Saturday morning and Harriot had awoken and wanted to beat the 2,417 other RPI students who attended the fair. Reluctantly, she rolled out of bed, got dressed, and began her day as a student ambassador for Exeter Group in the hope of getting a foot in the door of corporate America.
Students stood in lines for hours to get the chance to "sell themselves." For every eight students searching for a career, internship, or summer employment, there was one recruiter. In order to expedite the sifting process, recruiters tended to limit each student to three minutes. Recruiters then usually made an on-the-spot mental evaluation based on the three minute glimpse of a student’s skill, presentation, and personality.
The career fair, is for all intents and purposes, a two-day workday for the career fair staff, recruiters, and students. In addition, the recruiters start their day even earlier than any of the other groups.
Lucia Bunting, an RPI alumna and now a Proctor and Gamble quality process engineer and recruiter, arrived at Saturday’s fair at 8 am in order to get situated and set up before the students’ arrival. Recruiters needed to be at the fair to set up their displays prior to the arrival of the students; some were there well after the end of the fair, taking down displays and making evaluations.
Although Bunting has worked with Proctor and Gamble for many years and knows the mindset of the company, this was her first time on the recruiting side of the fence.
"RPI students that work at Proctor and Gamble are very successful," explained Bunting. Erin Widegren, a recruiter from Rogers Corporation, also holds RPI in high esteem. He said RPI students tend to be "more grounded" and know exactly what they want to do.
Both recruiters agreed that RPI students have an exceptional academic background and they generally are ready for the work world. "Graduates of RPI tend to fit well in the very people-oriented [atmosphere of Proctor and Gamble] because RPI puts a focus on teamwork," said Bunting.
Widegren has been recruiting for about 10 years. She has traveled to many schools and has heard almost every pitch. For all of her experience, she was pleased with the NSBE/SHPE Career Fair. "A career fair is only as good as the students and the engineering curriculum here is excellent," said Widegren.
She finds that RPI students tend to fit well with the Rogers Corporation, because like RPI, it is located in a small city, and Rogers employees tend to favor the small town atmosphere over big city life.
Rogers’ headquarters are located in a rural part of Connecticut, close to Providence, RI and markets specialty electronics, including the Indiglo watch. Consumers recognize their products as good products immediately.
Widegren has been recruiting at RPI off and on for about 20 years, and felt comfortable talking to students.
"[The students] were very receptive" to Rogers’ programs as opposed to last year when the company had a hard time attracting people to their table, according to Widegren.
Bunting was pleased with the eagerness shown by the RPI students; "[it was easy to tell they] really wanted a job." She added that many had well-organized resumes and a great deal of experience.
An outstanding resume and great rapport with a recruiter is often only the beginning of the process. Proctor and Gamble requires candidates to submit an electronic application. The application is graded and if you do not pass you do not get an interview, and thus you don’t get the job.
When resumés have been accepted and applications filled out, Bunting and her co-recruiter’s roles change to the identifiction of the top candidates for an ever-so-selective screening process.
