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Packed House: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Fall Career Fair is always the largest of three events that give companies the opportunity to interview students for full time, internship and co-op work assignments. |
Indications of an economic slowdown weren’t apparent at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology this fall, where a record 208 companies and 554 recruiters from throughout the country clamored the the opportunity to interview students for full time, internship and co-op opportunities at the Fall Career Fair.
And, several more companies wanted to participate but couldn’t because of lack of space in the fieldhouse area of the Sports and Recreation Center.
Early indications reveal that it is going to be another active recruiting year for Rose-Hulman students, especially those in engineering and science fields, according to Kevin Hewerdine, director of career services and employer relations.
“Despite what we're hearing nationally about declining economic and hiring climates, we haven't seen any drop off in hiring interest yet,” Hewerdine says. "Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised that only one company cancelled during the week of the Fall Career Fair. And, that company was replaced by the end of the same business day."
Nationally, an annual survey of college recruiters and employers by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reveals that employers plan to target business, engineering and computer-related degrees in their hiring practices. Demand is especially high for students in mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, according to the NACE survey.
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Reviewing Resume: Matt Baber (left), a sophomore mechanical engineering student, gets the attention of a representative at the Caterpillar booth during Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Fall Career Fair. |
The list of companies attending the Oct. 8 event included Allison Transmission, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Boston Scientific, Caterpillar, Cummins Inc., Dow Chemical Company, Duke Energy, Eli Lilly and Company, Frito Lay, General Electric, Halliburton, Honda, Honeywell/UOP, Ingersoll Rand, Johnson & Johnson, Marathon Oil, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, ON Semiconductor, Procter & Gamble, Raytheon, Roche Diagnostics, Rockwell Collins, Siemens Energy, Texas Instruments and Toyota. (The entire list can be found at www.rose-hulman.edu/careerservices/FairAttendees)
Most companies returned on Oct. 9 to interview students for positions. Companies have also conducted special information days on campus or set up plant trips this fall to educate students about job opportunities.
"The early indications reveal that it is going to be another active recruiting year for our students, especially those majoring in engineering and science fields," Hewerdine states. "We're setting records in all forms of career service activity this fall -- participation in the Fall Career Fair, on-campus job interviews and information sessions, and company requests for student resumes. These are exciting times for our students."
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Alumni Supporter: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology alumnus Joseph Haniford (right), vice president and general manager of Alcoa Forged and Cast Products, was among more than 200 alumni that returned to serve as recruiters or company representatives at the Fall Career Fair. |
Also, Rose-Hulman students know that they have to be proactive in their job and internship searches. More than 1,220 students participated in the Fall Career Fair.
"Students know that they have can't wait for jobs to come to them this year. Interest is sky high now, but that might not be the case at the beginning of 2009," Hewerdine said. "Those students that benefit are those that get their resumes before companies right now."
In fact, some companies made full-time employment offers to seniors before the start of the 2008-09 school year. Several internship opportunities will be filled by this winter.
Thirty-three companies came to recruit at Rose-Hulman this fall for the first time, according to Charity Mouck, associate director of career services. She helped a team of more than 100 students in organizing the Fall Career Fair since early this summer.
The Fall Career Fair is always the largest of three quarterly events organized by the Office of Career Services and a committee of 100 students. A total of 205 companies attended last year's fall event.
Rose-Hulman put a "no vacancy" sign up in late August when the list of companies topped 200. Undaunted, some of the companies that weren't closed out of the fall event have made plans to participate in the Winter Career Fair on Jan. 28.
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Busy Interview City: Several companies that participated in Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Fall Career Fair returned to interview students for full time, internship and co-op opportunities on Oct. 9 in the field house area of the Sports and Recreation Center. |
The Fall Career Fair has also become a second homecoming for Rose-Hulman alumni, with approximately 220 alumni from 119 companies returned to campus to participate as recruiters or company hosts. The Office of Alumni Affairs hosted a reception for alumni on Oct. 7.
Internships and co-ops are proving to be invaluable for college graduates seeking that first job. Luckily, nearly 95 percent of Rose-Hulman students have gained experience through one or more internships or work opportunities.
"The more experience a student gets while in school, the more marketable they become once they graduate," observes Kathy Kassissieh, assistant director of career services. She helps conduct resume writing and job interview workshops for students. "Some students still believe that their diploma is all they need to find a job, but employers are looking for more than just a college graduate. They are looking for someone who will 'fit in' to their organization. Showing off various experiences gives a potential employer a pretty good idea of a student's work ethic."
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Working The Booths: Luke Misiewicz (middle), a senior computer engineering major, discusses career opportunities with representatives of National Instruments at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology's Fall Career Fair. |
Kassissieh points out another benefit of internships: "You have a much better chance knowing what you do and/or don’t want to do when you graduate if you have had various work experiences while still in school. A career might sound exciting on paper, but it isn’t until a student actually does the job that he or she realizes whether it truly is what the student wants to do. It’s much better to find out when a student is a freshman or sophomore that he or she no longer wants to do the major that was originally selected. Finding out that fact after graduation can have serious consequences."
The Office of Career Services and Employer Relations has added a special Web page and e-newsletter to give parents valuable information about job and graduate school opportunities for their children.
The parents’ Web page (www.rose-hulman.edu/careerservices/parents.htm) includes the NACE Job Outlook for 2008; past Rose-Hulman recruiting statistics; and links on how parents can help their student, campus career and graduate school fairs; and student workshops.
Parents can sign up for the e-newsletter at www.rose-hulman.edu/careerservices/parentnewsletter.htm.
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