Tips for Handling On-Campus Recruitment Sessions

Bravo. You just made the decision to visit the campus career services office. Good for you. You have just taken another major step towards your future. While in the career services office you see a flyer for an on-campus recruitment session. Now your interest is piqued.

You stop to read the details for the session. The session is coming up in a few days. You notice the number of companies that will be participating. You sign up for a few recruitment interviews, while not really knowing what to expect.

On-campus recruitment sessions allow companies to visit colleges and universities nationwide to recruit the best and brightest talent to fill full-time positions and internships. At this point, I would urge you to ask a career services staff member for the recruitment calendar. Typically, companies recruit for their full-time positions between September through December. Recruitment for internships usually occurs from November until April. Adhere to the process established by your school.

There are some things that you must do before you show up for thoseat recruitment interviews.

I need you to put on your thinking caps. There are a number of questions that you need to be able to answer before your recruitment interviews. What are your interests? What would you like to do after graduation? In which geographical location would you like to live and work? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Begin to think about how you would respond to those questions.

On-campus recruitment sessions require equal amounts of preparation and practice.

Preparation

• Develop a personal mission statement.
• Prepare a list of 15-25 target companies, at which you would like to work.
• After identifying your target companies, do your due diligence and research those companies. Learn as much as you can about the companies. Go to the career page on their respective websites.
• Follow the companies on social media – LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Most companies have a major social media presence. Social media is an excellent source for real time information.
• Create a résumé and cover letter. Have several people review your résumé.
• Be prepared to interview the prospective employer. Have a list of questions ready. It will confirm your interest in the company. Ask questions about training, advancement opportunities, job expectations and responsibilities.

Practice

• Practice, practice, practice for your recruitment interviews. Do some mock interviews to reduce nervousness. If your career services office offers them, sign up today.
• Not sure how to answer questions or desire to see examples – do a quick Google search.

Word to the Wise: don’t schedule back to back recruitment interviews. If the recruiter arrives late or the interview before yours runs over, you will miss the next interview. Allow a cushion when scheduling interviews.

Interview Day

Today is the big day. It is time to put all your plans into action. Remember to put your best foot forward.

Appearance

My mentor once told me, dress for the job you want. You only get one chance to make a first impression. You want your first impression to be the best impression. When in doubt, professional appearance is recommended.

Arrive early

15 minutes early is a good rule of thumb.

Résumé

Bring extra copies of your résumé and cover letter. Don’t assume the interviewer will have a copy.

Post-interview

Always follow up with a thank you note within 24 hours.

You are now ready for those on-campus recruitment sessions. Good luck to you!

About Starla Trigg

Starla holds a MBA degree from Indiana Wesleyan University.  She has spent her career working in various capacities for Fortune 250 companies.  In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, learning new things, and playing golf.