When’s the last time you were at the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center? If you’re like most students, it was probably back when you were a fresh-faced high schooler visiting Davis with your parents. But, the building next to the Mondavi Center houses more than tour guides. Next time you stop by Buehler, you just might land a new job or internship.
The Career Recruiting Program (CRP) is a great on-campus resource for students looking for jobs or internships. The program arranges interviews and on-campus recruiting for all kinds of employers in a variety of fields. Companies who have used on-campus recruiting in the past to hire Davis students include Microsoft, Wells Fargo, eBay, TiVo and Triage Consulting. CRP offers a variety of positions including: management trainee, marketing assistant, associate consultant, business analyst, project manager and teacher, to name a few.
Students often have to drive down to San Francisco, LA or Central Valley for job interviews. They have to miss classes, pay for gas and stress about getting to the interview site on time in an unfamiliar town. With on-campus recruiting, you don’t have to worry about any of that … except maybe feeling kind of silly about walking around campus in a full suit.
Edward Silva, a junior international agricultural development major, obtained his internship with the Perishable Food Council with on-campus recruiting last year. He submitted his resume through Aggie Job Link, attended an info session and was invited back for an interview at the Buehler Center. “Interviewing on campus took out a lot of the stress for me,” said Silva. “It’s a really nice, quiet setting and you don’t have to worry about rush hour traffic or finding parking.”
Career Recruiting Program also helps to answer a frequently asked question: if I’m graduating soon, when should I start looking for a job? Last October, there were companies recruiting for full-time positions to start in June. This is because companies get new hiring budgets in the summer with the beginning of the fiscal year and they have the funding to go out and recruit. Surprising to many students, fall quarter can be actually quite busy for employers and recruiters. If you’re going to be a senior next year, you could potentially secure a career position with on-campus recruiting in fall, over six months before you actually graduate. Senioritis anyone? ?But as I mentioned, CRP isn’t just for graduating seniors. There are plenty of internship opportunities as well.
Amrik Dhillon, a senior mechanical engineering major, has utilized on-campus recruiting in his summer internship search. “So far, it’s given me the most helpful leads for positions,” he said. “And the convenience of a professional interview on campus, just taking a half hour of your day, can’t be beat. It’s great for the practice.”
To view current positions, sign in to your Aggie Job Link account, go to the “Jobs/Internships” tab, and in the “Show Me” drop-down menu, select “All Interviews.” Don’t be discouraged if you don’t qualify for many positions. New postings for on-campus recruiting go up on Aggie Job Link all the time, so make sure to check back frequently.
The timeline for on-campus recruiting is also very important. There’s a deadline for submitting your resume and cover letter so the company representatives can sort through the applications and decide which candidates they want to interview. Then there’s a period of a few days when those selected for an interview can sign up for a slot – but not all companies notify the selected applicants, so it’s up to you to check back after you submit your application to monitor its status. If you don’t schedule your interview by the sign-up deadline, you’ve given up your slot and your chance to interview.
Another pro tip: a lot of companies conducting on-campus interviews will hold an information session. Make sure to attend the session – it’s an excellent chance to learn more about the company to prepare for the interview and meet the interviewers to make a good impression.
Even if the available positions for CRP don’t exactly fit your skills or career goals, it never hurts to apply. On-campus recruiting can be especially beneficial for those who need more formal interviewing practice. The convenience of a professional interview experience right on campus can’t be matched.
JENNIFER KIM was quoted in The Sacramento Bee article about recent grads and temp work. If you’re a graduating senior interested in temping, read the article at goo.gl/9D9VR. Jen can be reached at jsnkim@ucdavis.edu.
