Written by:
William Dworsky

New Employer Recruiting Tactics?

With unemployment having reached 10% in recent months, jobs are obviously in scarce supply. Aside from widespread layoffs, many companies have dramatically scaled back their recruiting efforts in an effort to cut costs. Scaled-back employers overall have fewer holes to fill with new hires and less money to spend on hiring them. HR departments with tighter budgets are reducing trips to the career services centers of universities across the country, and students are struggling to find jobs with graduation looming. "The days of having a row of interview rooms booked solid is over," said Sunil Chopra of Northwestern University's Kellogg School. In response to the downturn, some schools and companies are going the extra mile to connect businesses to eager graduates, turning to such methods as teleconferencing for interviews and school-sponsored company visits.

Anything a school can do to attract a recruiter’s attention stands to benefits its job-hunting students, and some have begun using web technology to make the connection easier for employers. Tools as cheap as Skype and as expensive as dedicated videoconferencing rooms allow students face time with the companies they are interested in. Some schools, such as Dartmouth and Cornell, are even sponsoring trips by groups of students to recruiting events at prestigious firms. To students at schools with programs already implemented: take advantage of the resources provided and represent your school well! This can only benefit both you and your school in the long run. To those at schools who are behind the curve and still hunting for employment: encourage your career services center to follow the lead of others. Better yet, spearhead the initiative yourself. Not only will it help you by connecting with employers, leading the effort yourself can be a talking point once you get that interview!