The Recruiter In Residence Program at GW University

1
The Recruiter In Residence Program at GW
University

• Presented by
• Anthony Arcieri, Assistant Director - Career
  Services
• Irene Honey, Director - Career Services
• The George Washington University
• Career Center

2
Quick Overview of GW

• Private comprehensive urban University founded in
  1821 in Washington DC
• Medium in size 10,000 Undergrad / 11,000 Grad
• Students come from all 50 states and 140 foreign
  countries
• Career Center 22 staff in Career Services,
  Student Employment, Cooperative Education
  Employer Relations

3
History of the RIR Program

• Program began just after 9/11 with one recruiter
  who wanted to make a difference
• His enthusiasm was shared with other colleagues,
  who then expressed interest
• Word spread, and we began receiving many
  inquiries
• The Program then became more structured, and
  training/support was developed

4
Overview of the Program

• Connect students with employers, enabling them to
  gain a unique perspective on their own unique job
  search situation
• Employers dictate their own time commitment
• Career Center handles the schedule and calls
  students to remind them of appointments

5
Program Management Details

• Appointments managed by receptionist, who handles
  room issues and contacts RIRs about their
  schedules
• Assistant Director handles no-shows and
  management of program
• Director oversees management of program
• RIRs conduct one-hour mock interviews and
  half-hour consults with students about job
  searches, networking, interviewing, resumes, and
  letters
• Evaluations provided for students to complete

6
Profile of RIR Participants

• Some participate to further image of company,
  some for personal development, others to get a
  sense of current crop of graduating students.
• Two from telecom, two from consulting, one
  private consultant, one government contractor,
  one from healthcare, one from finance/economic
  analysis.

7
Marketing/Outreach to Employers

• Talking to colleagues
• Reaching out to SAVE/SAME
• Career Center Staff Referrals
• Employer initiated contact/interest
• Career Center Website

8
Marketing/Outreach to Students

• Flyers
• Website
• Email/Listservs
• Mentioned in Workshops
• Word of Mouth/Student to Student
• Front Desk referrals
• Faculty/Schools
• Ads in Student Paper

9
Training Support

• Beginning of year training
• Thank you reception assessment
• Periodic Programs Trainings
• Shadowing
• Training Handbook
• Sharing Emails/Articles
• GW Namebadges
• Career Guides/Handouts in Rooms

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Samples from Training Handbook
11
Samples From Training Handbook
12
Program Issues

• Space is always an issue
• Occasional no-shows
• Students and Recruiters in Residence often wished
  for longer appointments than half-hour originally
  scheduled, as content was substantive and engaging

13
Evaluation of Program

• 142 students had appointments with RIRs during
  2002-03 Academic Year
• Students complete evaluations after appointment
  and submit to front desk
• RIRs complete evaluations at the end of each
  semester
• Quantity Quality are both determined

14
Student Evaluation Summary

• Overwhelmingly positive response from student
  surveys.
• This was totally awesome! I got clear feedback
  from someone in the industry I want to enter.
  They really helped with understanding more about
  the field and how to rewrite my resume for what
  they were looking for in new candidates.
• A great program for me! My resume got better, my
  confidence improved and I have a mentoring
  relationship for the future.
• The mock interview really helped a lot. I got
  constructive feedback along with some tips for
  boning up for interviews in my field.

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Student Evaluation Summary 2

• Best program ever! I actually got my consulting
  job through the Recruiter in Residence program.
  My job search was so frustrating and I was
  determined to use all the resources at hand. I
  went to see each of the Recruiters in Residence
  during my spring semester, and one of them was so
  impressed with my persistence and determination,
  that she offered me a chance to interview with
  her company. I did, and the rest is history. I
  love it and they gave me a raise after my first
  six months! Great!
• I went in for resume tips and came out with a
  lead for a great summer internship!
• I wish I knew about this earlier! It helped a
  lot to hear a real world
  viewpoint.

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RIR Evaluation Summary

• What was the presenting concern for most
  students?
• Resume/Letter writing mentioned by all, though
  Interviewing and Job Search skills mentioned
  frequently as well
• What is the greatest issue confronting students
  preparing to transition to the job market?
• A good resume
• Ability to articulate experience market self
• Job search skills
• Not appreciating amount of pavement pounding
  necessary to find a job
• Slow economy
• Fear of not being qualified.

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RIR Evaluation Summary 2

• On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being most prepared) how
  prepared for the working world would you say the
  students you met with were?
• Average response of 3.2
• On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being most realistic) how
  realistic do you think students are about their
  expectations of their role in the world of work?
• Average response of 2.8
• On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being most successful)
  how successful do you feel you were able to
  address the students concerns?
• Average response of 3.7 (two commented that a 30
  minute appointment wasnt enough time to assess,
  and lack of follow-up appointments made assessing
  this difficult.

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RIR Evaluation Summary 3

• What have you learned from this program?
• The Career Center does a great job of preparing
  students, but not enough students take advantage
  of it
• Students have similar job search problems as
  mid-career candidates
• I really didnt know anything about the job
  search process when I was an undergraduate and
  Im amazed at how much I do know now. I wish I
  had access to a program like this when I was a
  student.
• Ive learned to understand the concerns students
  are dealing with whether they are new or
  experienced in the job market.

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RIR Evaluation Summary 4

• What suggestions do you have to improve the
  program?
• 30 minutes isnt enough time.Id like longer
  appointments
• Require all students to take a course teaching
  them all the steps necessary to successfully
  compete for the best career choices
• Bring more students in maybe hold small sessions
  with a group of students
• Encourage all students to come prepared with a
  resume and topics they want to discuss
• Improve way of committing students to keeping
  their appointments
• Would you recommend this program to others?
• All said yes

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Outcomes Benefits to Students

• Intended Outcomes include
• Networking Opportunities
• Mentorship
• Pressure Free opportunity to connect with
  employers
• Hearing what we already know/say right from the
  horses mouth
• Unintended Outcomes include
• Job offers!
• More frequent Job postings

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Outcomes Benefits to Employers

• Intended Outcomes include
• Ability to maintain activity on-campus during an
  economic downturn
• Gain first-hand knowledge of graduating students
  and issues they present
• Mentoring opportunities
• Unintended Outcomes include
• RIRs own personal professional development
• Contributed to re-alignment of career focus/goals

22
Outcomes Benefits to Career Center

• Intended Outcomes include
• Employer activity on campus
• Relieving workload and providing backup
• Employer pool to pull from for career events
• Satisfying our student clients by giving them
  what they want (more access to employers)

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Outcomes Benefits to Career Center

• Unintended Outcomes include
• More frequent job postings (some not advertised
  elsewhere)
• 500 grant from one RIRs company
• Professional contacts/network for the Career
  Center
• Ideas to help us improve service delivery
• Gives us more stature with faculty/schools
• In kind contribution of 15,300 in hours over the
  course of a year

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Future of the Program

• Becoming integral to Career Services
• Increase funding for issues such as space and
  employer incentives/gifts
• Creatively handle no-shows
• Build on program with new ideas (i.e. Ask a
  Recruiter chat on web page)

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Getting A Similar Program Started

• Talk to current On Campus Recruiting Career
  Fair employers
• Engage Alumni (through your Alumni House, events,
  Alumni Clubs, etc)
• Connect with your Parents Association
• Contact primary employers in the area
• Ensure dedicated space and staff commitment to
  managing the program
• Develop training support resources and actively
  ensure that RIRs maintain University
  departmental missions goals
• Develop adequate evaluative tools for students
  RIRs and utilize them to ensure quality service
  delivery

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Thank You For Attending!

• Anthony Arcieri
• Assistant Director, Career Services
• GW University Career Center
• [phone] - aarcieri_at_gwu.edu
• Irene Honey
• Director, Career Services
• GW University Career Center
• [phone] ihoney_at_gwu.edu