Companies are thinking outside the box when it comes to recruiting prospective interns and employees. It’s no longer about a booth and one or two local representatives. FIU’s fall career fair showcased some of those new trends.
Held October 2 at the FIU Arena, this year’s second career fair drew 150 employers and 1,700 students across a broad spectrum of majors, including the College of Business.
The lineup included private industry; public, educational, and non-profit organizations; local government, federal government, law enforcement, and military. Among the participants, JP Morgan Chase Bank, State Farm, Johnson & Johnson, U.S. Department of State, FBI, Burger King, and Hilton Miami Downtown.
“These firms are coming to FIU because they can find diversity talent,” said John Nykolaiszyn, associate director of employer development at the COB’s Career Management Services. “We’re producing some of the top talent in the industry.”
Executives are becoming more strategic about on-campus recruiting.
For the first time since its 2009 debut at the career fair, JP Morgan Chase brought representatives from its commercial, consumer, corporate, and investment divisions. They showcased 20 different programs available for internships and employment, including analyst, finance and leadership positions.
“It shows that big brands are willing to take a chance in order to get the right talent,” said Nykolaiszyn. “What we did with J.P. Morgan Chase was to build on the lessons learned and success we had when State Farm raised the college recruiting bar three years ago by bringing in top executives from their corporate headquarters to actively recruit our students.”
A long-time FIU partner, State Farm has gradually increased its footprint at the university’s career fairs. Three years ago the insurer launched a cohesive effort showcasing multiple business lines and also implemented a more hands-on recruiting approach.
Don Dye, human resources representative at State Farm, pointed out that company is being more strategic in its efforts to “attract that next generation of talent.”
