This term, 235 students have participated in corporate recruiting this term, up from last summer's 201 participants, said Monica Wilson, Career Services associate director. The summer program targets students seeking fall and winter internships.
Application numbers have grown exponentially in the past few years. In the first resume drop, which occurred on July 8, students submitted 2,120 applications to employers recruiting on campus, nearly doubling last year's 1,122 total applications. In 2009, 154 students submitted 695 resumes.
A second, smaller recruiting round has a deadline of July 21.
Students submitted applications to 33 opportunities for the first deadline, including opportunities at 12 finance firms, eight consulting firms, three marketing firms, two law firms and one communication firm.
Employers such as Bank of America, Bridgewater Associates, Microsoft and the Peace Corps hosted information sessions at the Hanover Inn during the first three weeks of the term to provide more information their internship positions.
Chelsea Mandel '15, a biology major and pre-med student who is participating in recruiting because she is interested in investment banking and health care opportunities, said the information sessions were "pretty full" and successful at helping her to differentiate the firms.
To help students prepare for recruiting, Career Services offered extended drop-in hours for resume review and well-attended workshops for students to practice interviews. A packed tutorial about the recruiting process turned away students who had not registered in advance to avoid violating fire codes in the 50-person capacity room.
An information session on Monday on interview skills, led by Pamela Tarro, director of recruiting for the consulting firm Exeter Group, was filled to capacity, and a recent case interview workshop received a large number of registrants.
"We try to use not only the expertise of our staff, but have experienced employer representatives as well," Wilson said.
Bianca Jackson '15, who planned to participate in recruiting but dropped out after she obtained a fall internship, said she found the office's internship search and resume review offerings helpful.
"I felt like they offered a multitude of programs for all people, some very basic but also more advanced workshops," she said.
This summer, employers offered 33 opportunities for the first resume submission deadline, 11 more than they offered last year. In total, at least four additional opportunities will be available to students this summer, with six employers currently offering positions to students in the second application deadline.
Wilson said the office is currently in the process of revamping its program offerings to make them more appealing and accessible to students. One goal is to help students network with alumni in fields that they are interested in.
"We're hoping to get more students come in and learn about networking, so they can get more ins' before they apply," she said.
The office is also working with employers to centralize their evaluations of students who participate in recruiting, which Career Services hopes will better prepare future students for the recruiting process.
The office recently solicited student feedback about Career Services meetings with the office's new director, Rog Woolsey.
