UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. –– Every semester, hundreds of employers seek to recruit Penn State Smeal College of Business students for internships, co-ops, and permanent jobs at corporations around the country.
Penn State Career Days and the Smeal Business Career Fair, held each semester, are two major events where students can target their dream company or explore opportunities they didn’t even know existed.
Smeal’s Business Career Center (BCC) helps students learn how to best approach these opportunities, and how to differentiate themselves to potential employers.
“I tell students all the time, whether we're talking about an interview, or an elevator pitch, or a LinkedIn about section, all of this is just really storytelling,” BCC Executive Director Ashley Rippey said.
That means being comfortable and casual but also prepared and knowledgeable.
“Being able to communicate your message efficiently at that first impression really goes a long way,” said Tim Osusky, a district manager at Central Atlantic Toyota in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Osusky, a 2015 Smeal grad and now a recruiting representative for his company, said he remembers what it was like to be a career fair attendee nervously jockeying in lines and around tables with other students, feeling uncomfortable and overwhelmed.
“That's why I kind of try to knock down some of the barriers early on to say, ‘Hey, we're people too, you know. We're just normal humans. I was in your shoes,’” Osusky said.
The BCC offers multiple programs to undergraduate students that focus on all aspects of entering the business world, from identifying specific areas of interest and choosing a major to negotiating job offers.
The center teaches a one-credit career course called BA 297: Career Preparation and Strategies, which walks students through the recruitment process with the help of corporate partners. The BCC also provides one-on-one counseling and coaching.
“We met with about 4,000 students in the last year to talk about everything related to the job search process,” Rippey said.
Jane Hershman, a recruiter from Texas-based telecommunications infrastructure company Crown Castle, said she encourages students to leverage as many resources as possible as they get ready to interact with recruiters.
That includes Nittany Lion Careers, where attendees can see which companies will be represented and whether they are actively recruiting at the event.
“There are a lot of employers, and the time goes by quickly, and so it's really important to be thoughtful and intentional to prioritize conversations with employers that you want to learn more about, as you are pursuing those opportunities,” Hershman said.
She noted that these types of events aren’t just for those currently seeking jobs or internships.
“It's a great opportunity to learn about different functions, about different companies, about different industries, about different potential pathways as you start to explore and kind of understand yourself and understand your interests,” Hershman said.
When it comes to a career fair day or similar event, Rippey said the best thing a student can do for themselves is to attend.
“I understand how it can be very intimidating to try to sell yourself,” she said. “But you just have to rip the Band-Aid off and go.”
Hershman echoed that.
“You have absolutely nothing to lose,” she said. “You're at a career fair because you already don't have a job. It's all upside potential.”
If nothing else, Hershman added, the result could be an expanded network and a better understanding of available opportunities.
One other thing Hershman wants students to know: The events are also a chance to get to know a company better.
“It's very easy to lose sight of the fact that you're interviewing us, too,” Hershman said. “You're assessing the recruiter or the representative from the business. You're asking them questions that you want to know the answers to. They're telling you about programs, they're telling you about the culture, they're telling you what your work life would be like.”
Hershman said programs like those facilitated by the BCC are one reason Smeal students stand out to recruiters.
“They are prepared, they are thoughtful, they ask good questions,” Hershman said. “The caliber of students at Smeal is exemplary.”
In all, the BCC holds about 70 to 100 events a year, many in connection with supporters and alumni like Osusky.
“I’ll be honest, I didn't take advantage of those as much as I should have as a student, and now being able to come back and really express the importance of using the resources at Penn State, it's an amazing operation up there, it's an amazing school, an amazing program,” Osusky said.
That’s one reason he said he finds it so rewarding to come back as an alumni recruiter.
“Really utilizing everything that's at your fingertips makes a huge difference, and it makes it much, much easier down the line,” he said.
“And being able to tell that to students now, and pushing them in the right direction, it really does feel good.”