BYU NewsNet - Career Fair 2008

By Brian Fromm

For job recruiters, the Honor Code represents more than just a set of religious standards that students must adhere to while going to school - it's a code of conduct that represents the quality and character of individuals that they can bring into the workplace.

Each year, more than 800 job recruiters visit Brigham Young University to participate in various career fairs. At Wednesday's Career Fair in the Wilkinson Student Center, some 150 recruiters will be on hand to answer questions and chat with prospective employees. Although a number of these recruiters represent local companies, the majority of them come from across the United States and other countries on their own dime.

"Once they come here, they love the students," said Dorothy Jensen, manager of recruiting services at BYU. "They know that our students have integrity, they show up to work on time, they have a passion about their job, they don't get drunk on the weekend, they're very dedicated employees, and they generally become the stars. These are the types of characteristics that employers have come to rely on and expect from BYU students."

While these characteristics can be found in students from most universities, it can be difficult to know whether or not an applicant has them until after they've proven themselves in the workplace, because federal and state laws prohibit employers from asking questions that can be viewed as discriminatory.

"Employers like that so many [BYU students] are married," said Beverly Harmon, who advises the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology. "Even though they can't ask if they're married, employers like that BYU students are more settled down, they aren't out partying all night, and they can pass a drug test. Basically, everything the Honor Code covers."

Harmon also pointed out that mission experience and other church opportunities help students become more grounded. There's a flipside to this, however.

"If they see a student not abiding by the Honor Code, it's a negative thing," Harmon said. "They know what our standards are here, and if a student comes in that is clearly not in compliance with that, they know that this is a student whose word doesn't mean anything. Fortunately, that's a rarity."

One challenge that companies face when recruiting is finding students who want to work in states other than where they attend school. According to Debra Vranes, campus recruiting manager of Deloitte, most schools only feed into the local market. The diversity of BYU students alleviates this concern.

"The student population is comprised of all states across the country and other countries," Vranes said. "When we go there to recruit, we're able to place students in a lot of offices across the country and also international offices as well."

In addition to the type of students coming out of BYU, the university itself has earned a reputation that gives students an advantage. BYU's accounting program, for example, is ranked No. 2 in the nation. Vranes noted that this is one of the major reasons large companies such as Deloitte actively recruit at BYU.

BYU hosts career fairs at different times during the year.

"The next career fair is (Wednesday)," Jensen said. "Even though the focus will be lining up internships, employers will be there to interview for full-time positions as well as provide opportunities for students to learn about their company. This is a campus-wide career fair for all majors."

Career fairs give students and employers the opportunity to meet, learn about each other, and setup interviews. Students at all stages of their academic career are encouraged to attend.

Harmon has received feedback from recruiters saying that some students show up to career fairs looking for a position, but they look like they just got out of bed.

"Go to a job fair like you would a job interview," Harmon said. "Companies pay to be here and we need to show them respect."

According to the counseling and career center, other criticisms employers have of BYU students include not doing sufficient research on the company they're interviewing with, poor presentation skills, lack of energy, and lack of interest in the employer's products or services.

In addition to organizing career fairs, BYU has a number of other resources available to help students prepare for the future.

"We have an excellent University Advisement Center, a placement center, and a career learning and information center," said Jay Irvine, graduate business and management school adviser. "There are tons of materials, resources and professionals here who can help guide you in choosing a major and selecting a career choice."

For those students who have already made plans for their future, Irvine said the advisement centers can still be of benefit.

"We've literally dealt with tens-of-thousands of students and thousands of corporations across the United States," Irvine said. "We have a pretty broad base of knowledge of what's out there and what's practical and realistic. The problem we run into is that most students are not aware of these resources and do not utilize them. We can show you where these resources are and how to work with these people. If you learn to master that, getting a job is a piece of cake."

One of the major tools advisers use to help students with career exploration and placement is the eRecruiting system which gives access to over 5,000 recruiters and 300,000 alumni. Jensen explains that when employers post a job, students are able to see that posting immediately. If they want to apply or have questions, they have the employer's contact information and can correspond with them. In addition, if students post a resume to their profile, employers can actively browse it and reach out to them as potential employees.

"Employers have their accounts, students have their accounts, and they have access to each other," Jensen said. "This system has brought the level of service between students and employers to such a high level. It's incredible."

The eRecruiting system also provides access to other information such as dates for career fairs and upcoming visits from companies as well as information about employers and their respective job markets. When a company is planning a trip to campus to interview potential employees, an information session is held for students to learn about the company. By providing this information beforehand, interviews are able to focus on the applicant instead of answering questions about the company. Students are notified about these sessions via the eRecruiting system.

As students prepare for career placement and the interview process, many believe that their GPA is the most important factor determining their ability to be placed in a job. According to Jensen, however, the focus should not be solely on grades, but rather on being a well-rounded person.

Irvine agreed and said that while grades are a portion of academic success, practical work experience, knowledge of the job market and networking are equally important factors and can be enhanced by using the eRecruiting system.

Jensen, Irvine and Harmon all agree that BYU students have a lot going for them. In addition to attending an accredited university with a high-quality curriculum and positive reputation, policies such as the Honor Code reinforce the conduct that many corporations across the world are looking for. By understanding these factors and utilizing the resources available on campus, students have a combination that Irvine refers to as a goldmine.

"Come and use us," Jensen said. "We're here to help."