Students networked with top companies during the Rawls Speed Networking event, Etiquette Reception and Dinner, and Rawls Career Fair.
Students from the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business had the opportunity to meet with recruiters from leading companies during events organized by the Rawls Career Management Center (CMC) throughout the week of September 30 – October 4.
"Our team is very pleased with how well the recruiting season has gone so far," said Senior Director of the Rawls CMC, Barry Broughton. "In addition to the excellent participation in all the events leading up to the career fair, we saw record numbers in both employer and student attendance at the fair itself."
Networking opportunities commenced on Sept. 30 during the Rawls Speed Networking event.
At the event, students rotated around the room to give their elevator pitch to employers
in hopes of obtaining an on-the-spot interview. More than 75 students and 12 companies
participated in the event.
On the following evening, Oct. 1, more than 100 students and 15 companies gathered for the Rawls Etiquette Reception and Dinner. The evening began with a mocktail hour followed by a formal dining experience, where students and employers networked while learning about dining etiquette. The event concluded with a panel discussion about career fair best practices and a laptop giveaway by Dell.
"The etiquette dinner was a really enjoyable event and I appreciated the opportunity to connect with companies in a fun and relaxed environment," said Paula Canepa, a graduate student from Cordoba, Argentina. "I felt really happy when I won the laptop; as a data science student it will be useful, not only for my classes but also for my professional development."
The main recruiting event, the Rawls Career Fair, was hosted on Oct. 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. This semester's career fair was the largest in college history with 141 companies from across Texas and the United States in attendance. Employers represented various industries, ensuring opportunities for all Rawls College students.
Recent Rawls College alumnus, Adrian Zamora, joined Dell in December of 2017. Zamora said coming back to recruit at Rawls College is a neat experience. "I was just here two years ago looking for an internship, which ended up turning into a full-time job with Dell," said Zamora. "Rawls provides students a good foundation."
To help students prepare for the event, the Rawls CMC hosted several workshops and encouraged students to schedule appointments to discuss topics such as resume formatting, navigating the career fair, and interview tips.
Junior accounting and finance student, Valentina Henao-Morales said, "The first time I attended the career fair I was really nervous, but the experience helped me become more confident." To prepare for this year's fair, she attended several company information sessions, conducted thorough research and sought guidance from the Rawls CMC. Henao-Morales' effort paid off. "I already have an interview scheduled," she said. "Hopefully, I will get an internship for the summer."
With more than 1,200 students in attendance, employers were impressed with the talent
available and pleased with the level of professionalism students exuded.
"In speaking with many of the companies who attended, they were extremely impressed
with the professionalism and preparedness of our students," said Broughton.
Ken Robinson, Director of School Nutrition at Aramark, has been recruiting at Texas
Tech for more than 18 years and enjoys getting to come back to his alma mater.
"I love the Red Raider spirit, great work ethic, and overall talent of Texas Tech
students; they tend to do very well at our company," said Robinson.
District Sales Manager for Hershey, Justin Robertson, emphasized the importance of students following-up with recruiters after the career fair. When following-up, he encourages students to highlight something from their conversation that will make them stand out. "I also like when students ask for the job," said Robertson. "I want to know they want the job."
On the Thursday and Friday following the Rawls Career Fair, 36 companies stayed to conduct on-campus interviews. The week concluded with students participating in more than 485 interviews. In the weeks following the career fair, additional companies will return to campus to interview Rawls students.
The spring Rawls Career Fair is scheduled for February 12, 2020.