In an effort to support over 1,400 students for the third complement of Arch away opportunities following the summer of 2022, the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute continues to engage and build partnerships with top industry employers. Through a collaborative effort, the CCPD works closely with companies to create a campus presence for their organization, to market their employment opportunities to Rensselaer students, and ultimately, to fulfill their recruitment needs.

With a variety of opportunities for employers to get to know the students at Rensselaer, the Spring Career Fair tops the list. Every February, over 140 companies from all industries and sectors participate with nearly 2,000 students in attendance, creating an excellent opportunity for both employers and candidates to connect.

On February 9, employers had the opportunity to virtually engage with and compete for top-quality students who match their desired skill set and unique environment in architecture; business; engineering; humanities, arts, and social sciences; information technology; and science.

From large-scale Fortune 100 companies to local startups, the 2022 virtual Spring Career Fair attracted a variety of organizations that appeal to Rensselaer students, including Mathworks, Cisco Systems, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, GE, Bloomberg, and Pratt and Whitney, to name a few.

From a student perspective, this event provided an opportunity to network with prospective employers, including over 100 Rensselaer alumni recruiters, to obtain information about various industries and open positions, to generate a list of professional contacts, and most importantly, to personally express their interest by submitting their resume for consideration. Through Handshake, an online job platform, students had the opportunity to select from over 6,800 employer 1:1 sessions and over 120 employer group sessions that aligned with their career goals. 

“Rensselaer students are hard-working, intelligent, and caring thought leaders of our future. It is these qualities that draw employers to recruit RPI students for internships, co-ops, and full-time opportunities across a variety of industries,” said Erika Cary, associate director of career development. “The annual Spring Career Fair is a hallmark event, providing students of all class years and majors an opportunity to build their professional network, explore new professional opportunities, and share the value of a Rensselaer education. For Arch students heading into the summer semester, it is a unique and valuable way for them to explore meaningful professional opportunities for their semester away experience.”

Leading up to the Career Fair, the CCPD hosted resume critique and interviewing strategy sessions for individual students and student organizations. Additionally, the CCPD offered advanced training for students on how to review and research employers, dress appropriately for the various networking events, set career expectations and goals, and create a personal brand strategy and develop their “pitch” to employers.

These efforts are in addition to a customized, virtual career development course created with industry in mind for sophomore students in each of the five schools at Rensselaer. The curriculum includes instructor-led modules on topics such as resume and cover letter creation, interview preparation, soft skill development, and professional networking.