Navigating Employer EventsFor Mature Recruiting

Robyn Ettinger

Employer Services, MBA Career Management

Navigating Employer Events: Agenda

1 The Big Picture

Events Overview 2Acing the Event3

The Big Picture

Why Should I Attend Events?

The Big Picture For You

Meet people and start building your network 1

Get info on company and gain insights into culture

2Make an impression 3

Get Started 4

The Big Picture For Employers

Expose

Cultivate

Evaluate

Sell

EIS, Networking Expo, Lunch & Learns, Treks, Panels

Coffee Chats, Case/Interview Prep

Single-firm events, Days on the Job, Private Dinners, Stock

Pitch, Interviews

Private Dinners, Sell Events

Why Do Employers Host Events?

Events Overview:

- Employer Information Sessions (EIS)- Networking Expos - Coffee Chats - Other

EIS 101

Highest attended EIS last year?

# EISs scheduled so far for first-

years?

Hotel most frequently used?

EIS 101

- 45-min slots: 30 min pres & Q&A- Q&A breakouts & small reception- Some open to 2Ys

- Business line & HR representatives- C-suite executives, Presidents & Managing

Directors- Wharton alumni

- Hosted on-campus, off-campus or virtual - Will take place in one of these time blocks:

12:15, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30

What is the format?

Who comes from the company?

Where & when are they typically held?

Why Should I Attend an EIS?

You Want Employer Wants

• Gain industry knowledge

• Deeper understanding of firm’s culture

• Meet business leaders, alum, recruiters

• Source content & contacts for cover letter

• Learn about opportunities & application details

• Gain insight into hiring process

• Create awareness/build brand

• Define company culture

• Meet students face to face

• Explain career paths

• Introduce various offices or functions

• Differentiate firm from competitors

• Drum up applications

• Update your RSVP• Stop by early (if on

campus) • Introduce yourself,

excuse yourself, and follow up

• Write to contact in CareerPath if off campus

• Have a friend share notes

UNABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO A CONFLICT

• Record the right person’s name and position

• Get contact info from CareerPath

• Write a direct email to thank them for presenting and ask for 15 minutes of follow up time

DIDN’T GET TO TALK PERSONALLY

• Record highlights on business card

• Thank them via email & mention specifics

• Use as example in cover letter

HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION

EIS Situations – What Would You Do?

EIS Breakdown By Industry

Consulting 9%

Consumer Products8%

Retail 3%

Diversified Manufacturing 3%

Energy 8%

Diversified Financial Services 3%

Investment Banking18%

Investment Management 12%

Private Equity 6%

Healthcare 10%

Media 1%

Real Estate 3%

Social Impact 5%

Technology 10%Etc. 1%

How to Find Who is Coming & Sign-Up?

CareerPath Search Results

Networking Expo 101

When & Where?

- Monday, Nov. 7th at 6pm - Rittenhouse Hotel

What is the format?

- High-top tables, cocktail party-like

- 35-40 companies Who typically comes from the

company?

- 1 – 5 people per company- Mix of HR, business line

and alumni

Who is Coming This Year?

Coffee Chat 101

Is there really

coffee?

True or False: a

coffee chat is evaluative

How many Starbucks are

there on campus?

Coffee Chat 101

What is the format?

Who comes from the

company?

Where are they typically

held?

Individual or (very) small-group networking opportunity

Business line reps, Wharton alumni

On- and off-campus locations

What is the dress code?

Business casual to business professional. It all depends!

Why Should I Attend a Coffee Chat?

You Want Employer Wants

• Develop an advocate within the company

• Gain first-person experience of the company’s inner workings/culture

• Clarity on person’s role

• Learn about mobility within the organization

• An opportunity to showcase “why”

• Source content for cover letter

• Cultivate and evaluate candidates

• Sell the opportunity to work at the company

• To build relationships and be available to candidates

How to Find Who is Coming & Sign-Up?

Other Event Formats

Days on the Job/

InformationalsStudent Treks

Small Group Dinners & Cocktails

Topical Events / Lunch & Learns

EISs & Coffee Chats

Day on Job/ Treks

EISs & Coffee Chats

EISs & Coffee Chats

Day on Job/ Treks

No Core Classes Break / Int’l Treks

Day on Job/ Treks

Day on Job/ Treks

Acing the Event

Acing the Event –Make it Work for You

• EISs are listed on SPIKE and CareerPath (check regularly for adds/drops/room changes)

• Be strategic about the events you attend

• Keep a calendar, spreadsheet, etc.

Stay Organized

• Leave yourself enough time to prep• Trends/headlines• Products & services• Read job descriptions if avail.• WetFeet, Vault, Hoover’s,

Capital IQ & Lippincott Library

• Talk to WG17 interns (if any)• Create 3-5 questions per company

• Do it and reference memorable parts of conversation

• EISs are listed on SPIKE and CareerPath (check regularly for adds/drops/room changes)

• Be strategic about the events you attend

• Keep a calendar, spreadsheet, etc.

• What do you want them to remember you for?

• What do you want to walk out with?

• Focus on quality of interaction, not quantity

Stay OrganizedPrepare

Attend with a goalFollow-up

Acing the Event –Make it Work for You

Strong Questions to Ask from an Employer POV

What are you currently working on?

Why did you choose the company?

What function has P&L ownership within the company?

Where does senior management come from? Are they promoted from within or outside hires? What functions do they come from?

What skill sets can a person develop as they progress at the firm?

What student profile are you looking for?

How much impact can a new employee/intern have on the business?

How active is the Wharton alumni network at the firm? C-level Wharton alums?

What is the culture of the firm? Can you give specific examples? What are the critical success factors for the company? Do those match well with my own skill set?

After the Event – Following-Up

• Ask for a business card

• Take notes during the event

• Write a thank you to those with whom you had a meaningful interaction

• Personalize your thank you notes

• Apply for the position

Impactful Follow-Up from an Employer POV

Generic vs. specific

How should they remember you? What is

the connection?

Have an “ask or propose a

next step

Preparing for Recruiting Events –Tips for International Students

Know the company’s work authorization policy

• Information is listed in CareerPath (EIS and job description) and SPIKE

What if I don’t have U.S. work authorization?

• Attend events to learn more about the company• Inquire about international opportunities outside of the U.S.

headquarters & global mobility in future roles• Set your CareerPath communications preferences to receive

emails from MBACM about recruiting in the U.S. for non U.S. authorized students

• Find a contact for opportunities outside of the U.S. • Ask when/if the company makes exceptions to their policy• Have Plan A & Plan B recruiting strategies prepared

EIS by Work Authorization Requirement

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Company requires U.S.work visa/authorization/citizenship

Company will sponsorwork authorization

Other (specialqualifications/requirements)

Recruiting Event Dos

12354

786

9

Dress like you “get” the industry

Turn off anything that makes noise!!!

Be aware of your body language

Introduce yourself when asking questions, wear your nametag

Engage in conversation with junior staff

Introduce other classmates into the conversation

Target the right questions to the right

people

Take notes

RSVP, arrive on time, & check-in via app

Recruiting Event Don’ts

Be a no-show

Leave in the middle of the presentation (or slam the door!)

Use your phone…. or take pictures of slides

Be too aggressive or monopolize recruiters’ time

Speak negatively about past work experience

Be memorable for the wrong reasons

Bottom Line Advice

Events are foundational to a company’s recruiting strategy

Evaluate the company as much as you are being evaluated

Expose

Cultivate

Evaluate

Sell

Questions?