What Recruiters Really Say About Hiring UCLA Grads

This past fall, counselors from the Career Center met with recruiters from major employers in Los Angeles, including Target, Deloitte Consulting, BNC Mortgage, and Ameriprise Financial Services. Our discussions garnered information that will be of value to UCLA students. We want to share what we learned -- qualities sought in applicants, creative ways you may be screened beyond the conventional interview, and how you can improve your chances of winning a job offer.

Qualities Sought In Candidates

Discipline: Recruiters like the self-discipline candidates demonstrate by earning a college degree. They appreciate students’ focus and staying-power as they make their way through four or five years of coursework, while juggling multiple other responsibilities, including family, work, internships, and extracurricular activities.

Emotional Intelligence: While employers naturally seek intellectual proficiency, increasingly they look for emotional intelligence. Jeremiah Williamson, a manager and financial advisor at Ameriprise Financial Services, a comprehensive financial planning firm, points out, “Clients trust us with their most important goals and dreams, so we need people who are good at listening, who can be empathetic and relate to people.” Similarly, Tasha Clark, Campus Recruiter at Target, says her organization looks for a customer service orientation. This skill can be developed as a food server, or working as a retail sales associate.

Leadership: Recruiters search for leaders, students who can lead an organization and do something meaningful. “We look for people who can motivate others,” notes Clark, and, adds Williamson, “who can weather the ups and downs of running an organization.”

Team Spirit: Along with leadership, team spirit is valued. “We especially like team-oriented prospects,” says Clark. “That’s why we gravitate towards athletes and schools like UCLA with a lot of team sports.”

Qualities of Character: Williamson also likes athletic-oriented students “because they tend to be goal-oriented and manage time well” -- two qualities highly valued in applicants. And, not surprisingly, a smile helps! Clark says, “We want to see personality and a smile when we look at you.” Other assets include: stick-to-itiveness, follow-through, and passion.

Outside Interests: Recruiters look for candidates with interesting life experiences and outside interests so they can add to the social network of their organizations. Some even suggested that you add a “Special Interests” section to your resume to highlight some of your fascinating extracurricular activities.

Screening Process

After reviewing resumes, recruiters typically arrange a variety of interviews and assessments. For instance, after an initial screening at Target, candidates participate in a behavior-based interview. Incorporating an interactive format, Target representatives ask applicants to present specific situations in their life and address: “What behaviors, actions and feelings did you demonstrate?” and “What was the outcome?” The ability to adhere to this specific format often determines whether the candidate advances to the next stage in the recruitment process.

Some organizations often provide “greeters” in the waiting room of on-campus interviews at the Career Center. Students may not realize it but these greeters are actually performing informal interviews and providing input into the decision-making process. “These greeters often have much better insight than the more senior people conducting the interviews,” explains Bonnie Barnes, Partner/Principal of Deloitte Consulting.

Pre-employment testing is not unusual. For instance, Ameriprise asks applicants to role-play a sales call to a company, where actors pose as clients. “We simulate a variety of sales calls, while the job candidate poses as an Ameriprise advisor,” explains Williamson. Later, the company presents a marketing exam, asking applicants to brainstorm ways to build a business and develop areas of influence.

Recommendations for Improvement

Research Company: Several recruiters expressed surprise at the number of students who don’t conduct basic research on their company. “Some haven’t even logged onto our Web site to see what we do,” notes Karen Whitney, Senior V.P. of Human Resources at BNC Mortgage. Adds Williamson of Ameriprise, “We don’t want students just to say, ‘I saw you at the Career Fair and I thought I’d like to interview with you.’ I suggest creating a half-page company profile to prepare for every interview. For information on how to research companies, look at Chapter 4, “Job Search Strategies,” page 22, of the Career Guide or pick up a free copy of the Career Guide at the Career Center. In addition, one of best sources of employer information can be found at an Employer Information Session, hosted by the Career Center.

Presentation Skills: Another area of concern, similar to the emotional intelligence described earlier, is social and presentation skills. “Students are so focused on Game Boy or the Internet that they don’t know how to reach out, to present, to network and make a presentation,” says Williamson. “I feel like there needs to be etiquette training in how to run a meeting, walk into a room as if you’re in charge, and lunch with clients. Students who have developed skills in those areas through classes or extra-curricular activities will have an advantage in any business.”

Identify Career Goals: Barnes, of Deloitte, has discovered that students have often not given their career direction much thought. “They are not prepared; they are wishy-washy,” she notes. “There’s all this emphasis on G.P.A. and yet a shortage of research in what candidates want to be.” For assistance in this process of self-assessment, meet with a career counselor during Drop-In Counseling at the Career Center or register and attend any of the following workshops:

Self-Assessment: Interests
Self-Assessment: Personality
Skills Assessment
High Salary, Prestige & Security: What More Could I Want in a Job?, or
How to Discover Your Dream Career.

Another workshop, Researching American Companies, is available without registration. Copies of the schedule are available online or in the Career Center.

Note: This article was written and posted on this website on 1.24.07.