Build brand and recruit at career fairs
Career fairs offer the opportunity to build brand and recruit students, says Alexandra Booth from KiwiRail.
“We also enjoy getting to know students and building relationships with key demographics on campus because we recruit from a wide variety of degree disciplines for varying roles across the company,” she adds.
Perpetual Guardian People and Capability Advisor Tony Tung says relationship building is a major part of their interest in AUT’s Business and Economics Career Fair.
“We are looking for students that are not only book-smart but have inquisitive minds and the confidence to approach us,” he says.
Perpetual Guardian, the first organisation in New Zealand to formally offer a four-day week, is piloting many avenues to attract staff, including attending career fairs.
It was through a CAANZ career fair that AUT graduate Chris White landed an internship with Perpetual Guardian over the summer of 2017. This led to a co-op position and casual paid work until he graduated and took up a full-time position there.
“While doing my internship, I told my intern manager about co-op and he was more than happy for me to do it there. So the internship gave me a chance to prove myself and working casually for them kept me in touch.”
Chris encourages students to get out and meet employers at functions like career fairs and get to know them.
“You have to present yourself to employers and get to know them if you want to find work.”
This career fair is a fantastic way for industry to engage with students across the Business & Economic schools and our city and Manukau campuses, says AUT Employability relationship manager Victoria Marshall, who is organising the event with the Business and Economics Faculty.
Registrations have been at full capacity for the past two months with 40 exhibitors confirmed. She says organisations come to promote their brand as well as source internships and graduates.
“It involves time and effort but it is worth it for their reputation because students still value the attendance of employers at career fairs very highly.”
2019 Business & Economics Career Fair
The Business & Economics Career Fair has grown in stature and reputation over the past 10 years. This year newcomers, including Bloomberg, Heartland Bank, DXC Technology and Perpetual Guardian, have joined regular attendees such as Auckland Council, NZME, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC, Foodstuffs and Fonterra.
Many employers come to recruit for graduate roles and internships. This year, for example, Audit NZ is looking for 30 graduates and 15 interns. Bloomberg is looking for 15 graduates for their Sydney office (only NZ/Australian citizens). Findex, the rebranded Crowe Horwath, is recruiting seven graduates – Deloitte is looking for over 140.
Find out more about AUT career fair and employability events with organisations