| TOP FIRMS
HIRING CBA STUDENTS*
*Numbers in parentheses indicate number of hires for 1996, 1995 respectively **First Chicago and its subsidiary, American National, merged with NBD in July 1995 |
While
many schools are noticing a reduction in the number of organizations recruiting
on campus, the Commerce Placement Office has enjoyed a considerable increase.
In Fall 1995, 217 firms recruited on campus; in Spring 1996, 249 firms
came. Counting companies only once for the entire year, this amounted to
a total of 347 firms. Nearly 9,000 interviews were given during these visits
to the more than 800 seniors and accountancy master's students registered
with the CPO.
Services offered students by the placement office undergo frequent change, reflecting the demands of an ever-changing business world. Besides helping students secure their first job, the CPO provides a series of programs and workshops that help students decide which career path is best for them, learn how to conduct an independent job search, and develop interviewing skills. In fact, students are encouraged to begin using placement services their freshman year so that the interviewing process three years later will not find them unprepared. Because most people do not spend their entire career with one company, a major focus of the CPO is to prepare students for the future by stressing the importance of keeping knowledge and skills current, through constant learning and growth. |
|
Commerce Placement Office staff - Lee Welch, Mary Martin, Vickie Sloan, Pat Healea, Linda Morenz, Lois Meerdink |
According to placement director Lois Meerdink, the national trend in campus recruiting among major companies is to visit fewer universities, but to have greater visibility in those schools. We are in the fortunate position of attracting a growing number of recruiters, who, in addition to recruiting, become involved in our activities, ranging from contact with various students clubs in this college to making presentations at career focus and employment skills sessions.
As companies re-engineer their recruiting processes to become more cost-efficient, nay hold focus groups with our students to learn how they react to the company's new strategies. One result emerging from the re-engineering is more targeted recruiting. Employers now emphasize hiring people with the specific skills they require. Over the past five to ten years we have seen a marked reduction in what was once a common practice, hiring a large freshman class, training them, and then retaining only the best. As training becomes more expensive and company budgets are pared, the trend is to hire people who will "hit the ground running." People who are good fits with the company and have the sills needed for a particular job are the most attractive.
Another result of this re-engineering is the greater use of internships as a recruiting strategy for new college hires.
U of I Commerce is always one of the most efficient placement services we deal with.
Michael E. Montgomery, recruiter
Catepillar/Parts & Service Support
| UNDERGRADUATE PLACEMENT SURVEY FOR 1995-96 | ||||||
| # | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Major | Registered | Responded | Employed | Grad School | Other | Available |
| Accy | 265 | 77 | 92 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| BA | 180 | 71 | 83 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Econ | 12 | 33 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Fin | 227 | 67 | 85 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 684* | 71 | 87 | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| *CBA students only. The CPO also serves students who are LAS econ or fin majors, and students fromother colleges who wish to pursue a career in business (about 180) | ||||||
"I interview at four colleges (UI, DePaul, Northwestern, & NIU). The caliber of business students at the U of I far exceeds that of other schools (work experience, internship experience, campus activities and involvement, etc.). The U of I has more well-rounded students."
Kim Sturonas, NCR Systemdia Group
| SALARIES ACCEPTED BY COMMERCE CLASS OF 1996 | ||||||||||
| Major | # Reporting | Average | Median | Range | ||||||
| Accountancy | 177 | $30,777 | $31,000 | $24,000 - 41,000 | ||||||
| Business Administration | ||||||||||
| Entrepeneurship | 1 | 37,000 | ||||||||
| Food & Agribusiness Mgt | 4 | 29,575 | 29,500 | 23,300 - 36,000 | ||||||
| Industrial Distribution Mgt | 17 | 32,830 | 32,904 | 28,000 - 42,000 | ||||||
| Mgt Information Systems | 17 | 35,628 | 35,280 | 30,000 - 42,000 | ||||||
| Marketing | 40 | 28,647 | 28,300 | 18,000 - 40,400 | ||||||
| Organizational Admin | 10 | 27,530 | 28,150 | 22,000 - 34,000 | ||||||
| Economics | 3 | 30,333 | 29,000 | 29,000 - 33,000 | ||||||
| Finance | 108 | 30,957 | 31,000 | 23,000 - 45,000 | ||||||
| MAS | 8 | 34,788 | 33,250 | 30,000 - 41,000 | ||||||
| MST | 5 | 33,400 | 33,000 | 31,000 - 36,000 | ||||||
| ACCOUNTING MASTER'S PLACEMENT STATISTICS | ||
| MAS | MST | |
| # Registered | 24 | 19 |
| Response | 38% | 45% |
| Plans | 78% | 67% |
| Salaries | ||
| Average | $34,788 | $34,400 |
| Median | $33,250 | $33,000 |
| Range | $30-41,000 | $31-36,000 |
| CAREER PROGRAM AND JOB SEARCH WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS | |
| Companies which participated during the 1995-96 academic year:
Abbot Laboratories |
1996-97 participants on board at the time this publication
went to press:
Amoco Corporation |
|
STUDENT SURVEY | |
| Students responding by August 1996 | |
| 7% continuing education or had other plans |
6% still available |
 | |
| CAREER FAIR | |
| Commerce Career Fairs are held twice each year, in the beginning of the fall and spring terms. CPO and several student organizations make the arrangements for these popular events. Due to increased demand, this Fall Career Fair was expanded to two day to accommodate the large number of companies who wished to participate. | |
 |
Approximately 150 companies came to Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, during the two days, to talk to the approximate 1,200 - 1,500 students who attended each day. The Career Fair provides a forum where students and business organizations can meet informally to discuss job and internship opportunities. |
The MBA Career Services office entered it's third year of operation this fall. Last year was one of transition, marked by the hiring of a new director, Elizabeth Polak, and the addition of new professional staff. Many new programs were also introduced.
Bruce Raak (MS, BS Michigan State) was hired as associate director. Previously with A. E. Staley Company, he brings 20 years experience in human resources to the job. Raak shares the responsibility for student programming, advising, and employer development with the director. Joann Chou, MBA, PhD University of Illinois) was hired as assistant director. She works primarily with international students, focusing on developing international employment opportunities.
 | MBA Career Services staff - Elizabeth Polak, Joann Chou, and Bruce Raak |
Student Services: Career Services offers a full range of career development and placement activities - from resume writing, mock interviews, career focus seminars to the CBA Job Board and on-campus recruiting. Recently added services include a Resource Room for MBA students; a weekly newsletter distributed on FirstClass; new educational programs/seminars to help students with their career development process; a corporate database; expanded walk-in hours; and individual assistance. Student participation in the resume book and at seminars increased as a result of marketing efforts. The first international student resume book was produced and distributed to 30 employers.
Employer Services: A larger staff has allowed Career Services to increase its efforts to increase the number of companies recruiting MBA students on campus. More employers were contacted during on-campus visits, at conferences, and at college-sponsored programs.