Policies - Procedures – Protocol
For
Recruiting & Hiring DEWSC Graduates
The purpose of this page is to define a 'position' that everyone involved in the recruiting and hiring process can clearly understand. We have established a process that will create an atmosphere of success for all who are involved in the recruitment and subsequent hiring of DEWSC students.
Graduating Construction Students
The most important thing to remember is that you are ultimately responsible for finding yourself a job. Dr. Bill Badger, Director of the School, often gives a speech to the freshman that says "You are the Captain of your own ship". We take that philosophy to heart since the professional skills you learn while searching for your first position will be invaluable in your professional career. Attitude plays a major role during hiring process and in interviews. The following guidelines are meant to help you establish the best image so as to get off on the right foot during this critical time in your life.
- The first thing you should do is prepare an up-to-date, one-page resume that is factual and accurate.
Resumes should be reviewed by more than one other person.
Make sure that they take a critical look at your resume.
- You should register with Career Services and use their guidance in preparing for the interview sessions.
- Once you have decided to begin the interview process, we recommend that you target only those companies that you have a serious interest in for permanent employment. We suggest those that have professional leadership and support our program by providing guest lecturers and fund scholarships, grants, and internships.
You should prepare a short-list of companies and do your
homework on their corporate profile.
- Your personal selection criteria in choosing the right company should include:
- the type of work the company does;
- the reputation and ethical practices of the company;
- the professionalism of the people with whom you will work with;
- the training and continuing education programs available;
- the opportunities for advancement;
- the actual type of work (office, field, etc.) you will be assigned;
- the salary and benefits offered; and
- the benefits and drawbacks of working for a large company vs. a smaller company.
- The names of companies that are coming to ASU to interview construction graduates can be found from many sources, including: Career Services: www.asu.edu/career; our web page construction.asu.edu/Recruitment; posters in the hallways, and through our own
Manager of Industry Relations, Matthew Eicher (480-727-6474 or
m.eicher@asu.edu).
- Prior to any interview, thoroughly research the company and the job
according to the eight criteria above. If they have a web site,
check it out. Also, Matt may have some brochures on them. One of
the best ways to learn about a company is to attend their
presentations sponsored by the various student clubs (AGC, NAHB,
SLC, NAWIC?) when they are offered. It is a great forum in which
you can ask questions in an informal atmosphere. In addition, construction companies
occasionally set up an information table in the hallway of the DEWSC the day prior to their interviews.
- Anticipate the interview questions and prepare your responses. For example, some “break the ice” questions are: What can you tell me about yourself? What are your goals? What specific activity would you like to be assigned to? Would you mind moving to an out of state location? Do you like to move around frequently?
- It goes without saying that you should “dress up” for the interview. First impressions are based a lot on your appearance.
It is extremely important to convey a professional image.
- What you say and do during the interview will most likely be the difference between going on to the next level or ending the relationship. Your attitude (mentioned at beginning of this section!) should be one of self-confidence tempered with a large dose of humility. The interviewer should believe that you are an honest and loyal person who has unquestionable ethics and moral values. The one thing that prospective employers absolutely cannot stand is the young, arrogant, not-dry-behind-the-ears, new construction management graduate who expects to be running the company in two years. Again, the key word is humility.
- Assuming that you go on to additional interviews leading to a genuine offer that meets your expectations, you should accept it and stop interviewing. Whatever you do never try to “job shop” offers between companies. In fact, if you receive several offers, it is important to tactfully tell the companies that you do not choose that you are going to accept another offer and be sure to thank them for the offer.
- Always send a thank you letter to each and every company that you interview with.
Industry Participants
We are really fortunate in the DEWSC that so many construction companies value our program to come back year after year seeking students for full time employment. In order to facilitate the time spent on campus, we have developed some suggestions that hopefully will provide a more productive and enjoyable visit. The best scenario, of course, is to have only one or two companies on campus at any one time, as it gets quite hectic when several firms are vying for a limited (~40) number of student graduates, but this is not always possible.
- If you are a new company or have not been here for some time, perhaps you will want to browse the DEWSC web site and see what our curriculum and program are all about. You might also want to contact our
Manager of Industry Relations, Matthew Eicher (480-727-6474 or
m.eicher@asu.edu) to have him send you informational brochures, scholarship guidelines, internship opportunities, etc.
- Consider becoming involved in our program (if you are not already) by
offering guest lectures, funding grants, scholarships, and/or
providing internships or part time jobs. Any of these activities
facilitates a company’s presence on campus and it is a good way
to make yourself known to the students. A better relationship
with the School translates into a more successful recruitment
environment.
- Another good way to communicate your company’s culture is to establish a
link on our website. Every employer is offered the
opportunity to post their information on the web to convey a
more complete picture of what they are offering to candidates. All (100%) of our students use the web almost exclusively as the initial source of information on most subjects, including construction firms.
- Plan ahead and schedule your visits at the beginning of each semester.
The more lead time the better interview list will be.
- Another option would be to contact Matt (see above) and sign up as a sponsor for one of our student clubs’ meetings (AGC, NAHB, SLC, NAWIC). This would entail that you make a presentation about your company the evening prior to interviews. Following the presentation, you would have an informal question & answer session and interested students who were not already scheduled for an interview could then sign up for an interview slot the next day. Usually a small donation (perhaps $250 or so) will cover pizza and soft drinks to induce a better crowd for the evening! It is also recommended that you set up a table in our hallway the day before the interviews to better acquaint the students with your company.
- Assuming that you have identified one or more students who would fit your company’s “profile” and are ready to make an offer, we strongly recommend that the offer be in writing and that you allow the student at least two (2) weeks to respond. We have found that this is generally the length of time it takes a young person—especially those who are going through it for the first time—to sort out their interviews and offers.
- Finally, one thing that we would caution an industry representative from not doing is to solicit any type of rank ordering of candidates from the faculty and staff. Aside from the ethical implications, you would find that all of us are individuals with our own biases and emotions that would most likely produce several combinations of rankings. We do not object to your asking our opinion on students’ potential, but please recognize that we are not qualified to make a firm recommendation one way or another on how they would perform in the “real world.”
Career Services
Arizona State University prides itself on having one of the most efficient and successful Career Services programs in the nation. During 1999, they provided more than 500 companies with access to student graduates in disciplines across the campus through on-campus interviews and various other recruiting events. We in the DEWSC have enjoyed an excellent relationship with these professionals and know that most of our students have relied heavily on the Career Services expertise and guidance in helping them find the right job match.
The services provided by Career Services include:
- Notifying students of impending company on-campus interviews.
- Providing the necessary interview rooms to assure confidentiality and privacy.
Employer access to web resumes of registered students and alumni.