Collegiate Times

In a Wall Street Journal ranking from September, Virginia Tech placed 13th out of 25 schools where graduates were top-rated by job recruiters.

Tech was ranked higher than the University of Virginia, the University of North Carolina and the University of South Carolina.

Some students might think engineering is the only specialty Tech has to offer. In reality, recruiters come to Tech looking for competent graduates in many fields, including agriculture, liberal arts, business and finance.

Prospective employers on campus are frequently impressed with the quality of applicants Tech produces. According to Career Services, recruiters say Tech students are well-prepared, well-dressed, and have done the research on employers.

Many large employers such as Freddie Mac, Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen Hamilton find Tech is a ‘“key school” for recruiting. Academics, alumni currently employed, reputation of school, past success of hires and technical skills of students are some of the vital things that make Tech a key school for these employers.

Employers select schools that meet certain criteria. Skills, type of education and major are all important things recruiters look at when picking a school to see or targeting graduates.

“Tech graduates gain experience in the Ware Lab and also with the Lumenhaus project. We are a great research university,” said Lisa Boothe, the senior employer relations coordinator at Tech’s Smith Career Center.

Smith Career Center and Hokies4Hire are resources for students looking for employment or internship opportunities.

Daniel Watkins with Facility Engineering Associates said he sees a level of maturity in Tech graduates, and a sense of preparedness that can be seen in interview skills and resumes. Watkins recommended students seek out opportunities during the summer that will better prepare them for a job.

After an employer conducts an on-campus interview, they are asked to fill out a survey asking how they would rate their experience recruiting at Tech.

Communication, leadership skills, problem-solving skills and analytical skills are among the top qualities that employers look for in a potential candidate.

Alicia Downey with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who frequently recruits on campus, finds Tech graduates have a great work ethic, classroom knowledge and communication skills.

“Tech students are of great caliber, and perform just as well, if not better, than other schools in the area,” she said.

In one year, 300 to 400 employers will come to Tech to give on-campus interviews. Anywhere from 7,000 to 9,000 interviews are given each year.

A version of this article appeared in the Feb 15 issue of the Collegiate Times.