Fall Career Fair Statistics
While employer recruiting was down this quarter, due to the still-tight economy, RIT maintained a strong showing of companies at our Fall Career Fair on September 30th. 166 companies from across the country were on hand, eager to meet with 2661 students and alumni, showcase their products, and talk about job opportunities for co-op and graduating students. 61 companies stayed to conduct 770 interviews the following day, and many job offers followed. Employers continue to be excited about RIT students; one offered the following comment: “As usual the fair was wonderful -probably from our perspective the best so far in terms of qualified candidates. I guess that's one upside of a down economy!”
What Skills Are Employers Seeking?
Your son or daughter goes to college to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to acquire a great job in their chosen field. But what qualifications are employers really looking for in a candidate? In a survey of its employer members, The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that communication skills top the list of skills and qualities that employers rate as most important in new job candidates. It’s essential for students to be able to communicate verbally and in writing with co-workers and team members, and represent their company well with customers. Also in the top three are teamwork and leadership skills; companies are looking for employees who will work well as part of a team, as well as demonstrate initiative and the ability to lead others - the true leaders of tomorrow. How can students gain these skills? We recommend joining clubs and organizations – educational, social (including sororities and fraternities), and professional - volunteering, and getting part-time jobs. All of these activities will help students develop communication and teamwork skills, and allow them to take on leadership roles, as well as develop their personal and professional networks.
Other skills and qualities valued by employers in candidates include: honesty/integrity, motivation/initiative, strong work ethic, analytical skills, flexibility/adaptability, organizational skills, GPA (3.0 or better), and being detail-oriented. The more your son or daughter demonstrates these qualities to prospective employers, the more they’ll set themselves apart from the competition, and increase their chances of landing that perfect job! Focus:
Game Industry
The video game industry (formally referred to as interactive entertainment) is the economic sector involved with the development, marketing and sale of video games. It encompasses dozens of job disciplines and employs thousands of people worldwide. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Sony's PlayStation 3, PSP, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Nintendo's Wii, Nintendo DS, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.
This is an exciting new industry and our program at RIT is one of the first BS programs in the country, as well as one of our fastest growing majors. The Bachelor of Science in Game Design and Development program is characterized by a clear focus on development, but meets the industry need for developers that will be involved in the design process from the beginning, just as they are in the professional field.
Some of the companies that RIT currently works with in the game industry are: Zynga – the largest producer of social games – located in San Francisco, BrokenMyth Studios – a local game studio – a smaller and new company, Activision/Blizzard, Santa Monica, CA; Microsoft, Redmond, WA; SONY Computer Entertainment America, Los Angeles, CA; QuoJax, RIT Start-up, NY; Nine Pound Studios, Churchville, NY, Arkadium, NYC; Sugar Labs, NYC; Orbus Gameworks, Boston; High Voltage Studios, IL; Vicarious Visions, Albany, NY; ActionXL, Ithaca; 1st Playable, Troy, NY; NAMCO BANDAI Game America, Santa Clara, CA; SONY Playstation, CA; Square Enix, El Segundo, CA. Competition for available positions is fierce – some companies are now requesting that students show examples of their work not only through websites and portfolios but also through DVD’s and YouTube. RIT’s well-respected curriculum and the quality of our students is ensuring that RIT gains and maintains a strong foothold in this growing industry.
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Millenials & Social Consciousness in the Workplace
– Excerpts taked from an article by Jerry J. Maginnis, Philadelphia Business Journal
In the '90s, it was Generation X. Today, it is the so-called Millennial Generation, people born between 1977 and 1995. Tech savvy, happy and creative, Millennials are nearly 80 million strong, by some estimates. They are in some ways very similar to their boomer parents and grandparents, and in others, quite different. Here are four characteristics of the Millennial Generation that companies should consider if they want a culture appealing to these newest members of the work force.
Responsibility. Millennials are achievement-oriented and crave responsibility. Facile multitaskers, they thrive on challenges. They are confident, having grown up with unsparing parental support. Millennials desire to do their jobs well and want the opportunity to make a real contribution to the company right away -- not just toil away with rudimentary tasks. They require structure, but once given direction, Millennials should be allowed to work to meet the task at hand. Be aware that Millennials have grown up in an environment that encouraged teamwork and prefer to work in groups. So expect them to seek out a fair amount of collaboration from co-workers. Millennials also don't see their career as a narrow path. Companies that successfully retain Millennials will be the ones that offer them a variety of ways for professional development.
Mentoring. Considered by some to be coddled, Millennials had very involved and supportive parents and were showered with positive feedback. Consequently, they will require hand-holding at times, despite their mien of confidence. Companies seeking to attract Millennials will do well to have a formal mentoring program and encourage their new hires to take full advantage of the benefit. Given their upbringing, Millennials respect people in authority and seek to have relationships with them, so don't hesitate to assign them senior-level managers as mentors. They will respond well to the personal attention.
Social Values. Like the baby boomers, whose idealism defined the late '60s and early '70s, Millennials have a sense of social consciousness. They accept diversity and value the environment. Millennials seek opportunities to work for causes they believe in and typically name volunteerism as the most important thing they can do with their time. In fact, many have volunteered on team projects at their respective colleges and seek the same opportunities to work alongside colleagues to assist nonprofits. Companies should create a system that identifies nonprofits requiring assistance and organize volunteers, providing the time to do so. A flexible program is key. Balanced Life. Many boomers became entrenched in the seemingly nonstop work culture of the "go-go" '80s and '90s. Long hours, face time, working weekends -- these were the hallmarks of success. Millennials have seen the toll this ethic has taken on their parents, and they don't want to repeat it. Young professionals want a more balanced life and will look for companies that offer work-life benefits such as flexible schedules, comp time and the freedom to work at home.
There have always been generation gaps, but that doesn't mean companies shouldn't make an effort to gain an understanding of the values and viewpoints of younger workers. In fact, it is vital that they do. Making accommodations for the next generation is a sound decision, one guaranteed to pay dividends.
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