What RIT alumni recruiters want students to know

More than 4,000 Rochester Institute of Technology students participate in co-ops and internships each year, gaining hands-on, real-world experience before graduation. To help students stand out in a competitive job market, RIT alumni recruiters attending the University-Wide Career Fair on Sept. 23 shared advice on networking, showing initiative, and building confidence. The Career Fair featured more than 200 local, regional, and national companies.

Be curious and show initiative

“We interview and hire a lot of RIT students and I always tell them to be curious and continue to show initiative,” said Anna Heiser ’20 (web and mobile computing), ’24 MS (human-computer interaction), a product designer for In-store Services and Experiences at Dick’s Sporting Goods. “When we give them a project to work on, it’s so important that they do their research and ask questions if they don’t know the answers.”

Heiser also advises RIT co-op students to use their time at the company to network with alumni. “Students have 12 weeks to connect with RIT alumni working at Dick’s. They should spend their time wisely, getting to know people and pinpointing those who are working in an area that they’re interested in. There is so much that can be accomplished in addition to their internship projects.”

Share extracurricular experiences with potential employers 

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Carlos Ortiz/RIT

RIT alumnus Andrew Myers, left, explains opportunities available at Naval Nuclear Laboratory with Samuel Keniston, a second-year electrical engineering major from Ossipee, N.H. Keniston, who is a member of RIT’s Space Exploration Team, is hoping his experience will give him a leg up on the competition.

When alumnus Andrew Myers recruits students for co-ops and internships for Naval Nuclear Laboratory, he looks for those who can turn their experiences with extracurricular activities into marketable skills.

“For example, I love talking with students who are members of RIT’s performance teams,” said Myers, a 2015 chemical engineering graduate and principal field engineer for Naval Nuclear Laboratory. “I find that these students not only demonstrate their technical merit, but are excellent collaborators, work well under pressure, and aren’t constrained by their environments.”

Don’t fall victim to ‘imposter syndrome’

Heiser often encounters students who are concerned that they may not have the skills to succeed in the workplace. Instead, she encourages students to be confident in their RIT education.

“We always return to campus to recruit co-ops and interns because RIT students are some of most well-prepared in the country,” said Heiser. “The curriculum that is offered presents much more than just basic skill sets. It provides them with a springboard for success.”

RIT ranked No. 5 in the nation for co-ops and internships by U.S. News & World Report, exposing college students to new academic experiences outside the classroom. Research shows these enhanced student experiences are linked to student success and positive learning outcomes. RIT also ranked as a top 100 national university for the fourth year in a row, coming in at No. 95. In addition, The Princeton Review cited RIT as a top university for career outcomes and Forbes named RIT as a top college for launching careers.