Photos by Kristin Luciani/University Communications.

From Silicon Valley to Accounting’s ‘Big Four,’ Employers Recruit UC San Diego Talent at Job Fairs

UC San Diego is among the top 20 schools in the country for the number of graduates who work at Google, according to a report from Business Insider released last month. More than 400 UC San Diego alumni currently work at the tech company, placing the campus at No. 12 on the list. Looking for talented students to fill the ranks of engineers, designers and other positions, recruiters from 150 companies—including Google—participated in the fall quarter Triton Science and Technology Job Fair held on campus Oct. 22.

More than 2,500 students dressed their best and packed RIMAC Arena to meet with representatives of companies ranging from start-ups, to Silicon Valley heavyweights like Apple and Hewlett-Packard, to local industry leaders including General Atomics and Solar Turbines.

“Fall is the best time to find a job,” said May Ng, a fifth year computer science major. Last year, she interned with Amazon after talking with recruiters at a career fair on campus. Today, Ng already has one full-time offer and additional interviews lined up.

Scott Tilmey, a junior also majoring in computer science, stood in one of several lines to talk with a Google recruiter. “I’m interested in tech companies like Google because they seem to have a lot of fresh ideas,” he said. Tilmey was looking for a summer internship and had already talked with a LinkedIn representative. “Talking with recruiters is good practice for interviews, too.”

The science and technology job fair is one of a series of expanded and enhanced events hosted by the Career Services Center in recent weeks. In total, the number of employers on campus this fall increased 60 percent compared with the same time last year.

“This growth is a direct result of the new model of career services at UC San Diego,” said Brandon Buzbee, senior director of outreach and employer relations. He estimates that upwards of 400 students may get jobs from attending the career fairs.

Last fall, as part of Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla’s strategic planning process, the Career Services Center integrated with Alumni and Community Engagement. The change has enabled the center to increase outreach to employers, as well as alumni advocates, and form new relationships with companies.

The results of those efforts can be seen in the events held this fall. For the first time, the fall quarter job and internship fair was extended into a two-day event, with the second day designed specifically for Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities majors. Recruiters from 60 companies, such as Wells Fargo and Visa, were on campus Oct. 23 to talk with undergraduates about positions in business, finance and marketing.

A series of additional workshops and activities were held to complement the job and internship fairs. Meet the Firms, an event exclusively for accounting minors, gave students the opportunity to meet with consulting firms such as Deloitte and Ernst & Young, government agencies and commercial banks. Of the 85 representatives present, 28 were UC San Diego alumni. In addition, the Career Services Center offered resume critique services and on-campus interviews. More than 800 interviews took place between prospective employers and students.

“UC San Diego is a tremendous hub of talent, and our graduates are among the country’s top wage earners,” said Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Alumni Officer Armin Afsahi. “We obligate ourselves to the success and mobility of our students and graduates, and the network of 160,000 alumni is a profound resource for mentoring, internships and career opportunities.”

Richard Ho, a 2012 graduate who now works in risk consulting with KPMG—one of the “big four” accounting firms—was one of the alumni who met with students during the Meet the Firms event for accounting minors. As an undergraduate, Ho attended the inaugural Meet the Firms in 2010 and was recruited for an internship with KPMG.

“I come back to campus because I truly enjoy helping students grow,” he said. “Part of the reason I am where I am today is because of alumni mentors I had through different student organizations. It’s very rewarding to come back and share what I’ve learned with current students—and I’d really like more UC San Diego students to join KPMG.”

Ho also credits the staff of the Career Services Center with helping him to be successful in his current position. As a student, he served as a career peer educator at the center, helping to provide students with resources and assistance related to internships, resumes and career development. “My advisors in the program, and the entire staff of the center, were very supportive,” said Ho. “They played a critical role in my professional growth and helped me get to where I am now.”

The Career Services Center holds job and internship fairs quarterly for current UC San Diego students and alumni. For more information about events and resources offered by the Career Services Center, visit career.ucsd.edu.