On-Campus Recruitment
On-campus recruitment (OCR) is a campaign whereby organizations come on campus in the fall to actively recruit McGill students who will be graduating in the spring. These organizations tend to be, but are not limited to, the Consulting, Finance, Engineering, and Information Technology sectors. Summer positions are also available through OCR and are normally offered in the winter semester. The competition is high, so read the information below for what to expect and how to prepare.
Who should participate
On-campus recruitment participation is for competitive students who are willing to dedicate their time to the process. August through Novemeber should be spent attending company presentations, career development workshops and career fairs, preparing your applications, and hopefully participating in interviews. You need to be prepared to alter your schedule to better suit that of the employer and their recruiting campaign. This is the time to take advantage of their availability, so before you opt to participate, ask yourself two questions:
- Is my candidacy strong enough to propel me to an interview?
- Can I dedicate the amount of time required to compete?
How to participate
To help you better prepare for on-campus recruitment, consider these recommendations:
- Research the industries and companies to better target your applications and to confirm that it is a right fit for you.
- Attend company information sessions and career fairs. Presenters are usually McGill alumni which makes this networking opportunity an excellent forum to learn what the company is looking for in a candidate. The list of information sessions and career fairs can be found on myFuture, which is updated daily.
- When attending company information sessions, there are certain etiquette rules that need to be adhered to in terms of dress, dining and networking. Be sure to: dress for sucess and leave your backpack at home and turn off your cell phone; do not monopolize the buffet and do not overfill your plate; avoid holding too many items in your hands which would disable you to shake hands with someone.
- Leave employers with a good impression of you by asking company representatives intelligent, concise questions (Tip: do not ask about salary, benefits or vacation time).
- Prepare targeted CVs which have been reviewed by a career advisor at CaPS.
- Create targeted cover letters that highlight your accomplishments and illustrate your industry knowledge. Double check all your cover letters for errors and ensure they are properly addressed.
- Read up on case interviewing and attend the Case Interviewing workshop offered by CaPS.
- Prepare for, and book, a mock behavioral interview at CaPS.
- Apply to job postings through myFuture. These posting are usually available by mid-August, with application deadlines as early as the second week of classes in September.
- Check out the OCR Brochure.
- Do not wait until the deadline date to apply - send your applications early.
