Local employers say colleges should treat them like a 'customer'

HBJ Photo | Sean Teehan Representatives of Infosys, Stanley Black & Decker and other local employers on Wednesday participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education.

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By Sean Teehan

Executives representing a cross section of industries in Greater Hartford on Wednesday advised new graduates and higher-education leaders on how to better facilitate hiring from local schools.

The talk was part of a panel discussion put on by the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education, which held the downtown Hartford event and fundraiser in celebration of the organization’s 47th anniversary.

Panelists included Jeff Auker, head of technology and innovation at the Infosys Hartford hub; Freddie McInerney, director of marketing and communications at Theaterworks; Mary Morgan, vice president of talent acquisition at Hartford HealthCare; and Joe Voelker, vice president, human resources at Stanley Black & Decker.

One key action colleges and universities can take to improve the job prospects of students is putting more effort in forming a relationship with recruiters from local businesses, Voelker said. If recruiters had a single point of contact with a school, and that school official was familiar with the specific qualities and skills employers are seeking, the process of hiring interns and recent graduates could be simplified, he said.

“It’s probably not a revelation, but sometimes it’s hard dealing with academia,” Voelker said. “That to me would be terrific, if we were treated more like a customer, and less like an afterthought.”

The group also answered questions from current students at Hartford schools about seeking jobs and internships.

Responding to a question about how recent grads with no experience can find employment when many entry-level jobs require two years of experience, Auker said demonstrating an ability to produce can be as valuable as internship experience.

“In this day and age there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t have two years (of) experience in (any field you’re interested in),” Auker said. “In technology, build something; if you’re in the arts, show me your YouTube, show me the podcast you’ve done, show me your portfolio.”

Before the panel discussion David Griggs, president of the MetroHartford Alliance, which promotes businesses in Hartford, highlighted the importance of talent acquisition from within the state.

“The No. 1 thing we need to attract new business is talent,” Griggs said. “We can’t be successful as a region without the work you’re doing to help train, and get our people ready for the jobs of the future.”

Other topics included how students can set themselves apart from their peers, the importance of one-on-one communication skills in job interviews and how job-seeking recent grads can leverage their “story” to prospective employers as a way to overcome a lack of experience.