IBM 2009 Blue Pathway Campus Talk

May 19, 2009Employer Branding

When I looked out the window and found out there were more than 2000 students in the queue waiting to enter the venue. This is not the first time I saw so many graduates to participate in IBM's campus talk in Peking University, last year, the same time, the same place, and more than 3,000 students coming for it. Recalled the year of my first time in charge of campus recruiting, I was so excited for 600 graduates participating in the event. It is difficult to imagine, only after a few years of changes, the campus talk campaign can be made like this.

Usually, the objectives of one campus talk are to promote your company as an Employer of Choice against other competitors; to provide an opportunity directly for target graduating students to know more about our organization as well as the positions advertised in an informal yet professional environment and to capture the interest of students and attract quality applicants.

Students' expectations on campus talk could be a variety of ideas: "To know more about the market Scenario."; "Because most of my classmates are going."; "Because I wish to know more about that company.";"I don’t know what to expect and therefore I do not attend at all."; " I don’t attend any of the talks as I find them quite similar and boring."; "I join the talk for they say they will distribute some information brochures, especially some gifts." From the above ideas gathered by other companies, we can say students always have different ideas and opinions about campus talk.

Then, what kind of campus talk you should conduct? Unique, Attractive, Interactive and Value-added, are those attributes of campus talk your organization might consider to have. Nowadays, it is increasingly to be a carefully prepared marketing campaign and the need for this kind of marketing capabilities by HR professionals can ensure to sell your company to the students successfully and win their hearts. It will be not merely one hour presentation about your organization, culture, training programs as well as related open positions. It should be an informative and interactive career seminar session for your target audience.

Through collaborations with government and target universities, we have strengthened IBM's relationships with Government and Universities. The attendance of senior leaders from the All-China Women's Federation and China Disabled Persons Federation, together with the officials from our six target universities' Placement Office, leaders from several departments of Peking University, has already proved to the media and students IBM's close cooperation with them and our dedication to support Chinese graduates employment and Diversity. It's the first time the Vice-Secretary of the Party Committee in Peking University made a speech to highly recognize IBM's contribution on campus recruitment in face of the media and government representatives. Meanwhile, Beijing TV came to our campus talk, and did interviews with our HRD and leads of China Disabled Persons Federation and leaders of Peking University Replacement Office. This will help promote IBM's fully commitment to graduate employment and our diversity culture as an excellent corporate citizen in China.

Our 2009 Blue Pathway Internship Program website: www.bluepathway.net

In the end, I would like to share some pictures about this event.

It's me! *_^