The Pitt Business Career Development Conference is the biggest event that the University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration has each fall, and the 2018 edition set a new record in company attendance, with over 90 participating organizations.
Nearly 1,000 Pitt Business students took #ToTheCity for the career conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center downtown. The record-setting lineup of companies included ALDI., American Eagle Outfitters, Bank of America, Burlington Stores, Deloitte, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Grant Thornton, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), The Hershey Company, and UPMC.
“The Pitt Business Career Conference has long-standing partnerships with top employers in Pittsburgh, as well as worldwide. By having the event in Downtown Pittsburgh, we’re taking students from the classroom, directly to the city,” says Audrey J. Murrell, associate dean of Pitt Business and director of the David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership. “The event helps connect students with industry leaders, alumni, and recruiters in a personal way for a better chance at receiving coveted jobs and internships in the city and in the world.”
The morning kicked off with over 15 industry panel sessions covering almost all aspects of business, including analytics, supply chain management, marketing, sales, finance, global business, accounting, human resources, real estate, and information systems. Panelists included Pitt Business alumni, executives, recruiters, and managers from such organizations as ADP, Eaton, KPMG, LunaMetrics, Merkle, and Target.
Throughout the panel sessions, students listened to industry leaders’ speak on their experiences — how they got to where they are, what opportunities are available to students — and also asked them lots of questions.
In the midday, students participated in a networking lunch with recruiters. Company representatives were seated at the various tables with students. The keynote speaker was DICK’S Sporting Goods CEO Ed Stack.
Stack, whose father founded the company, spoke on the struggles DICK’S Sporting Goods faced throughout its prolific growth from having only two small stores to becoming the nation’s largest retailer of sporting goods and apparel. He gave advice to those who might also find struggles in their businesses or careers. “Understand you’ll have ups and downs. What’s important though, is how you come back from the downs,” he told the students.
The day concluded with the main event: the afternoon career fair. Almost a thousand students packed into the main event hall, with their resumes and padfolios in hand, as they made their rounds to the different recruiter booths. These networking moments will lead to many jobs and internships for students. Some companies, including ALDI, conduct interviews on site.
The career conference has become such a signature event at Pitt Business that the school now uses it as part of its admissions recruitment. For the third year in a row, prospective students and their families were invited to the career conference, and 22 students and their families attended.
“Students leave the Pitt Business Career Development Conference in a better place professionally. From making those important connections with business leaders around the world, to leaving with a job or internship offer on the spot, students benefit from the Career Conference long after the event is over,” Murrell says.
What’s Next?
The 2019 Spring Career and Internship fair is scheduled for Friday, February 8, 2019 at the University Club. About 60 companies and 1,000 students are expected. To learn more and register, visit the event page in Handshake.
Learn More
The Pitt Business Career Development Office has helped students secure jobs and internships at more than 600 organizations. Popular professional development programs include:
- Professional Academies in Real Estate Finance and Sales
- Industry Professional Networks
- Digital Marketing Institute
- James B. Tafel Endowed Fund for internships
Watch how Pitt Business helps students secure internships in the city and the world.
