Mingling between high tables in their business best, students from Temple University’s Fox School of Business actively shook hands and offered resumes to employers from the likes of Comcast, Deloitte and Wawa.

At Mitten Hall for Spring Connection, a grand-scale networking and recruiting event hosted by Fox’s Center for Student Professional Development, more than 1,000 students turned out Feb. 11 to speak with representatives from 74 companies, in the hopes of securing either summer internships or postgraduate full-time employment. They streamed in steadily for the nearly four-hour event and worked the room confidently, having engaged in the first step of professional development preparedness through the CSPD’s resume and networking workshops.

“This event is unique in that is has requirements for the students to attend,” said Fox School Assistant Dean for Student Development Corinne Snell. “Employers like the preparation, the polish and the professionalism. It maximizes student-employer time.”

Snell works with CSPD staff to ensure that before any student introduces himself or herself to an employer, they have researched the company. In reading company overviews prior to their arrival, Snell said, Fox students were able to find the corporate employers and positions for which their skills were a proper fit.

“Preparation is the key to success, and then just put your best foot forward and be confident,” Snell said.

As the conversations grew to a steady roar, Holly Pfeifer, CSPD Assistant Director for Corporate Relations and Spring Connection’s organizer, remarked upon the increasing student and employer participation.

“In the past five years, our Spring Connections have averaged about 64 employers. We beat the average this spring with 74 registrations, and the employers seem very energetic,” said Pfeifer. “They’ve said the students at the Fox School are like no other school at which they’ve recruited.”

Included in the employer turnout were Temple and Fox School alumni returning to do what Pfeifer calls “leading the charge and building the Owl network.” Pfeifer continued to say that the majority of employers present had developed a relationship with the CSPD and frequently reached out to Fox students with internship or employment opportunities.

Among them was campus recruiter for Prudential Financial, Kristen Bennett, who has worked with the CSPD before to recruit students for her company’s summer internship.

“We’ve had a strong relationship with Temple throughout the years, particularly the CSPD. They help us really find the right student,” Bennett said.

As a campus recruiter, Bennett has seen a lot of resumes and was impressed with the “elevator pitch” that students gave to employers and the knowledge they presented with regarding the company’s goals.

Seconding Bennett’s thoughts was Gabrielle Nader, talent acquisition specialist with McGladrey, an accounting and consulting firm. Nader, who previously has hired Fox students, was in search of 30 to 35 students to join McGladrey’s summer leadership program.

“We’re looking for outgoing and well-rounded students who get our culture, who know this isn’t just a job,” Nader said.

Sophomore Finance major Joe Heidt joined Nader in the handshaking fray. For Heidt, the experience presented a larger opportunity for future success.

“I want to look early and look at everything,” Heidt said. “Networking is getting into someone’s mind and being memorable. If I get my name out, employers will recognize me next summer, too.”