As graduation approaches, many seniors are taking advantage of the on-campus recruiting service provided by NIU’s Career Planning and Placement Center.

About 470 companies interviewed NIU students last year, said Jean Callary, Career Planning and Placement Center recruiting coordinator.

Companies interested in interviewing students must contact the center to submit a job description and arrange interviews. All companies that contact the center are scheduled for recruiting, she said.

“The companies are looking for college degree people, not necessarily work experience,” she said.

The Career Planning and Placement Center suggests students who plan to use the on-campus interviewing service attend workshops about interviewing techniques and resume writing.

The center also provides a workshop about alternatives to on-campus interviewing.

Students must register with the center before being allowed to interview on campus, she said. The center requires two copies of a student’s resume to be kept on file.

A list of companies interviewing at NIU is posted outside of the Career Planning and Placement Center, she said. There also are books of Campus Recruiting Information Blanks, which provide company names, job descriptions and interview dates.

Students can sign up for interviews about a month before the company’s representative will come to campus, she said.

The center sends resumes of interested students to the companies. The companies then provide a list of students they would like to interview to the center, she said.

The Career Planning and Placement Center requires students to meet with representatives of companies that have requested interviews with them.

A list of accepted students is posted a week prior to the interview dates. Students then request a specific time for their interview, she said.

On-campus interviewing provides good experience for interviewing with many companies, she said.

“The best thing about on-campus interviewing is the experience. If I don’t get a job, at least I’ll have the interviewing experience,” said Tim Stiff, a senior marketing major.

“I think it’s a good program because you get interviewing experience. All of the companies seem to ask the same questions which makes interviewing easier each time,” said John Biesterfeldt, a senior political science major.

Space for interviews is limited, Callary said. Most interviews take place in Swen Parson Hall, but some are held in the Holmes Student Center.

Last year, about 2,000 students registered for interviews and about 9,700 interviews took place, Callary said.