Interviews

On-Campus Interviewing

Interviewing students on campus continues to be one of the best routes to hiring Caltech graduates. About 300 students and postdoctoral scholars participate in this program each year. Overall class size at Caltech is quite stable, with about 200 BS, 120 MS, and 140 Ph.D. degrees granted each year. Degrees are granted only in June and most graduates are available for employment soon afterward. Ph.D. candidates are sometimes available at other times of the year. Interviews for Ph.D. candidates begin in October and for all degrees in November. Companies may schedule interviews as late as April, however, the majority of interviews are conducted from October through early March. Dates should be scheduled at least three months in advance. As soon as your date is confirmed in writing, we will send you our Recruiting Information Forms. In order to effectively publicize your visit, these forms must be returned no later than six weeks prior to your interview date.

At Caltech, recruiting is done through an open schedule system. Most science and engineering organizations find that this system works well for them. We follow your instructions on the Recruiting Information Form as to discipline, skills, and degree level, and only students who meet your requirements are allowed to sign up. If you have more specific qualifications, you may speak with the Recruiting Coordinator or the Director about alternatives, however, organizations must have at least one open-schedule interview.

Employer Information Sessions

Many organizations have found that a pre-recruiting information session has been a key element in their success both in hiring for that year and becoming better known to upcoming students. More time is also then available for the candidate in the actual interview and candidates are better informed about your needs. We can reserve meeting rooms, arrange for AV equipment, and order refreshments.

Company Information

Helping students prepare for your visit is a role we take seriously. You can help by sending, well in advance of your visit, copies of your latest annual report and copies of recruiting and product literature for our career information library. We also would appreciate an organization videotape (1/2" VHS) and the address of your company's World Wide Web site if available. We will link your company home page to the recruiting and employment section of our home page. Even if you are unable to recruit on campus, materials describing your organization are appreciated and will be used by students in their career exploration.

If given advance notice on the Recruiting Information Form, we can help arrange lunch meetings with appropriate faculty who can provide important information about specific disciplines at Caltech. Many are also eager to learn more about your organization and the needs of your industry.

Company representatives, especially those who are new to Caltech, are encouraged to meet with the Director, Assistant Director, or Career Counselor to learn more about Caltech students and how we work with them.