Why Canada’s biggest companies want to hire JMSB grads

Students from the John Molson School of Business (JMSB) rubbed elbows with recruiters from some of Canada’s top firms last week at the annual JMSB Employer Recognition Cocktail.

The night — now in its third year — is organized annually by JMSB’s Career Management Services (CMS) office to thank the school’s corporate recruitment partners. It also serves as a networking event that allows JMSB students and alumni to connect with industry elites, who this year included representatives from companies like McKinsey and Company, PepsiCo, L'Oréal Canada, PwC, Knight Therapeutics, Cap Gemini Canada, Scotiabank, Agence Rinaldi and TD.

As CMS director Mai-Gee Hum explains, the value of those connections cannot be overstated.

“According to employment research statistics, nearly 70 per cent of jobs are found through networking,” she says. “Opportunities to network and meet potential employers play an important role in the job search process.”

At the same time, 70 per cent of JMSB alums find a job on graduation. The informal cocktail offers employers and students alike the chance to forge the relationships that foster numbers like that.

“The focus is not on immediate recruitment, per se, but on building connections,” Hum says. “These interactions help students better understand various corporate cultures and overall industry needs, while recruiters get a glimpse of the potential talent pool at JMSB.”

As a result, the event is always filled to capacity.

“The demand is very high. Employers want to bring additional colleagues, and students are put on a waiting list,” says Hum, adding that she believes the interest shown by top companies proves that JMSB graduates are highly coveted in the job market.

Sebastiao Lagarto, senior office manager at OSTC Group Canada, a trading firm, sees Concordia as a key part of the company recruitment strategy.

“The quality of the candidates, how they perform in a real work environment and their absolute resolution to perform makes them an important part of our success,” he says.

JMSB Dean Steve Harvey is proud of what events like the Employer Recognition Cocktail help the school’s recent alumni achieve.

“The work of the CMS team, along with the enthusiasm of our corporate partners, has ensured that our students find employment soon after graduation,” he says.
 

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