Top jobs await BCom grads

2000-09-11 - This week, two hundred and twenty of the best and brightest high school graduates from across Canada will begin their first year of Queen’s Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) Program. With an average entrance mark of 91%, this Queen’s School of Business flagship program has proven once again to be in demand among tomorrow’s business leaders. In addition to the top Canadian students, the Commerce Class of 2004 is made up of students who attended high school in fourteen other countries, including the United States, Germany, Hong Kong, Norway and Russia.

One reason the Bachelor of Commerce Program is in demand with students, is its reputation among North America’s top recruiters. Last year, 78% of the graduating class had offers by graduation, with an average starting salary of $48,000. If past trends prevail, 100% of the BCom’00 class will be placed by November – six months after graduation.

To prepare students for recruitment, the Business Career Centre runs a two-day Career Launch each September. This gives third and fourth year students an opportunity to hear from actual recruiters about what they look for when recruiting. Practitioner panels and presentations are held on topics ranging from the value of international experience to coping with the pressures of professional life. Perhaps the most valuable aspect of Career Launch is the mock interview process. This year, recruiters from 34 companies conducted practice interviews with third and fourth year students.

“Mock interviews give students a chance to hone their interview skills, and learn first-hand what they should be saying and how they should be saying it,” says Marilyn Shurtleff, Manager of the Business Career Centre. “They are a 'no-risk' opportunity to be coached by real recruiters from some of the most sought-after companies in Canada and the US.”

“We’ve participated in Career Launch since its days as a pilot program,” says Patricia Ewen, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at Chubb Insurance in Toronto and a BCom’86 graduate. “Mock interviews give us chance to meet the students we may one day wish to hire, and an opportunity to tell students the types of things that would make them a stronger candidate. Career Launch is a win-win for everyone involved.”