5 Tips for HBCU grads from STEM Recruiters
Every year, thousands of college students graduate from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). About 25% of African American students graduate from HBCUs with a STEM degree. In addition, 22% of all African Americans earn a bachelor's degree from an HBCU.
For graduates from HBCUs, here are some things to consider when applying to amplify your bachelor's degree or STEM education with recruiters.
Don't limit yourself, promote your top STEM skills and widen the net by upskilling.
The first step in recruiting is the intake. This is where recruiters learn what competencies are required for a role with both soft and hard skills.
Knowing recruiters look at hundreds of resumes a week, if not thousands, HBCU STEM grads should create a resume that is inclusive of an entire skillset. Use bullet points to share all STEM education and pinpoint specialties. Applicants should never assume that education or experiences are not worth listing. These types of resumes with relevant details are often worth a recruiters' time to review.
Develop a working knowledge of programs or departments in the target organization.
This can happen by doing your due diligence on researching companies. In addition to broadening the scope of companies with whom to apply, this research will help you find companies that are looking to create a more diverse workforce. Check out company websites, look at their programs, examine their departments and be able to ascertain the company's strategic goals. Be determined to find a company that has the potential to be a good match for you, based on your STEM skills. In the same vein, developing a significant knowledge of an organization of interest, allows you to gain more experiences that add value to the organization's narrative.
Engage via events that allow you to communicate directly with prospective employers.
This is perhaps the most common way to introduce yourself to a diverse talent pool as a HBCU STEM alumni. People in that diverse talent pool could be a part of a target organization for you. Make an effort to attend marketed meetings, events, or initiatives by any company, especially in specialized areas of interest such as STEM. As a result, you will gain a more organic understanding of what it's like to work at the company and make your name known amongst its talent.
Advertise yourself for open opportunities.
When an organization opens a job, we are looking for you! Are you advertising? Big sites like LinkedIn work well for casting wide nets, using targeted advertisements to find the right fit, and letting companies know you are open for STEM work as a HBCU graduate.
Adjust your expectations.
Hiring STEM talent is truly a team sport. Education requirements are often stringent, a required degree, and sometimes even preferred skills. Candidates must look hard at job postings and contemplate whether the education they gained at a college or university is vital to the role's success. What if it is not? Go out and gain experience for recruiters to consider. Bottom line, if a degree type is needed, be sure to know there is a reason why. With a STEM degree, you're in a group of the population that isn't too homogenous – take advantage of that and list that as your #1 asset, headline, and or title to reach a wide range of recruiters, companies, and opportunities.
For HBCU grads and all other grads looking for a company that values you, your education, your STEM degree, diversity, inclusion, and respect - come work for the American Physical Society. Apply today!