Let's Face it: There's Nothing Normal About this "New Normal"
I feel like we’re living in one very long episode of Breaking Bad. Someone on Twitter wrote,
“Canada is a nice, friendly, country living on top of a meth lab.”
For many groups, there’s nothing normal about this ‘new normal’ we’re living in. That’s especially true for college students. COVID 19 has completely upended college life.  This is Peter Clayton with TotalPicture Media. I wanted to talk with an expert in college recruiting to get a sense of how the pandemic of 2020 is impacting students, faculty, administrators and recent grads. And I have one: Joining me today is the founder and President of College Recruiter, Steven Rothberg.
College Recruiter, launched in 1996, is the leading job search site used by students and recent graduates of all 7,400+ colleges and universities who are seeking internships, part-time jobs, seasonal work, and entry-level career opportunities. College Recruiter’s customers are primarily Fortune 1000 companies, federal government agencies, and other employers who want to hire dozens, hundreds or thousands of students and recent graduates each year.

TALKING POINTS:

1. Steven, welcome back to TotalPicture Media. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today.
2. Tell us about the journey your company, College Recruiter, has taken since February/March of this year – how has COVID changed your business?
3. It seems that disruptive is the adjective du jour this year for just about everything. However, it can truly be said that all aspects of college have been disrupted. Probably right up there with hospitality and travel. What are you hearing from students?
a. From faculty and administration?
4. One of your comments on your recent guest appearance with our friend William Tincup on the Use Case Podcast had to do with internships, and what several companies, including PwC, are doing. Can you share that with us?
5. I’ve been fortunate to be involved with the College Recruiter Bootcamp for the past couple of years, producing videos at your events, thanks to the sponsorship of AllyO. So Steven, will there be a virtual Bootcamp this December?
6. I know you’ve been blogging about the rising cost of college tuition and the fact that many universities are charging the same for virtual as being on campus. Can you explain why?
7. Your model relies on Fortune -100 companies hiring at scale. Is any of that happening now?
8. Another blog topic on CollegeRecruiter.com – taking a gap year. That certainly has been in the news, given that a number of students have decided to take a gap year rather than pay for a year of no on-campus anything. What can you tell us about the prevalence of this – and the pros and cons?
a. How are students reacting to virtual classrooms?
9. What do college seniors need to do NOW to find a good job after they graduate in 2021?
10. Have you attended any virtual events this year and if so, what is your takeaway?
11. Do you think the current reliance on WFH will have a long-term impact on staffing and employment?
12. Has the focus on hiring a more diverse workforce (especially at large organizations) impacted college recruiting?
a. Are different colleges getting targeted, such as traditional African American universities?
13. What would you like to share, particularly with college students that we haven’t discussed?