24/04/2023
With a team of over 60 employees, IE Talent & Careers organizes networking events, tracks job market trends across the globe and works closely with students on essential interview skills. We sat down with Carlo Pitter, the senior associate director and head of technology at IE Talent & Careers to talk about what services they offer to students and how networking is one of the best things a student can do to jumpstart their career.
As you near the end of your studies, it’s logical to start thinking about the next step in your professional future, but at IE University, the hard work starts from day one of your program with the services and resources available from the IE Talent & Careers department. The team works closely on personalized career paths, encouraging students to start their networking efforts and job search early via a variety of resources, events and unique opportunities.
“Our main advice to students is that it’s never too early to network. You can start right now,” says Carlo Pitter, the senior associate director and head of technology for IE University’s Talent & Careers.
Resources, opportunities and partnerships
IE Talent & Careers offers a variety of events, resources and mentoring opportunities to set students up for success after graduation. Carlo even jokes that his department has “so many resources” and that it can be hard for students to know where to start.
Hosting events like the Careers Forum or MBA Talent Days, where students can meet in person and start speaking with top companies, IE Talent & Careers focuses on its students’ futures. These events allow companies interested in a specific type of profile to engage with students, while also showing students the possibilities that await them.
The Talent & Careers department also organizes on-campus interviews, informal chats and special networking events that allow students to get into the market early.
The technology department at IE Talent & Careers partners very closely with anywhere between 60 to 80 companies each year depending on the market. With similar numbers in other sectors, students can benefit from close to 250 partner companies, not to mention the thousands of companies engaged with IE University through the Career Portal.
Understanding the global job market and providing support
IE Talent & Careers even takes into consideration the diverse international population that it serves. With students from countries all around the world, the team supports students and alumni alike looking for jobs in Europe and across the globe.
We have support from regional teams for LATAM, Germany, Benelux, India, UK and Ireland, North America and the Middle East.
“Apart from the opportunities that we offer in Europe, which is where we’re mainly focused, our offices around the world help us to get to know the market in those locations. Having a person there representing us and letting us know what is going on is very important. It means we can let students know what the job market is like where they live and students based in those locations can have in-person support,” Carlo explains.
Maximum ROI
According to Carlo, preparing to find a job after graduation is a huge advantage of studying at IE University. “In fact, students can even think of it as a return on investment of completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree,” he adds.
The IE Talent & Careers department offers students advice on how to enhance their resumes, as well as tips for interview preparation.
But where they set themselves apart is in the level of training and preparation they provide students. “We have a platform where students can prepare for online tests that will be part of the selection process, such as numerical, verbal or logical reasoning tests that are becoming more commonplace in job screenings,” says Carlo.
In addition, Carlo explains that IE Talent & Careers stays up to date with the most relevant certifications needed to be a competitive applicant in the market. “We always make a proposal to the program management team to include relevant certifications, like AWS, for example.”
Advice to future students
The IE Community is a large part of why IE University stands out from the rest. The people on the IE Talent & Careers team help students feel like they are part of this extensive community. “A lot of people don’t have this support network, they feel alone and it’s very hard for them to get started in the workforce or to move jobs,” Carlo says. He adds that his experience proves that the network and resources IE University provides its students are truly remarkable. “IE University offers its students something that is gold—and sometimes students don’t even realize it.”
Carlo’s own experience is a testament to the power of networking. “When I was a student, I was not aware of the importance of networking. But the job I have right now is thanks to networking.” After working with IE Talent & Careers as a company recruiting IE University students, Carlo kept in touch with the department and came back years later as an employee!
The IE Talent & Careers team as a whole acts as mentors and coaches throughout students’ IE University experience. But students should also pay attention to the IE Alumni because they can share firsthand experiences and valuable insights. IE Talent & Careers is here to facilitate these connections and guide students as they enter the professional world.
