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| Schwan's Company was recently named "Recruiting Partner of the Year" by the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. There to accept the award was Will Mooty, left, Jonathan Faloon, Jessie Joslin, Mike Breitenbach, Melissa Vit and John Frey. |
“This is the most prestigious award our recruiting team can receive from the University of Minnesota,” said Melissa Vit, senior manager of talent acquisition. “The recognition helps build momentum and propels us as an employer of choice in the Twin Cities business community in addition to the university.”
Furthermore, Melissa said with states experiencing increasingly lower unemployment rates — Minnesota recently reported an unemployment rate of 2.9 percent — recruiting awards like this help validate an employer’s credibility among job seekers. The credibility combined with consistent on-campus efforts gives recruiters a competitive advantage of finding top talent.
Of the companies that actively participate in recruiting efforts at the university, Schwan’s extended the most offers for Carlson graduates among all other employers in 2018.
Some of the ongoing activities our company has partnered with the University of Minnesota include:
- Networking sessions with students, executives and leaders.
- Employee participation at campus speaking events.
- Employee presence and participation at in-class discussions and case studies about business issues.
- On-campus interviews for full-time job and internship opportunities.
“I am so impressed with the talent that has come from the University of Minnesota,” said Mike Breitenbach, director of category management for Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc. “They are smart and bring new thinking. Most importantly, they are helping us to continue to build on the collaborative and fun culture that we have worked hard to create.”
From student to employee
To provide insights from a student perspective, Will Mooty, who is a former University of Minnesota student and now associate marketing manager for Schwan’s Consumer Brands, answered a few questions about Schwan’s recruiting efforts in conjunction with the University of Minnesota.
Here is what he had to say:
Q: What are a few reasons you chose to join Schwan’s Consumer Brands fresh off of business school?
A: Schwan’s offers the centrality of a marketing role that allows an associate marketing manager to work alongside each of the functions to deliver a project or a strategic brand goal from start to finish.
Specifically, Schwan’s offers the size of a team that is small enough that each member is required to take on responsibilities that enable growth outside of their core discipline.
I’ve had a few family members be a part of the Schwan’s team and each review of their experience was that the people in the organization are simply incredible. Only a few months into my role, it’s clear that holds true.
The group that has been assembled here are immensely intelligent, dedicated to the company vision and most importantly just kind people — and that made me all the more excited to be a part of the team.
Q: In your student experience, what makes a company an “employer of choice”?
A: Going through the MBA recruitment process, students have the chance to build relationships with a multitude of wonderful organizations. And, as students we are asking ourselves, “Can I build a career there?,” “What do I need to learn now to become a leader?” and “Is this a cultural fit for me?”
Employers able to showcase their ability to build future leaders, and do so while fostering a strong culture of collaboration and dedication to a vision are the ones that students strive to be a part of.
