Dartmouth seniors had until 2:59 a.m. Tuesday to apply for jobs at hundreds of corporations through the first resume drop of Fall term.
While there will be two more opportunities to submit applications in the fall, the Oct. 4 deadline is the busiest date. In 2004, Career Services received over 4,500 applications by the first deadline.
Students submit resumes to Career Services through InterviewTrak, an electronic database with over 200 companies that participate in the on-campus recruiting program.
Students said they were concerned that a heavy volume of last minute applications could cause technical problems.
"I really hope [the system] doesn't crash. It would be a huge problem," Justin Neiman '06 said.
Other students were not as worried.
"I'm a little bit concerned, but in the end, I'll get over it if something happens. I think of it more as a learning experience," Kim McKee '06 said.
Despite the number of applications, the Career Services Office is confident in the integrity of the system, according to Monica Wilson, director of the recruiting program.
"Every year there are always technical issues. We just have to wait and be ready to deal with them when they arise," Wilson said.
Although using InterviewTrak streamlines the process, students said that preparing resumes remains very time-consuming. In addition to an application and cover letter, seniors must spend time researching various companies.
"The process is really stressful," Neiman said. "It seems like the whole campus is consumed with the deadline. I've had to spend the last few days getting my act together."
Once they have submitted their resumes, seniors begin the process of waiting. Companies have three weeks to directly contact students and schedule interviews.
While there are no statistics on how many students actually receive interviews, success tends to favor the prepared.
"Students who do their homework have a lot of opportunities," Wilson said. "And by doing their homework -- I mean thoroughly researching a company, writing a detailed cover letter, etcetera."
Most recruiters participating in Tuesday's resume drop are consulting and financial services firms, including Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Fidelity and Bank of America.
These kinds of companies tend to dominate the first rounds of Fall term recruiting because of their hiring cycles, Wilson said.
"Students who are interested in education, technology or any other field should not be discouraged," Wilson said. "There will be a wider range of companies represented at the next deadline."
Seniors interested in companies not represented in InterviewTrak can use the larger database, MonsterTrak, to research other career opportunities. Companies listed in MonsterTrak do not participate in on-campus recruiting but still have openings for Dartmouth students.
