News: St. Pete Times - July 17, 2011

Companies get jump on recruiting

Firms stay connected to colleges to be ready for a hiring spurt.

Metrohm USA Inc., a Swiss-owned company that sells analytical equipment to chemists worldwide, opened a center in Riverview 2-1/2 years ago. The company this spring tapped USF's Career Center to find four interns.

"This is a long-term relationship," said Mark Garcia, who works in human resources for Metrohm. "I reached out to them to begin this pipeline of growing the chemist (hires) here."

Garcia, a USF grad, acknowledged Metrohm was largely unknown by both USF students and faculty until this year, when company reps met the chairs of the chemistry and chemical engineering departments.

Four months ago, Metrohm brought some USF staffers to its offices for a tour. It sent out an e-mail blast through the career center, held a couple of presentations and interviewed up to 50 people for the four intern slots.

"We wanted to be a step ahead of everyone, and that's why we are hiring now and training these (interns)," Garcia said. "So they will have a loyalty to us as well."

Why hire from universities instead of other companies?

"We don't have to untrain … their bad habits," Garcia said. "Plus, I know the caliber of folks coming out of USF, and that's attractive to me."

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