This guide has been created to help you organize and plan your recruiting strategy at Darden. Below is a list of considerations and steps to help you get started. See Policies & Guidelines for more details.
Set Your Objectives
Outline your organization's recruiting goals for the year.
- What are your talent needs? Full-time hires or summer interns?
- What types of positions are you seeking to fill?
- Does your organization hire international students?
- What is your target number of hires?
- How much money and time can you invest in recruiting?
Pick a Date
Most recruiters are interested in scheduling interviews and one or more recruiting events.
Register for Recruiting and On-Grounds Events
Submit your reservation request form to your employer relations manager (ERM). If you are new to Darden, e-mail the form to us and we will assign your company an ERM, your primary contact at Darden.
Confirm Your Schedule
After discussing options with you, your ERM will send you a confirmation packet. Please return the confirmation form and job description form(s) to guarantee your reservation.
- Note the due dates for job descriptions, invitation lists, etc.
- Review your confirmation packet for accuracy. If you need to make changes, note them on your confirmation form and return to your ERM immediately. Reservations for on-Grounds recruiting and company events are held for 30 days, pending receipt of the signed confirmation form and job description form.
Driving Directions and Transportation
Information about driving directions and transportation.
The Inn at Darden
The Inn at Darden is a full-service hotel right on the Darden Grounds. It is a great place to stay during your visit to Charlottesville, Virginia. Recruiters are able to receive a reduced room rate. If interested, please call +1-434-243-5000 to make your reservation.
Catering
Since many events are scheduled during lunch and dinner hours, most companies choose to cater their events. For catering, two options are available. You have the option to use Darden’s on-site catering service, The Abbott Center. E-mail Rachel Dudzik or call her at +1-434-982-4892 to make arrangements. Or you may use Vmeals, an outside vendor contracted for catering services that provides a simple and reliable way to order top-quality catering. They offer a wide selection of menus to accommodate both your taste and your budget. Contact a Vmeals customer service representative, or call +1-866-863-2571.
Order Résumé Books
Second Year résumés will be available through MBA Focus 26 August 2013. First Year résumés will be available 31 October 2013.
Market Your Events
Market your Darden recruiting initiatives on-Grounds.
- The Cold Call Chronicle is a bimonthly student newspaper that is widely read by the Darden community. For more information about advertising your Darden events, please contact Sonali Kripalani.
. - Contact officers of relevant Darden student organizations to let them know about your upcoming plans.
Darden’s Company Giveaway Policy
For the 2013-2014 recruiting season, Darden is continuing its policy on company giveaways. With Darden’s vision to be a zero-waste, carbon-neutral enterprise by 2020, we are declaring recruiting events to be giveaway free! Companies who want to distribute brand related items can bring small tokens to Darden the day of the event. This includes any logo merchandise and company products and applies to any company recruiting at Darden. Students surveyed about company giveaways reported that they felt giveaways were unnecessary. Given this new policy, Darden will no longer accept shipments of company product.
Darden has been recognized as being a Top 16 green business school by the Princeton Review/Entrepreneur Magazine (March, 2011) and we appreciate your support of this important part of our mission. Rather than giving students giveaways, companies are encouraged to interact with Darden students by:
- Distributing a one-page information sheet which includes company contacts, important company specific deadlines for recruiting events (these would have to be brought to Darden by the recruiting team the day of the event.)
- Supporting Darden clubs and organizations
- Distributing coupons for company products
Darden joins other top MBA programs in finding more sustainable ways for companies to interact with and build their brand with our students. Thank you for helping to support our vision to be a zero-waste, carbon-neutral enterprise by 2020!
Contact Alumni
Notify Darden alumni in your organization, let them know your plans, and invite them to join you at Darden.
Get to Know Our Students
Identify ways to connect with students via on-Grounds activities or student club events.
Please contact us with any questions you may have about recruiting.