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Employment CenterReport on the 2008 [last year's] Mathematical Sciences Employment Center San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California January 6,7,8 & 9, 2008 The 55th Annual Mathematical Sciences Employment Center was held in San Diego, California. A total of 120 employers used at least one table at the Employment Center. Employers had three types of tables to choose from: Computer-Scheduled tables, Interview Center (self-scheduled) tables, and Combination Tables. A variety of employers were represented, and despite long hours spent at the interviewing tables, most employers were very satisfied with their experience and plan to participate again. Approximately 568 job seekers registered for the service also. To use the self-scheduled tables at the Interview Center, employers reserved a table there, which they could use to conduct interviews with any candidate (registered for the Joint Meetings), for any length of time, during any of the open hours. The hours of operation of the Interview Center included two evenings and one extra morning. The Interview Center is a comfortable room offering coffee, aisle carpeting, tables and chairs. Employers and applicants both reported that the interviews conducted there were relaxed, convenient, and very productive. Applicants and employers were able to register in advance for the employment center by submitting a form (electronically) and paying the appropriate fees. Pre-registrations for the employment center resulted in the publication of 109 employer job descriptions in the Winter List of Employers, and 396 brief applicant resumes in the Winter List of Applicants. The books, once printed in December, were mailed out in advance to those who had completed advance registration. Additional applicants and employers registered late, as well as on site, and had their paper forms posted in the employment center registration area. The regular Employment Center scheduling program was run. Interview request forms were collected on Sunday from participants and a scheduling program was run overnight to produce a printed schedule for each participant by Monday morning. Interviews were held on Monday and Tuesday. The total number of employers submitting schedule requests was 33. The number of applicants using this portion of the program was 390. This 11.8:1 applicant/employer ratio is slightly higher than last year's ratio, although overall the ratios of the last four years were much less favorable to applicants than the previous few years (2007: 10:1, 2006: 9.8:1, 2005: 10.5:1, 2004: 10.2:1, 2003: 3.2:1, 2002: 2.4:1, 2001: 3.5:1, 2000: 4.5:1, 1999: 6.8:1). There were 890 fifteen-minute interviews scheduled. Employers had an average of 26.4 interviews each out of a potential 33 (some were not available for all eight interview sessions). Applicants had an average of 2.2 interviews each.
Those applicants with the most interviews were those most requested by employers. Of course, most applicants also had interviews with self-scheduled employers. Some employers, for a small additional fee, reserved tables in both settings. The advantages for employers of the regular scheduling system are the ability to make selections on the first day and be assured of being scheduled with most of those applicants; also, many welcome the opportunity to meet interested applicants they may have overlooked previously. One advantage of the Interview Center is the flexibility of self-scheduling, which can leave time free for other Joint Meetings activities, and allow for variable interview lengths. In general, the Interview Center is a setting for employer-requested interviews. The scheduled tables are a more open setting where each party has some control over the schedule. Although applicants couldn't specifically sign up for the Interview Center, many found that through the appearance of their resume in the Winter Lists (mailed to registered employers in advance) or through applications previously made for open positions, they were invited for interviews in the Interview Center. In fact, some applicants decided to register in December after they had already received several invitations to interview with self-scheduled employers in the Interview Center. The substantial growth of the Interview Center is improving the Employment Center experience for many applicants. Although the statistics from the scheduling program show an average of around 2.2 interviews per applicant, many applicants, particularly those who had applied for jobs throughout the Fall, reported receiving at least that many appointments in the Interview Center. Applicants now find themselves struggling to maintain two overlapping schedules, as they get appointments in the scheduled table area and in the Interview Center. While it may be possible for some applicants to schedule a large number of appointments, applicants will help themselves best by following the traditional advice of conducting a focused, meaningful job search, and trying to learn something about the institution and position before each interview. A few small amenities were added in recent years, including coffee for employers who may not have adequate time between interviews to leave the room. A "reference area" stocked with college guides and books of advice on the academic job market has been useful for applicants. A few pictures of the (2005) Employment Center are available. Below is a list of the employers that attended the January 2008 [LAST YEAR'S] Employment Center. Aerospace Corporation
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For Further Information Questions about AMS employment services should be directed to emp-info@ams.org |
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