SEO Career was featured in a statement from JPMorgan Chase about their updated recruitment cycle to ensure student’s success. Read the article below

Our campus recruiting timeline in North America

By Matt Mitro, Head of Campus Recruiting
February 2019

Last October, JPMorgan Chase took an important decision to reduce pressure on students like you as you explore career opportunities. Specifically, we committed to pushing back the intern recruiting season from the Spring to the Fall, in line with historic industry practice. Since then, we’ve been overwhelmed by positive feedback and perspectives that have reinforced our view.

When we made this decision we thought it would give you a better opportunity to focus on your studies, explore companies and careers, and participate in the recruiting process. But national student organizations and research firms have now confirmed how important the timing is, particularly for diverse students who typically have less exposure to all of the opportunities available to them, including the wide range of jobs in finance.

“We believe shifting recruitment timelines to college junior year is a smart move that will benefit all college students, but especially students underrepresented in coveted internships,” stated William Goodloe, President and CEO of SEO, an organization dedicated to the advancement of talented young people from underserved and underrepresented communities. “We do a tremendous amount of training and preparation with the students, but the early recruitment schedule puts pressure on students to know what they want almost immediately after beginning college. Early recruiting can actually hinder a company’s diversity efforts, while benefitting students who are already plugged into the financial world,” he added.

A recent study by the Ivy Research Council, a research firm that studies the country’s best campus recruiting strategies, found that the accelerated recruiting calendar has proven disproportionately challenging for diverse underclassmen. According to Carter Bradley, Partner & Co-Founder at the firm, 60% of underrepresented populations said they felt under-prepared for recruitment and lacked clarity about their career options, 50% lower than their white or Asian male counterparts. “Underclassmen in general do not feel fully prepared for recruiting, but the trend is particularly pronounced among women and under-represented minorities,” said Bradley. (JPMorgan Chase is a participating member of the Ivy Research Council.)

University officials who support students both in academic and career preparation also reached out to us. Douglas Cooper, Director of Career Services of Morehouse College, told us that “a later recruiting season gives us more time to guide student decisions on coursework, prepare students for interviews, and build stronger partnerships with employers.”

In speaking with other major employers, we learned that most of them also believe that hiring students later gives them a better read of your abilities and improves the likelihood that you’ll be confident and excited about the internship you choose to take.

That’s why we are standing by our decision. We will not accept applications for Summer 2020 internships until the summer and we will not extend offers until the fall.  Make no mistake though, we are still incredibly committed to meeting and recruiting students from all backgrounds this Spring.  We encourage you to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, join our talent network, and register for campus events and Online Academy webinars to help you get a firsthand look into working at our firm and early access to learning events and programs.  For example, we will host our two-day Sophomore Edge program in Chicago this April to help inspire and prepare hundreds of diverse students for success in our industry.  Professional development, networking and mentoring matter most at this stage – so we will not be putting added pressure on students to interview at this program.

It’s not easy to reverse a trend, especially in the competitive space of campus recruiting. But we strongly believe in our approach, and we remain confident that doing what we know is right for you will also be right for our firm in the long-term. Good luck in your studies this Spring, take your time to prepare and explore with us through our online and in-person opportunities, and we hope you will apply for a role when we open applications in June.