The Thanksgiving Talent Buffet:

A Letter of Gratitude from Hopkins Students 

We will all agree that it has been a long semester. Between the long hours and endless Zoom calls, it can be hard to feel fulfilled and remember what this is all for. As we approach the season of gratitude, come along for our own little Thanksgiving dinner, a thank you letter from Hopkins students to you for all the hard work you have put in for us this fall.

First up, the star of the show! The turkey, your fall recruiting cycle, was the make-or-break moment. It was a deceptively seamless process to us, the perfectly seasoned meat belaying the trial and error it takes to get the main course perfect year after year.  As it is every year, the Turkey was simply a hit.

Your stuffing- the extensive planning, organization, and logistics that went into setting up fall recruiting- was just perfect. When sending in applications, all the big names felt accessible and available. Most of us felt encouraged to at least try to apply for roles, and it was truly impressive the volume of companies that were in reach.

Back to the pure basics- the mashed potato, the simple dish that brings everything together. Your outreach is severely underrated. It is, in fact, the backbone of what you do. The bridge that brings together us students with your dedicated recruiting teams. How can we know what is out there if you don’t tell us? And you delivered. Over 3000 Johns Hopkins students attended employers’ recruiting events this semester. The cherry (metaphorical, we don’t want cherry in our potato) on top was the over 2000 students who turned out for our biggest recruiting event, Future Fest! Your effort to connect with us showed, and we responded with as much enthusiasm as we could. 

Now to our glue, the gravy. Communication! You kept us informed every step of the way. From talent acquisition emails to notifications of open applications, you kept the lines of communication open as the semester went along. Our inboxes were teeming with emails on new opportunities or application updates.

But you need a bit of tart reality of cranberry sauce to cut through the heavy food.  Just like the sauce, things can be a bit sour. You have long hours of sifting through applications and resumes, and are bombarded with endless LinkedIn posts about AI in recruitment. But it turns sweet in the end. You are uplifting the next generation of workplace professionals, and we hope this is a reminder of that. The opportunities you provide help us go into the workplace more confident and prepared to take on the world.

Finally, time for dessert! The much-awaited Pumpkin (or sweet potato depending on your preference) pie. As exciting as the meal was, this is what we have all been waiting for: the sweet treat to wrap up the meal. All the applications are in, and it is now time for you to meet your talented pool of applicants and hear about their experiences and hopes for the world. Everything has been built up for this. It’s your time to shine!

After a meal like that, don’t forget the leftovers. Those who were left behind. Remember that there is always talent that you missed or didn’t reach. Or some that weren’t ready this round. Look back on your outreach strategies and listen to feedback. Most importantly, reach out to the students that did not make it. Tell us what we can do better. We always hope to be ready for you the next time. 

Thanksgiving is here! After the long weeks, we hope this was a small remember to stop and reflect on the hard work you put in this season. To the recruiters, staff, and everyone who makes recruiting season so smooth, thank you from the bottom of hearts.

– The Hire Hopkins Team