UF graduates are getting high marks from job recruiters, according to a new ranking released by The Wall Street Journal.
UF ranked ninth among recruiters surveyed for the report released Sunday.
The newspaper surveyed 842 recruiters from public and private companies, nonprofit organizations and federal agencies across the country for the report.
UF Career Resource Center Director Wayne Wallace said the university has become a frequently targeted school for large corporations that only recruit at a select number of schools.
“UF is a tremendous fishing ground for employers,” he said.
The Wall Street Journal report cites big student populations and good practical training as reasons why major public university graduates are finding success out of school.
Wallace had similar observations about UF graduates.
He said the university has a large number of graduates and high academic standards, as well as students who are willing and able to relocate for jobs.
UF spokesman Steve Orlando said the university has always held its graduates in high esteem.
“We’ve always believed our students come out prepared for the workplace and the world in general,” he said.
The ranking makes note of the programs recruiters especially touted. For UF, recruiters gave finance majors especially high praise.
The acclaim came as no surprise to Michael Ryngaert, chairman of the Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate in the Warrington School of Business.
“It speaks to the quality of students that we attract,” he said.
He said in addition to simply being impressive candidates for employment, well-prepared graduates have gone on to establish footholds in major firms like Merrill Lynch, Wachovia and Raymond James.
“A lot of times, those are the people we rely on for recruitment,” he said.
Wallace agreed.
“Our predecessors, the alumni — they paved the way,” he said.
