In today’s fast-paced and competitive job market, PACCAR has been consistent about attracting and welcoming early career talent into the business.
After achieving 9.6X as many referred applications since expanding how they use Handshake, the team realized Handshake is an excellent tool to fill their funnel of qualified early talent. Find out how PACCAR uses Handshake to fuel its early talent engagement and hiring program.
PACCAR is a global technology leader in the design, manufacture, and customer support of high-quality light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks under the Kenworth, Peterbilt and DAF nameplates. PACCAR also designs and manufactures advanced powertrains, provides financial services and information technology, and distributes truck parts related to its principal business.
Pre-fair and event outreach saves PACCAR time, and results in meaningful conversations
By using Handshake to define their student segments and message students ahead of fairs, the PACCAR team is able to have higher quality, more efficient conversations once PACCAR is on campus.
“We can proactively communicate prior to recruiting events, which means students get an overview of the company and brand before showing up for a career fair. This saves recruiters 2-3 minutes upfront with each person they speak with because students are more prepared when they meet with us. They also get the message we are excited to meet with them, which encourages them to stop by our booth.”
—Airam Batdorf, Senior Kenworth Recruiter, PACCAR
PACCAR has an average of 15+ interested students already waiting to see them at recruiting events.
“Since using Handshake for proactive pre-fair communication, we have seen a significant increase in students waiting to speak with us. We now have long lines of students wanting to meet with us. With the students more prepared to speak with us, we can have more meaningful career opportunity conversations versus spending our time educating them on what PACCAR does as a company,” said Meegan Prince, PACCAR Parts Recruiting Supervisor.
Brand building through virtual events is efficient and effective
Being an employer of choice for students means doing far more than just showing up at career fairs. PACCAR quickly realized it was important to connect with students year-round on topics that resonate with them. PACCAR hosts career panels, workshops, and offers 1-on-1 meetings during each event which accommodates students who prefer not to ask questions in group settings.
Since elevating how they use Handshake, PACCAR has received 23.3X as many event RSVPs.
PACCAR now hosts virtual events at least once per quarter. “Employer brand building is so efficient and effective with virtual events, and Handshake makes it easy to talk to interested potential candidates during these events,” said Batdorf.
Expanding school connections and deepening DEI engagement with an inclusive approach to school partnerships
PACCAR is intentional about hosting events such as “Succeeding in a Multigenerational Workplace,” “Women Who Move America: Careers with Purpose,” and “Succeeding as a First-Generation Student” that reach students from underrepresented groups. PACCAR invites leadership with diverse backgrounds to speak at these events and promotes their events on Handshake.
Of the total applicants referred from Handshake to PACCAR, 69% were from underrepresented groups.
PACCAR has taken a school-inclusive approach, which means they are connecting with new schools and student clubs on Handshake. “We’re building relationships with student clubs, including the Society of Women Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at University of Washington [near our headquarters],” said Maegan Ortega, Sr. Director of Human Resources. “Handshake helps us connect with students, so they think of PACCAR as an employer of choice.”
Why PACCAR’s early talent program is award winning
Internships are a key part of PACCAR’s talent pipeline. In fact, many employees, including those in senior positions, started their journey with the company as interns. PACCAR offers a rich internship program that provides interns with real-world learning opportunities, the experience of working next to the industry’s top professionals, networking opportunities, and more.
Employee development is core to its culture as PACCAR nurtures, grows, and encourages employees to work cross-functionally across divisions. “Early career talent brings new skills and new ways of thinking to the company that contribute to our culture of quality, technology and innovation,” said Batdorf. “We foster a robust culture of development where interns can embark on career journeys that could span their entire professional lives.”
PACCAR has found that Handshake is effectively engaging and sourcing candidates for PACCAR: in 2023, nearly 8,000 applicants were referred through Handshake.
In 2023 and 2024, PACAAR won a Handshake Early Talent Award with student reviews noting its “fun work culture,” “networking opportunities,” and that “managers care.” It’s clear that PACCAR is getting the word out on Handshake about how it’s a company that helps students navigate their first jobs, accelerate their skills, that can develop into fulfilling careers.