Huskies find an array of opportunity with Sherwin Williams

In business since 1866, Sherwin Williams is the largest manufacturer and distributor of paint in the world. And the company routinely hires Huskies.

Paul Grimes, Northeast Pennsylvania District Manager for The Sherwin-Williams Company, says that in all his years of campus recruiting, Huskies have always been (and have found) great fits with the company. The mix of blue- and white-collar culture matches the grit and determination of many first-generation Huskies, and their "promote from within policy" makes them an attractive place to start one's career.
 
"One person can be involved with customer service, sales, inventory, and operations - all at the beginning of their career," says Grimes, who has been with Sherwin Williams for 33 years. "In a relatively short time, you can be in a position where you are managing your own million-dollar-plus business unit."
 
While Sherwin-Williams is a great fit for Huskies, Huskies are a great fit for Sherwin-Williams. Grimes says that it isn't just the grit that sets BU

grads apart but also their level of preparedness. On and off-campus, opportunities like student business organizations and internships help students develop the professionalism and experience necessary to thrive in their first professional position. The last several managerial trainees Grimes hired were out of BU. And while he himself is not an alum, both of his children are/were students here.
 
"Professors do a great job in giving them real-world experiences," explained Grimes. "There are so many opportunities for students to get involved, and that makes it a great place for us to recruit."
 
Grimes says that the geographic proximity of Sherwin Williams store locations to Bloomsburg University has historically made the relationship between the two one of "osmosis." Most students have become familiar with the brand by the time they are seniors and can begin their professional climb locally if they choose. It also helps that the likelihood one's boss may be a fellow Husky is relatively high.  
 
"When you think about the colleges in NEPA, Bloomsburg has a large student body and a growing business school," said Grimes. "The people that work for me in the area know some of the students, and word spreads. When you look strategically, Bloomsburg makes a ton of sense inside my district."  
 
Still, Grimes has been making it a point to be on campus, serving on several alumni and employer panels so students can ask questions and employers can get to know potential hires. He has also served as a classroom speaker and industry expert for sales courses in the Zeigler College of Business and is an honorary member of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity.
 
"I love connecting with students during their entire college career, and it makes them more open to the opportunities for Sherwin Williams," said Grimes. "We realize how important those roles are."
 
Through these campus interactions, Grimes encourages students to connect electronically through LinkedIn and Handshake and proactively reach out to companies.  
 
"If they're not allowing themselves to stand out, it is easy for that talent to go unnoticed."
 
Above all, he says that students should keep their options open.
 
"You'd be surprised at the opportunities that exist," stressed Grimes. "I'm not in love with paint, but I love the company I work for. Don't turn something down until you know enough about it."