Most college career centers are built to catch the larger fish in the pond, those companies that have large recruiting budgets and active college recruiting plans. These employers are now hiring fewer, if any, students and may have lost some of their appeal with young professionals. So how does a career center catch the thousands of small, local fish—small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) that are projected to offer the bulk of local/regional job opportunities in the near future? Easy—switch from a fishing rod to a net. This session will share best practices from career centers that have successfully built a bridge to the community and engaged SMBs into their on-campus programs. It will also provide resources and tools already available that allow career centers to better identify and connect with local SMBs. Presenters will share the benefits of engaging local, smaller organizations in on-campus recruiting programs for the students and the college. Finally, the session will provide a checklist of the key steps and activities that a career center can take to achieve the benefits defined by engaging with the local marketplace.