By Soobin Choi
On October 4th, the Career Fair took place in the main and auxiliary gymnasiums. Over 950 students attended the Fair to network and gain more information about 64 different companies. Unlike the CPA Fair on September 27th, the Career Fair targeted all majors from Corporate Communication to Public Affairs. Among those students who attended the fair, approximately 58% were male and 42% were female.
The STARR Career Development Center introduced a bag check in addition to the coat check system with a $1 fee. Students were able to check in their personal belongings while they spent time networking with recruiters. More than 70 students checked items and the proceeds will be donated to Relay for Life to fund breast cancer research.
The Center also prepared business attire to lend to students. The goal was to help students to look professional and give a great first impression. In addition, the Center offered to take students’ profile pictures for LinkedIn, a networking website for professionals, recruiters, and students.
The students’ feedback on the Fair was very similar. Many mentioned that they had to wait in the line for a long time, which made them more nervous. A student who wanted to stay anonymous stated, “It is my first time coming to one of these fairs. I never expected to wait in line.” Although he said he was tired from waiting in long lines, he continued, “but I got to know the structure of the Career Fair and most importantly, I got a chance to experience networking with professionals.”
The most common answer from students on what advice they would give to others who go to a future Career Fair was to prepare a personal pitch. A student stated, “I would advise them to be here early and practice their personal pitch because I know I was not ready.” Another student agreed, “My best advice is to prepare your personal pitch.” It is imperative to have your personal pitch prepared because when you begin to talk to recruiters, you want to mention key points about yourself and grab recruiters’ attention.
Rachelle Unger, a representative from one of the various companies that participated, shared similar feedback. She said, “After 3 seconds of talking to a student, I know if the person is a right fit for the position or not.” She continued, “Confidence is a key and show no hesitance.” She also pointed out that having wrong information or a typographical error on your résumé can harm your chance of getting an interview. “Always proofread and have enough copies,” she said.
The Career Fair is a great way to learn about potential opportunities as well as to network with professionals. If you missed the Career Fair, there will be other opportunities in the spring for students to connect with recruiters. The STARR Career Development Center offers workshops to enhance students’ professionalism and improve their résumés, business correspondence as well as personal pitches. So remember to take advantage of the workshops and see you at the next fair!
