Fall brings employers to campus
By Maggie Beidelman
For those of you who are fearing the imminent post-graduate launch into the working world, you can relax. The annual Fall Career Fair is today from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Santa Clara Mall.
"The Career Fair is an opportunity for students to meet potential employers, network with a variety of people in the working world, and allow themselves to be seen as something more than the piece of paper of a resume," Kathy Potter, director of the Career Center, said.
About 150 employers, from IRS Criminal Investigation to Abercrombie & Fitch, will be stationed at the fair to receive resumes, answer questions and provide contact information. Job opportunities include full-time, part-time, internships, and co-op positions for all majors.
"Now is the time to go," said Potter. "The Fall Career Fair is the largest one we host, and employers will be looking for potential candidates to begin work immediately upon graduation."
Potter also noted that although the fair is aimed at seniors, other undergraduate students should be encouraged to go and check out the opportunities that will be available to them in the future.
"It's good practice," junior MaryAnne Viegelmann, Career Center employee, said. "The Career Fair is just the first step into the outside world, where you will have to get used to conversing with employers, and the endless opportunities presented at our fair will help you do just that."
Sophomore and co-worker Kristina Reasner agreed, "The set-up of the fair allows for increased accessibility to companies in the area and the chance to network with interested employers." After all, what could be better than a pre-organized event that allows students to have face-to-face contact with employers who so often have to choose from a lifeless stack of identical black and white resumes?
Because resumes are the prime source of information for potential employers, it's very important for anyone who is looking for a job to have a well organized and professional looking application. To help students cope with these kinds of issues, the Career Center held a lecture last Tuesday called "Making the Most of the Career Fair." The presentation served as an aid to students preparing for today's Career Fair.
"Do not forgo this opportunity," said Potter, "but come prepared. Have an open mind, dress to impress in business casual attire, and bring at least twenty copies of your resume to give to employers. Above all, remember that these employers are coming here to find you. All you have to do is be prepared, smile, maintain eye-contact, and let the employers know what you already know yourself -- that you're the best candidate for the job opening in their company."
For further questions visit the Career Center online at www.scu.edu/careercenter.
Contact Maggie Beidelman at MBeidelman@scu.edu.