This year’s Fall University-wide Employment & Networking Fair set the attendance record for the event with 139 employers and nearly 600 attendees visiting.
From noon to 3 p.m., students and community members filled the Curtiss Hall banquet and seminar rooms to meet employers and practice their networking skills.
This year’s fall fair drew in 16 more employers and nearly 60 more attendees than last year’s fair, breaking both attendance records.
“It’s always good to see the consistency in growth,” said Assistant Director of Career Services Bill Stec.
Stec said that students of all class standings are welcomed and encouraged to attend any of SVSU’s eight yearly employment fairs.
“Regardless of class standing, (students) need to build a relationship with the employers,” Stec said. “These are the same recruiters that come every time, and they remember – face recognition, the name. It’s all about networking.”
Izabella Ismailova, a fourth-year international business major, attended the fair in order to look for job opportunities after graduation. As an international student rom Kazakhstan, Ismailova said employment fairs hold many benefits for international students.
“Employment fairs give an opportunity for international students to find a job, as well as to practice their communication skills and expand their network,” Ismailova said.
Travis Lange, an SVSU freshman and computer science major, said the employment fair was the first he has ever attended. Lange spoke with several companies, including Nexteer, the Dow Chemical Company and TechPoint, in order to see what internship opportunities are available.
“I thought it was awesome,” Lange said. “It was definitely nice being able to talk and hear what (the employers) had to say about their company and learn more about it.”
Stec recommends that students bring 15 to 20 copies of their resumes and research the companies they are interested in before attending the fairs. Career Services provides employer lists prior to every fair that include the positions the employers are offering.
Career Services will host the university’s next fair, the Health & Human Services Employment Fair, on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Health & Human Services building.
