Annual Career, Internship Fair Offers Professional Experience Opportunities
Avis McGovern
The Office of Career and Professional Development presented the Career and Internship Fair from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at the Jo Young Switzer Center on Manchester University’s campus. Students of all rank were able to meet with representatives from companies and organizations to ask questions and network, but most importantly to hand out resumes.
MU hosted 59 organizations and graduate programs with hundreds of full-time, part-time and internship positions as well as graduate programs. Students were given a map of the layout for the Career Fair as they arrived to help guide them to areas of interest. Each organization and program was represented by their own table booth that included poster boards, brochures and a representative. Some booths even opted to have sweet treats for visitors that included cookies and candy.
Students who attended the event did not arrive empty-handed. “I brought 15 printed copies of my resume, in a portfolio, to easily handout for an internship,” said first-year Olivia Wilson. Students had the opportunity prior to the event on Monday, Feb. 26, to meet with the Career and Professional Development Department for resume reviews. With no appointment necessary, students were able to receive professional guidance and advice from the Success Center.
Along with paper items, students also brought notepads for quick notes, pens, a friendly attitude, and a smile while dressed in their business attire. “I wore a black dress with long sleeves, black tights, black and white striped heels, and pearls,” Wilson said. “Even if I did not know how to approach the representatives, or make good conversation, I still wanted to look professional and like I knew what I was doing as a first-year student trying to grab an internship at an accounting firm.”
The Career and Internship Fair had over 100 students filter in and out of the Upper JYSC. Students each spoke with representatives for an average 15-30 minutes, asking questions about positions and internships that were associated with their majors. Although the Career and Internship Fair brought 59 organizations and programs to campus, the variety for area of interest was small for students looking for opportunities beyond business.
“For non-business majors, the variety of companies to speak with were very slim,” said junior Quantae Miller. “For my friends studying in other areas, they found it difficult to go to booths looking for students in the Education and Social Sciences program, or other sciences. The Career and Internship Fair seemed to have most interests in having students speak with companies and organizations that involved software programming and sales.”
However, many students of varying majors still managed to talk to at least 3 booths and gain information about the application process and experience with talking to professionals.
“Going to the Career and Internship Fair really helped me build my confidence in speaking to future employers,” said first-year Richard Anthony. “I was nervous arriving to the event with all my submissions in hand, but after getting all the jitters out talking to the first booth, I felt more comfortable in the professional atmosphere. The map with the station layout was easy to navigate for everyone, and it helped me check off the companies I was eager to speak with.”
“I felt really lucky to have been able to attend the Career and Internship Fair,” said sophomore Kris Connors. “I am not usually someone to make a phone call or go into an office to gather information about a company’s open position, so this really helped out a lot.
“It was also beneficial to see how other students were approaching the representatives as I was walking through the stations,” she continued. “I could tell I was not the only nervous one there, but that everyone was eventually settling down and become more comfortable. The water station was nice to have as well.”