Businesses from around country to be present Career_02/10_jy

Factoid:Prior to Wednesday, there will be a $5 fee for students not registered with career services who receive an interview with employers. The fee will be $10 the day of the fair.

Though the job market suffers the occasional lows and depressions, the number of students looking for employment after college never does. For this reason, SIUC offers a bi-annual career fair to assist students in finding employment.

More than 60 businesses will participate in the Spring Career Fair, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday in the ballrooms of the Student Center. The Spring Career Fair is sponsored by Career Services, which helps students with rsums and cover letters and provides general assistance in entering the job market. The event is free and open to students, alumni and community members interested not only in jobs, but also in internships and co-op opportunities.

“It’s something that all university campuses do,” said Career Services Director James Scales, who has served as director since 1990. “It comes with the educational process; as a student you prepare to go into the work world, and we [Career Services] prepare you to be received by the work world.”

According to Career Services Specialist Mary Payne, the fair, which has occurred on campus at least since the 1970s, will offer students the opportunity to network with the participants. Companies from various places around the country, including everything from restaurants to hotels and department stores, will be represented at the fair.

Scales said though certain opportunities are geared toward individuals in a particular major, it is important for students to visit all of the businesses present at the fair. He said students are often unaware of the opportunities available for their degree, and limit themselves to jobs they believe pertain to their major.

“Students have a tendency to look for who is offering a job in their major,” Scales said. “Go up to every employer, shake hands with them and ask ‘ what opportunities exist for a person in my major.’ If there are 86 companies, you need to be shaking hands 86 times. Your major may fit opportunities that you don’t even know about.”

Organizers of the event said students should bring at least 10 to 15 copies of their rsum to provide to employers, who may possibly be interested in an interview the following day. In addition to this, Payne, who organized the event, said it is important for students to dress professionally to present the best possible image to employers.

“Dress as if you’re going to an interview,” Payne said. “People show up in T-shirts and jeans and year after year, I have employers tell me that they don’t take the people who show up in T-shirts as seriously.”

Scales and Payne recommend that students attend the fair regardless of their year in school. Though many students do not concern themselves with career opportunities until their junior and senior years, both stress the importance of internships prior to a student’s entrance into the job market. Payne said employers are beginning to look for at least two internships to accompany any other experience a person may obtain while in college.

Scales encourages all students who attend to consider the job and internship opportunities available, spend time at the fair and ask questions to employers. He emphasized that the fair is not something for students to simply stop by and reminded them that the event can be a time-consuming process. Despite the amount of time students must spend, Payne said even if they do not obtain an internship or job, the experience is worth it in the end.

“Whether it is an internship or a full-time job you are looking for, it is an excellent time to start networking,” Payne said. “We encourage people to come out because it’s convenient, free and you can develop a relationship with the employers that may one day lead to an internship.”