The University of Idaho Career Center will host the Job and Internship Fair from 2-6 p.m. Feb. 5 in the Student Union Building.
This is an opportunity for juniors and seniors to find internships or jobs and for other students to network and practice to talk to future employers.
Career Center Manager Eric Anderson said at least three students during the fall semester Career Fair were interviewed and offered jobs that day.
“The Career Fair is a good opportunity for students to get in front of employers, to network, to find out about opportunities that (are) out there for them and have a chance just to talk to employers,” Anderson said.
He said over 70 companies have registered for the fair and the number is expected to go up over the next couple weeks.
“We have some good employers coming. Some that have been here before and some new employers as well,” Anderson said. “I hope that some of the new employers will attract some other students.”
Anderson said a workshop about how to prepare for the fair will be held on Tuesday in the Aurora room on the fourth floor of the Idaho Commons. The workshop will cover some tips about writing resumes, introducing oneself professionally to employers and dressing appropriately.
Another event before the fair is the Career Fair Blitz. Anderson said this is the three days before the fair where students can come in to the Career Center office and the advisers will talk and help them prepare.
Anderson encourages all students to come to the Career Fair whether or not they are looking for internship or job opportunities, because meeting real recruiters and employers will help better prepare them down the road.
“The Career Fair is a great chance to practice getting dressed up, updating your resume and getting in front of employers just to see what their companies and organizations are about, what they’re looking for,” he said.
Career Center adviser Nicole Campbell said the employers often remember students who come back year after year to talk to them.
“We really encourage freshmen to start talking to companies, seeing what’s out there, talking to recruiters, and just kind of continually making that contact until the time when they are ready to be hired,” Campbell said.
Campbell also said that she tries to encourage students to look at the list of the companies beforehand and do some research about the companies they are interested in. The list is posted on the Career Center’s webpage.
Aside from the fair, the Career Center advisers also help students one-on-one to navigate how and where to look for internships or jobs, how to put a good application together, as well as helping them applying for graduate schools if students are interested.
“The Career Center is here for anything related to your major and career development. So whether you need help exploring majors or exploring what you can do with your majors, we are here to help with that,” Anderson said.
Nurainy Darono can be reached at [email protected]