The Office of Career Development will host the annual internship and job fair for graduate and undergraduate students on Sept. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the second-floor basketball courts in the Don Taft University Center.
More than 55 employers will be offering full-time and part-time positions, internships, and management and training programs in various fields. This year’s fair will continue to focus on the fields of information technology and communications.
Assistant Director for Career Development Megan Burns said, “We do try to look back at what’s been done in the past…and this year we’re really trying to target different companies to try to diversify the opportunities that will be presented to students.”
Career Adviser Emilio Lorenzo said that getting a job or internship helps you develop skills that you may not have gained from previous experiences.
“When we bring these employers in, we really make sure that the internship isn’t just getting coffee for individuals,” Lorenzo said. “You’re doing the nature of the work that’s going to help build up your career for the next stop.”
Don Monroe from City Furniture said that the company has been attending the job fair for a few years now and that they will be looking for full-time employees and interns for next summer.
Lorenzo said that all students should attend, even if they aren’t currently seeking employment because it will be a great networking opportunity and a chance to do some career exploration.
Burns said, “It’s a good opportunity to see what’s out there, as far as career opportunities, for when [students] graduate.”
Burns, Lorenzo and Monroe encourage students to research the companies and the opportunities available to them before the fair so that they know what they would be interested in and whom they should talk to. Burns said that students should have a game plan for approaching the employers and make sure that they stand out against other applicants.
Lorenzo said, “[The companies] want to hire fresh graduates. You guys are young, excited and they can teach you within the organization how to do things correctly.”
Career Development will have a Prep-Step Center available to students at the entrance to the fair. Students can ask career advisers last-minute questions, conduct brief research on some of the companies of their interest and pick up a map that lays out where the representatives from each company are located. Mirrors and breath mints will also available for students to freshen up.
“You want to set up a game plan that says ‘Who do I want to talk to first? What questions am I going to ask this company? Why do I want to work there?’” Lorenzo said.
Monroe said a lot of students just look at the name of the company and the compensation they’ll be given, but they don’t focus on future opportunities they may have.
“Pay close attention to the actual job functions — what you’re going to be doing and what you can become,” he said, “Learn to have a conversation with the person across from you … Let the resume be a summary of what you bring.”
Burns and Lorenzo advise students to meet with an adviser in Career Development prior to the fair if they have any questions about the event, need help with writing a resume or cover letter, or have any questions regarding a job or internship.
Career Development will also host a workshop on Sept. 17 at noon in the Horvitz Administration Building where students can learn how to put together a game plan for meeting employers at the fair and ask questions about it.
For more information or to set up an advisement appointment, call the Office of Career Development at 954-262-7201.
To see the list of employers that will be at the fair, visit nova.edu/career/career_fair.html.
