Your future awaits: NGU’s upcoming career fair and how to prepare
Trinity Adams, News and Feature Editor
Looking for a potential job or internship while trying to finish the semester well can seem like a daunting task for many students on campus. Sites like LinkedIn and Indeed can help students find job listings across the country and around the world, but what about the students who want to stay in the area after graduation?
The Center for Student Success will be hosting a career fair March 26 in Hayes Gymnasium from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This will be an opportunity for students to network, learn more about the current job market and find potential employers. There are currently 18 businesses slated to attend, ranging from camps, non-profit organizations, schools, health services and accounting firms.
The fair is being curated by Mary Mahan, the coordinator for student calling. She hopes to provide a diverse group of businesses for students of all majors to find opportunities.
“Career fairs are two-fold in their main purpose. They provide space for businesses to find candidates for open positions in their company and they allow students who are seeking jobs to interact with several businesses who are hiring in one localized spot,” Mahan said.
Mahan has picked the businesses that will be attending through the school job board through College Central Network. CCN is a website where businesses within the network can post job listings. The postings on this site range from full-time positions, work-study positions and seasonal jobs for students throughout the school year.
Mahan said that this event is not limited to seniors. Juniors can come to find potential internships and underclassmen are welcome to come to gain experience in networking and possibly gain job shadowing opportunities. Underclassmen should use this an opportunity to also explore jobs that are out of their current field of study, because many passions can overlap.
“Prepare to keep an open mind about businesses you might not normally consider or haven’t heard of. Prepare to have both relaxed and professional conversations. Bring along your resume to hand out to companies you’re interested in! Dress professionally, or at the very least, don’t show up in your pajamas or athleisure,” said Mahan.
Susana Garreau, an administrative assistant at Greene Finney Cauley LLP accounting firm, suggested that students who are interested in working for a company come prepared for the company. This helps them know that the students understand the career field that they are looking into. This also helps the companies.
“We are looking to hire someone that is detail-oriented, a team player and good at working on a flexible schedule,” Garreau said.
Mahan also encouraged students to be ready to answer questions about themselves. Students should come to the career fair understanding what kind of job they are seeking and why they are pursuing their specific career. With more businesses that are added closer to the time of the fair, students can expect to find at least one company for their major. Students should prepare to network and advertise themselves by bringing their resumes and creating a LinkedIn profile.
For any students who may need help preparing for the career fair, Mahan encouraged them to schedule a time to come to her office via email. She can help with mock interview questions, resume creation and revision, LinkedIn profile analysis and any other career questions.
