Students of all majors and class ranking came into the event center at California State University, Stanislaus on March 11 to meet possible future employers.
Signing their name and major onto a name tag and labeling themselves for the potential employers, students dressed for interviews walked in unison through the maze of company displays.
The CSU Stanislaus Career Fair is hosted in the event center for one day to give students an opportunity to meet local businesses and get information about professional-level career opportunities and internships. Although the Career Fair is only open to students of CSU Stanislaus, career-seeking alumni are also encouraged to attend this event. Leading up to the fair, Career Services provided students the opportunity to have their resumes reviewed at a resume building workshop before sharing it at the Career Fair, as they were informed to dress professionally and bring their resume.
For some students this is their first time meeting employers and the nerves were settling as they told their stories and discussed their interests in working for specific companies. First impressions can be lasting and for the students that attended the career fair it was obvious that they knew the importance of this event.
Dressed to impress with resume in hand, Sydney Vance looked to the career fair for experience in marketing herself and sharing her talent with a company in the Central Valley. With an interest in Agriculture, Vance was greeted by the many companies that represented the Agriculture industry in this area. Yosemite Farm Credit, American AgCredit and even Hilmar Cheese were all accounted for at the Career Fair, looking for promising college graduates to join their companies.
“My experience was awesome,” Sydney Vance (senior, Communication Studies) said. “I met some really nice people with great companies. Since I went I have received a couple of great opportunities that I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t gone.”
Other students, like Vance, were greeted by the smiling faces of college recruiters form different companies and gave hope to the future job market for graduates. Even with some majors not being represented, the positive energy that filled the event center provided students with a learning environment that they could thrive in, no matter what path they will take after college.
College recruiters at the Career Fair spoke with many students providing specific information for the positions they needed to fill. However, information about how students should go about getting a job after college was not necessarily discussed. In an article featured on LinkedIn.com by a New York Times bestselling author, Dan Schawbel discusses some important career advice for college graduates.
“Focus on making a big impact immediately,” Schawbel told LinkedIn. “The quicker you make an impact in a company, the more attention and support you will get. […] Starting on day one, you have to learn as much as possible and start mastering your job so you can latch on to the bigger projects faster and prove yourself”
In the article, Schawbel also emphasizes the importance of face-to-face communication, stating, “students are plugged in and don’t understand that the strongest relationships are formed in person, not online […] soft skills will always become more cherished in companies so it’s important to drop your technology and actually communicate with people.”
For CSU Stanislaus students with questions on how to succeed in a job interview or any other career questions, contact Career Services in the Mary Stuart Rodgers Building, room 180, or call 209-667-7032.