Job fair gets mixed reviews
The weather cooperated and the prospects were well-qualified. Even the food was good, many said. As recruiters and potential employees gathered for the 11th annual Utah State University Career Fair Wednesday on the second floor of the Taggart Student Center, the general consensus was that it was a positive experience for both parties – though several attendees said they felt it could have been more productive. “It’s a great opportunity for students to get exposure,” said Paul Lewis of Siebel, a company that develops software for customer-relationship management. “I wish I would have had one of these when I was in college.” Jan Lyons, assistant director of USU Career Services, which organizes the event, said she received praise from many of the employers on how well-run the event was. “It’s well laid out,” Lewis said. “[Career Services] has bent over backwards for us. I like the open forum.” Some students who went to the career fair were looking for permanent employment, while others were hoping for an internship. Many underclassmen simply wanted to see what options might be available in the future. For environmental engineering master’s student Nathan Zaugg, the career fair was a chance to seek a “real job” after graduation. “It’s been looking pretty good,” Zaugg said. “There are a lot of firms that seem interested in hiring.” Once thought of as merely a networking tool, the career fair has transformed into an event where employers come ready to immediately consider qualified recent graduates, Lyons said. Lewis said he was ready to fill many positions with soon-to-be graduates in computer science and other related fields at the event. Frank Hales, a CPA with the Utah State Tax Commission and Clint Topham of Parsons Brinckerhoff, the engineering firm selected to design the Legacy Highway, said they were prepared to do the same. Hales and Topham had several applicants sign up for interviews. Topham said he hired a soon-to-be graduate at a career fair at Brigham Young University last week. Both Topham and Hales said they have enjoyed success recruiting USU graduates in the past. In the last two years, Hales said he has hired eight USU grads, some as a direct result of the career fair. “[It’s] been a good source for us,” Topham said of USU. Gloria Hughes, program manager for the Bureau of Land Management in Utah, was one of the few agencies at the fair offering internships. Hughes recruited for student summer positions in wildlife, range and natural resources management that could possibly turn into permanent positions, she said. Lack of internship offerings was a complaint of some students. “They don’t come with internship opportunities, it seems,” said Jeff Sanders, a senior graduating in December in economics. Sanders said he thought the fair catered solely to graduating seniors. In addition to the senior emphasis, other students said the event was tailored mostly for engineering or business students. Lyons said she tried to get as much diversity as she could when signing up recruiters. On the surface, she said, the event may have seemed top-heavy with companies in the business and engineering fields. But students who delved deeper may have seen more opportunities, she said. Being aggressive and asking the right questions may have helped students find a potential job in their major with a company they may never have expected to be right for them, she said. Some students found those unexpected opportunities. “It’s opened my eyes to possibilities of where I’ll be able to get an internship,” said Justin Jeppson, a senior psychology major headed for graduate school. Though the fair’s set-up allowed for casual perusing of the booths, Lyons said prior to Wednesday she encouraged students to identify approximately 10 companies that they would want to work for, research those companies and then tailor their presentation to fit what those potential employers might be looking for. “It’s the prepared people that get the jobs,” Lyons said. Part of that preparation was wardrobe choice. Jeppson said he was surprised that some potential employees went as far as to dress in three-piece suits. “You dress for what you want,” said State Farm Insurance Claims Reinspector Angie Bodily. “If I were looking for a job, I’d come dressed better.” Though some said it was well organized, other students said the environment of the career fair wasn’t the most conducive for a job search. “It’s probably a little too crowded,” Zaugg said. “There is not enough time to make a good contact. I feel pressured because there are 10 other people behind me.” Jeppson, like Zaugg, said he thought recruiters were packed in too tightly. That overcrowded feeling was because Career Services maxed out on the spots for potential employers, Lyons said. Approximately 180 companies sent representatives to recruit at the fair.