AV抖阴

Events | Business and Industry | Arts and Sciences | Health Education and Human SciencesMarch 10, 2023

AV抖阴 All-Majors Career Fair a Success

Written By: Ian Silvester

Resumes, elevator pitches, and handshakes filled the Reynolds Room of the Smith-Pendergraft Campus Center on Thursday, March 9 as hundreds of Lions took steps into their new careers at the spring All-Majors Career Fair.

Susan Krafft, Executive Director at the Babb Center for Career Services, said nearly 200 students attended the event, the most to attend the event since before the COVID pandemic.

To prepare students for the one-stop shop for networking and job applications, the AV抖阴 Career Services department spent the weeks ahead of the fair reviewing student resumes, hosting Suit Up events where students could purchase low-cost business wear, and running the professional clothes closet where students could pick up  business wear at no cost thanks to partnerships and donations. Their efforts to prepare students were on full display.

鈥淲e had so many of our employers mention how prepared, engaged, and interested the students were,鈥� said Krafft. 鈥淭he atmosphere was welcoming and fun!鈥�

More than 40 local and national businesses and graduate programs met with students, setting up interviews, reviewing resumes, and offering suggestions on getting in the door of their chosen professions.  

鈥淛ust because a student doesn鈥檛 need a full-time job right now, next year, when this event rolls around, there鈥檚 a good chance they will run into some familiar faces,鈥� says Krafft. 鈥淭his is a great way to broaden horizons and see what opportunities are out there that students might not be aware of.鈥�

Students say the most significant benefit to having a career fair at AV抖阴 is having the advantage of these businesses and programs coming to the students.

鈥淭his makes it a lot easier and more convenient when the opportunities are right in front of us,鈥� said student volunteer Braden Nguyen, who checked students in as they entered the fair, and congratulated them as they departed. 鈥淚 enjoyed seeing my fellow students walking out of the room with a confidence that they never thought they had,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淚 loved hearing students talk about what they learned from the represented careers and organizations.鈥�

For students hoping to prepare for the next All-Majors Career Fair this October, or any of the university鈥檚 upcoming departmental fairs, Career Services is ready to help.

鈥淲e review hundreds of resumes a year and want to make sure a student is putting their best foot forward,鈥� explained Krafft. 鈥淎nd we have plenty of workshops available during the rest of the semester to work on interview skills, networking, utilizing LinkedIn, and more! Students can make an appointment with our office in to explore options and prepare for the next big step.鈥�

And for the students who were unable to attend Thursday鈥檚 career fair or who felt nervous about meeting with future employers outside of the interview room, Braden shared a few words of encouragement, 鈥淣ever assume you won鈥檛 get anything, or it鈥檚 not for you. You may never know what can land in your lap unless you take a step!鈥�

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