Students line up to go to the Career and Internship Fair in the basement of Hughes-Trigg Wednesday. (Casey Lee)

The Hegi Family Career Development Center held its first Career and Internship Fair of the school year in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center on Wednesday.

Previously known as the Career Fair, the name changed to the Career and Internship Fair to include all the students at SMU, not just the juniors and seniors searching for a job post-graduation. The Career and Internship Fair occurs twice a year, once in September and the next semester in February.

There were 83 companies present, ranging from hi-tech to consulting and banking; 75 percent of them were looking to hire students in all majors. Returning companies included American Airlines and Hitachi; D Magazine made its first appearance at the Career and Internship Fair, and Microsoft returned after a 6-year hiatus.

Most of the students who attend the fairs are seniors; the expected breakdown is 5 percent first years and sophomores, 10 percent juniors. Seniors make up the remaining 80 percent.

Troy Behrens, executive director of the Hegi Family Career Development Center noted, “Now that we have more internships, the number of sophomores and juniors will increase.”

Behrens emphasized preparation as the key to success at the Career and Internship Fair. While most students understand the importance of dressing well and bringing a resume, often overlook research.

According to Behrens, “students should research companies ahead of time. It could be overwhelming to go talk to everyone.”

Furthermore, if students prepare, it allows them to focus on giving a good introduction and show that they are genuinely interested in the corporation. Another important aspect of the Career and Internship Fair to focus on is, as Behrens stated, “serendipitous encounters.” Some of the most successful fair stories come from students who were thinking of not attending or who had low expectations.

One of Behrens’s more memorable experiences at a career fair occurred when he was at a college in the Pacific Northwest working as a company recruiter. Since most of the students there were dressed in business attire, he noticed one boy who stood out because he was wearing shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt while eating Cheetos. By the time he got to Mr. Behrens’s table, his mouth and hands were covered in Cheeto powder. He took the student off to the side and told him to clean up and come back later. Luckily, the student took his advice and came back looking like a professional.

While this story has comic value, Behrens emphasized the message behind it. All workplace environments are different. A casual culture in one place might be unacceptable in another. Therefore, it is always important to look your best and be ready to properly introduce yourself to the company recruiters.