Starting tomorrow at noon, the Hegi Family Career Development Center and BBA Career Services will be holding the annual Career and Internship Fair. Taking place in the Hughes-Trigg Ballroom on the lower level of the building, students of all classifications and majors are invited to attend the four-hour event.
In April, the jobless rate among college graduates more than doubled, according to the CBS Evening News. Today, almost 2 million college graduates are unemployed, whether or not it be by choice, and companies are hiring 22 percent fewer graduating seniors than they did last year, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Despite the current circumstances of the economy, students are still encouraged to attend the event, as an opportunity could come along at any moment.
As recommended by the career center, students are advised to bring several copies of their professional resume and their SMU ID. Professional attire – think something appropriate for job interviews – is strongly recommended, as students will be given the opportunity to meet one-on-one with several representatives from over 60 companies.
“One of the things to remember is to just be yourself,” Alex Castriota, a senior Career Center Advocate, said. “You want to share something about yourself that sticks out in the minds of employers. It is important to remember that the employers are going to be meeting a lot of people and probably will not remember every person they encounter.”
This year’s participating companies will be looking for full and part-time employees and interns, as well as offer advice about specific fields of work and their company’s mission.
Of the 66 companies attending the event as of Sept.11, students can meet with representatives from Deloitte, Ernst and Young, the FBI, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and the United States Marine Corps, just to name a few.
Each business, in an effort to attract students, will fill a table with the company’s information and free giveaways, with current employees armed and ready to answer any questions students may have.
