Addressing Career Fair Concerns

For those of you who attended this year's Career Fair, you will remember filling out feedback forms to receive a complimentary Pay Day candy bar. When you fill those out, you're not wasting your time; we read them and discuss your comments and concerns so we can make the next Career Fair even better. However, some of the concerns raised are easily debunked. And instead of not explaining the reasons behind them, we at the Career Center would like to explore some of your concerns and put them to rest.

One of the major concerns that was voiced in the majority of forms was that there were not many companies in areas other than the Midwest. I talked to the professional staff to ask why this was the case. "We invited 1500 employers, and got 80 to come. Employers are time and cost conscious," said Tom Cath, director of the Career Center. "They do not want to spend the time and money to be at the fair for three or four hours. It's not that they aren't interested in Valpo students - they are." Cath invites students to contact the Career Center if there are any specific employers they would like to see at the next fair, "Let us know, we'll invite them."

Another fact that some students fail to realize is that a lot of the companies are not just based in the Midwest. The employers at the fair are representatives of the entire company. "Many of the companies have subsidiaries nationwide. It's important to ask the right questions and do research before meeting with representatives," said Assistant Director Holly Simpson. Arrive at the Career Fair knowing what companies you would like to talk to and where they are based; chances are, they will have a subsidiary in your ideal area.

Many students also wondered why a variety of companies representing different majors were not in attendance this semester. Many of the employers were looking for engineering, nursing, and business majors. This left students of other majors wondering why no companies were interested in hiring them. "Career fairs attract certain kinds of employers. That doesn't mean we didn't make contact with them," said Holly Simpson. As stated before, 1500 employers looking for a variety of majors were invited to attend, but only 80 accepted the invitation. There is no explanation as to why certain companies are more willing to attend career fairs than others, but that is simply the case.

Preparation was a major concern for students; many felt unprepared walking into the fair and meeting company representatives. So if you feel like you need tips to prepare for the next Career Fair, take a look at our events calendar and check your email for preparation sessions. We held a session called "How to Prepare for a Career Fair" on Sept. 9, so if you were unaware that we provided that session, make sure to check our website for upcoming events. You can walk into next semester's Career Fair with a confident stride because you took that extra step to prepare.

If you were one of the many that voiced these concerns, I hope this provided a thorough explanation. If there are any companies you would like to see at future fairs, do not hesitate to contact us at Career.Center@valpo.edu.

"How to Prepare for a Career Fair"

If you love free pizza and advice on how to impress employers at our upcoming Career Fair (Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), then you should attend the "How to Prepare for a Career Fair" seminar on Thursday, Sept. 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Not only will you be given tips on how to prepare for the fair and how to approach employers, but you will be treated to a fashion show that will present to you what kind of attire is appropriate for the Career Fair. Please join us in Ballroom A of the Harre Union to learn how to make the most out of this year's Career Fair.

Writing a cover letter is not like writing a tweet

Here is a link to a great article by Alison Doyle. For many, writing a cover letter is a daunting and a seemingly complicated process. But because it can be complicated, doesn't mean that you should (a) not do it or (b) put no effort into one. Make sure you spend as much time as you can into making a quality cover letter.