The Center for Career and Professional Development is holding a career expo with 88 employers, free headshots and professional advice this Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m in the University Center. The event is for all students and has something to offer for everyone, including internship and full time employment opportunities.
CCPD Career Consultant Staci Pettola shared four tips for students who may be nervous or unsure of what to expect at the event.
1. Come prepared
Pettola breaks preparedness down into tangible and intangible items. “Tangible items can be things like dressing professionally, having your resume on hand or having a notebook and a pen ready to jot down some quick notes,” Pettola said. “The biggest intangible item I would recommend is your elevator or thirty second pitch. Just something along the lines of ‘Hi, this is my name and my major, I’m looking for an internship, I’m interested in this company because of this and this,’ can go a long way.”
2. Identify your objectives
“I want students to know even freshman and sophomores will find opportunities at this expo,” Pettola said, “It’s not just for people looking for full time jobs.” The companies and employers on Wednesday will be offering both internships and full time opportunities. Pettola recommends looking at the list of employers attending the expo and narrowing down a list of interesting opportunities before walking through the aisles.
3. Have questions ready
A lot of people get nervous about meeting potential employers, but Pettola believes it’s important for students to remember that it’s their chance to assess the company and the employers too. “It’s nice to make a list of questions I have for them,” Anna Taberski ‘29, who plans to attend the expo, said. “At the end of the day, it’s a job I want, or I believe that I’m qualified for, so it’s not as nerve wracking as people make it sound.”
4. Take time to step aside
Pettola urges students who may feel overwhelmed or have questions at the event to visit the CCPD booth. “Our booth at the expo is meant to be a sort of safe haven for students,” Pettola said. “If you need a moment to write some notes down, or even some advice on which booths to stop at, come visit us! We’re there for you.”
The CCPD hopes students use these tips to take advantage of this opportunity and hopefully land a job or internship that fits their needs.
Geetanjali Angara ‘29 is an International Affairs major at Mercer University and a staff writer at The Cluster. Her hobbies are reading, writing and playing piano. You can typically either find her with a good book or singing a Taylor Swift song.
