Yet Another....... Career Fair Keepsake!

A whole year has passed since my first Career Fair blog, and here we are in the wake of another successful fair. Instead of just going over the events like I did last year, I'd like to delve a little deeper into the goings-on of this year's event. This year, I made it a point to talk at-length with a few of the recruiters - not about the companies or myself, but about our students, and why they come to OIT. And while I didn't take any notes, much of the feedback is fresh in my mind, as there is a common train of thought amongst the recruiters I spoke with:

OIT students, in general, seem more prepared to enter the field than students from other schools.

There's no hidden meaning here. Our programs and the faculty who run them have convinced some employers that OIT produces some of the most well-prepared graduates of any schools in the area. As a student here on the Klamath Falls campus, I'd like to thank the faculty for giving us all a better chance at being successful in our careers, and ultimately, our lives. To hear this sort of feedback from recruiters really puts a smile on my face. So, kudos.

With that said, it's about time to talk about the students. This year, we recorded around 150 attendees, which points to a decent turnout. Close to one third of that number were Seniors, and a handful were alumni. It's hard to interpret these numbers, though. Here's why:

Generally, we should expect to see a great number of Seniors attending the Career Fair. And this year, yeah... we saw a large portion of Seniors there. But when we take the percentage away, does 50 Senior attendees sound like a large number? Considering that I have nearly 30 classmates in my Senior Project class, I would say we're left with some to desire. But why is it that we don't get the attendance we would love to have?

Well, there are a few possible reasons that arise every year. First, I don't think the student body as a whole fully appreciates the power of the Career Fair. Recruiters absolutely love to talk to our students, and moreover, they love to hire our students! There's no better way to get your foot in the door than to make their trips down here worthwhile, and have a little chat with the recruiter, and of course, drop off your resume.

Real quick, with that said, I'd like to touch on appearance. I notice time and time again that a large majority of our attendees are a bit under-dressed, and believe me; if I notice, the recruiters notice, and chances are they're taking notes. A couple of the recruiters I talked to did mention that they'd like to see students dressed more appropriately.

But what is appropriate? A common misconception about the Career Fair is that it's just a time to meet with recruiters. Actually, the Career Fair is much more than that. It's the first time anyone from the company will see you. It is the same as an interview! And first impressions are a huge deal in the industry. If you come prepared with a resume and dress like you're ready to interview, not only will the recruiters notice, but they'll remember, too! The next time they look over your resume, they will have a solid first impression to work off of, and will be more likely to pass it on to someone important.

Here's a little pro-tip: recruiters love to take notes after they meet you. Keep that in mind.

This year, we had only a single health provider registered for the Career Fair. Shortly before the fair, they had to cancel. This brings up another unfortunate detriment to our attendance. There literally is nothing there specifically for our health majors! We're working on it, we promise! However, if you happen to be here for health-related degree, you can likely come to the Career Fair and have a talk with one of the military recruiters. There are tons of great reasons to work with the US military, and the recruiters will know them all. So, if working with them in a field related to your degree sounds appealing at all to you, stop on by! They're always there, and are always willing to chat!

Another issue that is hindering our attendance is time conflicts. Tuesdays tend to have a lot of labs going on in that 1pm to 4pm time slot. We understand this, but that slot is what seems to work best for everyone. We also understand that we wouldn't have nearly as good of a turn out without the support of the faculty. So, as a Career Services employee, I'd like to ask and thank the faculty for its continued and improving support for our Career Fairs. Please and thank you!

I absolutely love our Career Fairs! I haven't had a chance in the last couple of years to make the best use of them for myself, but I've had a blast experiencing them, and subsequently, writing about them. Hopefully we can have more successful Career Fairs in our near future. Just remember that they're incredibly important, and that they can be immeasurably useful to both you and your future!

Thanks for reading!