More than 180 employers are seeking graduating seniors and other UA students looking for jobs and internships at a campuswide career fair held yesterday and today.
About 1,000 students attended the UA Spring Career Days event yesterday, the first ever of its kind held during the spring semester, said Susan Miller, marketing and special events coordinator for Career Services.
Miller said there was a lot of demand from employers to hold a career fair this semester, even though some people may consider it to be late in the season for hiring.
“”There’s a lot of interest in hiring new graduates, and there’s a lot of opportunity on the job front,”” Miller said.
Although other career fairs geared toward more specific fields, like health, have been held by Career Services during the spring semester, this is the first spring career fair aiming to serve students of all majors, Miller said.
While some employers may only be looking for students of certain majors, others are considering students from all majors, Miller said.
Necia Ching, from Target Corporation, said she was at the event recruit students of all majors for store executive positions and internships.
“”We’re looking for a diverse group of students, not all one major, club or class,”” Ching said.
Miller said the Career Days event is a potential employment opportunity for seniors who are unsure of what they want to do after graduating. She said those who are still looking for jobs should come prepared.
“”Use every resource available. Bring your resume and start making contacts. Do your best to get yourself into the system,”” Miller said.
Miller also recommends that students research employers they may be interested in talking to before they come to the event at www.career.arizona.edu.
There’s a lot of interest in hiring new graduates, and there’s a lot of opportunity on the job front.
Career Services special events coordinator
The booths are grouped into governmental, nonprofit, technical and corporate sections, so students can easily find the types of employers they’re looking for, Miller said.
Karoly Rogers, a political science senior, said she came to the event to look for a law-related job, but wasn’t able to find many opportunities.
“”I realized that I’m not qualified for a lot of stuff,”” said Rogers.
Rogers said she is graduating this spring and has a job this summer, but she is still looking for work after the summer.
Kirsten Schnepp, an interdisciplinary senior, said attending the Career Days helped her find some possible job opportunities, but she was frustrated when some employers just told her to go to their Web sites.
“”They probably shouldn’t be here,”” Schnepp said.
Many employers said they were looking for students as potential employees, who came to the event dressed professionally, showed confidence, communicated easily and had researched their company.
Dawn Mueller, a UA alumna, came to the event to recruit for Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
Mueller said she began an internship at the firm after attending a career fair held by the Eller College of Management while she was an undergraduate.
Mueller said she recommends that students dress professionally, prepare a resume and talk to employers they’re interested in.
“”And get all the goodies. That’s the fun part,”” Mueller said.
The event, sponsored by Career Services and the Associated Students of the University of Arizona, continues today in the Grand Ballroom in the Student Union Memorial Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
