Career Expo planned for Feb. 5 in Goldstein Auditorium

Career Expo planned for Feb. 5 in Goldstein AuditoriumJanuary 26, 2009Matthew R. Snydermrsnyder@syr.edu

The Career Services Network will host its annual Career Expo on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center. Representatives from more than 80 nationally recognized employers are expected to attend, seeking students for internship and full-time job opportunities. Sponsors for this year’s event are Bloomberg, Deloitte, Infosys Technologies, JPMorgan Chase, Macy’s Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

A major concern among seniors is that the current state of the economy will prevent them from securing jobs upon graduation in May. Despite the tough economic conditions, many employers are continuing to recruit.

“While some companies are cutting back, many are continuing to hire interns and entry-level employees,” says Debi Walker, assistant director of SU’s Center for Career Services. “The economy has made things much more competitive for job seekers. The students who prepare early and strategize their job search will have better chances of finding suitable employment in May.”

The Career Expo provides students with an opportunity to network with employers. A vast range of organizations is expected to attend this year’s Expo, from private corporations to nonprofits to government agencies. These organizations are seeking students from a variety of academic backgrounds and with an array of skill sets. While an abundance of opportunities exists for business, IT and engineering students, many organizations will actively recruit students from the liberal arts and communications disciplines as well.

Some of the employers attending the Career Expo are Abercrombie & Fitch, AT&T, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), General Electric, J&J, Kohl’s, KPMG LLP, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, Peace Corps, Philip Morris USA, Teach for America, Walt Disney and WSTM-NBC3. The full list of participating employers can be found on the Center for Career Services website: http://careerservices.syr.edu.

In preparation for the Career Expo, the Center for Career Services will host “Resume 411” on Feb. 2, 3 and 4 from noon-2:30 p.m. each day. In this event, employers meet one-on-one with students to critique their resumes and give them insights about the internship and job search processes. The event runs on a first-come, first-served basis. Organizations participating in “Resume 411” include CIGNA, First Investors, Macy’s and WSTM-NBC3.

In addition, the Center for Career Services will be hosting “How to Succeed at a Career Fair” workshops (among others) prior to the Expo. The schedule of workshops can be at http://students.syr.edu/careerservices/news/workshopseries.htm.

For more information on the Career Expo and other services offered by the Center for Career Services, contact Debi Walker at (315)443-3616 or visit Suite 235 of the Schine Student Center.