Career Week is almost here! Every fall semester, Career Services offers SU students opportunities to meet with employers during Career Week. This year, Career Week kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 18, and continues through Tuesday, Sept. 24. It’s a great opportunity to explore employers, find internships and network. We all need a job, so don’t miss out! Keep these five tips in mind while taking advantage of employers looking for you this Career Week!
1. Take advantage of Career Week even if you’re not a graduating senior.
Campus career fairs are often flooded with graduating seniors starting their job hunt, but employers don’t want just seniors. A senior might be able to score a job while a sophomore or junior might be able to land a sweet summer internship. Most of the career fairs on campus have tons of employers looking for both full-time hires and interns. All class years are welcome and wanted!
2. Spruce up your resume (and bring copies to the fairs.)
It’s smart to bring multiple copies of your resume to any and all career fairs you attend because employers will want to see what you’ve done and what skills you have. But if you’re going to show off your resume, it should be up-to-date and look as nice as possible. Make an appointment with your school’s career center if you’d like to have someone review your resume ahead of time.
3. Check out visiting employers on Handshake.
All of the campus career fairs have information posted on Handshake. You can check out what employers are attending and what opportunities they’re offering. Checking out who’s coming ahead of time can help you decide what jobs you’d be interested in and what employers you’d like to try and speak to.
4. Dress to impress.
It’s hard to leave a good impression on a potential employer if you’re chatting with them at a career fair in sweatpants and a t-shirt. If you’re attending a fair, it’s wise to dress business-casual (or nicer, if you feel inclined to do so.) You could be introducing yourself and handing a resume off to a future colleague or boss, so you definitely want to look professional.
5. Build your network.
Many internships and jobs are found, both directly and indirectly, through proactive networking. Attending events during Career Week and meeting with employers will only help you later in life, even if you’re not actively looking for a job or internship right now.
Follow these tips to get the most out of this fall’s Career Week, and remember that you can always go to your school’s career center if you have any questions or need advice!
Written by Samantha Perkins ’20, S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Career Services Student Worker
