| Career Fair draws record number of employers by adrienne frank Landing a job can be a challenge for a recent college grad. But at last Thursday’s career fair, which attracted 158 employers—a new record—there were plenty of success stories. “I have an interview,” exclaimed one student to her friends. “I handed out all my résumés,” said another, proudly. “I should’ve brought more.” According to Jennifer Sullivan, assistant director of outreach and marketing for the Career Center, the annual event is intended to help students build a network of contacts. They might not leave the fair with a job offer, but students should walk out with a stack of business cards and leads. “It’s a great opportunity for students to speak with employers who are actively recruiting AU students for full-time jobs and summer and fall internships,” said Sullivan. “It’s also a chance for students who aren’t graduating yet to network with employers they may want to work for in the future and hear firsthand what they’re looking for in a candidate.” This year’s event featured such employers as the Shakespeare Theatre, Six Flags, Morgan Stanley, Human Rights Campaign, Internal Revenue Service, and American Red Cross. Up to 10 students at a time lined up to speak with the more popular employers, including the Central Intelligence Agency and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The event also attracted about 60 new employers, including the NFL Players Association, the National Archives, and Kadix Systems, a government consulting firm. Two hours into the fair, human resources representative Sarah Harlow said 40 students had already stopped by the Sibley Hospital booth. Harlow, herself a recent college grad, said she was impressed with the students, who inquired about both customer service and clinical positions. “There’s a great applicant pool here,” she said. “This is Sibley’s second year at the career fair; we have a great relationship with AU.” Elise Rubin, a master’s student in the international communications program, was among the 1,000 or so students who turned out for the event, résumé and references in hand. “I didn’t expect to get a job today,” said Rubin, who aspires to work in international marketing. “There are a couple companies I’m interested in, and I’m just hoping to create some contacts. So far, I’ve been very successful in getting business cards!” 
Photo by Jeff Watts
|
