Life after college is a common concern for many students, but Oakland University’s Career and Life Design Center (CLDC) helps ease the transition from academics to the professional world through events like career fairs. On Oct. 2, the SECS Career and Life Design Center held its annual Engineering and IT career fair in the upper level of the Oakland Center, which ran from noon to 3 p.m.
Career fairs like this one give students a great chance to meet employers who are hiring for internships and full-time jobs and some even land interviews on the spot. To get ready for those opportunities, a lot of students use resources from the CLDC, like resume and cover letter reviews, job search tips and company research. It’s all to help students go in prepared and make a strong first impression.
“I’ve been going to the career services for engineers to correct my resume and make it appropriate and customize it according to the company that I’m interested in,” Nashitat Ahsan, an artificial intelligence major, said. “I started looking into companies and what internships they already posted, and what kind of work they do, so I can ask them questions to stand out.”
With this particular career fair focused on offering opportunities for engineering and IT majors, most of the companies at the event highlighted the opportunities they have for STEM students.
“I looked into the list of employers to look for anybody who I think would align with my values and interests the best,” Katie Cnarnecki, a pre-electrical engineering student, said. “I did a little bit of research on each of the company’s culture and projects they’re working on, really just the mission of the company.”
Aside from internships, career fairs are some of the best places to network and build important relationships with prospective employers.
“Putting yourself out there is important, and handing a resume is a really nice way to do it and a way to talk about yourself and your background, which shows that you’re interested,” Gianna Vanston, OneStream representative, said. “If you are selling yourself in a way, just be confident, don’t be scared. We’re also nervous and trying to talk to you, so don’t be nervous because we’re trying to get people to apply for hiring.”
Career coaches’ advice for students who attend career fairs was to spend time perfecting their elevator pitch. This is a way for them to help build a memorable personal brand, clearly communicate what they are looking for, and initiate an engaging conversation.
“I talked to someone from the career advising center and we were talking about practicing your elevator pitch and really learning to present yourself in the best light, especially for future job interviews and employers,” Cnarnecki said. “I did a bit of practicing in the mirror with my elevator pitch to prepare myself.”
Students had the opportunity to explore careers in engineering, computer science, management information systems and IT by connecting with a wide range of companies from industries including automotive, defense, healthcare, technology, energy and more. The event was filled with a mix of nervous excitement and eager anticipation, as students spoke with professionals interested in meeting and recruiting new talent.
“I would say that the energy that the interns and prospective students who come to this career fair is a huge asset; there is nothing more important than positive energy,” James Swarz, a representative of Little Caesars corporation, said.” “Energy is the really big thing about coming to the career fairs.”
The Career and Life Design Center hosts all kinds of career fairs throughout the academic year, giving students from different majors a chance to explore job options and connect with employers. The fall semester is just the beginning; OU has tons of opportunities to help students start building their careers.
