Career Services expects 82 employers and more than 1,500 students to attend its annual Summer Job and Internship Fair in the UC Ballroom today from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“We hope that students won’t miss this opportunity because it’s an annual event and it’s a great way to talk to a lot of people at one time, and they’re all there because they have opportunities for students,” said DeAnna Bonner, assistant director of Career Services.
Bonner said the fair is a good opportunity for any student, even one who has not decided on a major.
“There are internships which are more geared to students who have decided, and typically they’re looking at juniors and seniors for the internship positions,” Bonner said. “Then there are lots of summer opportunities that will accept any major, so there are lots of opportunities for students who have not yet decided.”
Students are asked to dress business casual, and although they are encouraged to bring a resume, Bonner said students who do not have one should not be discouraged.
There is a list of the employers expected to attend on the Career Services Web site, http://career.utk.edu, and most of them have links so students can find out more about the companies. The Web site also lists the majors that the individual companies are looking for, though many organizations are accepting all majors.
Bonner said there is “a little bit of everything,” though it is primarily business and industry that are attending, and also many camps.
David Graham, manager of college relations for TVA, said students attending the career fair should first look at the list of employers and decide on the ones that they wish to talk to, but to still keep their eyes open throughout the fair for employers that they might be interested in.
He advises that students do some research on the companies they are interested in, as most companies have a Web site. This helps prepare students so that they are more confident and able to make a better impression on the potential employer.
He also suggests one “make good notes of who you talk with, even just write down the name of the individual you talked with.” Find out when they typically make their decisions to hire people, if you can expect to hear back from them, and if not if you can follow up with them yourself.
Graham said students should not spend too much time waiting on one popular employer. If there is a long line, students should come back to them at a time when they are not as busy and when they will not be as rushed.
