Career Services, in conjunction with American Marketing Association and the

National Society of Black Engineers, is sponsoring the 11th annual UTK

Career Carnival Tuesday.

The carnival begins at 10 a.m. in the University Center Ballroom.

The carnival provides an opportunity for representatives from various

companies to inform students about business aspects such as career paths,

entry level opportunities and desired qualifications. It also gives

students a chance to get acquainted with certain prospective

employers.

Mary Boyd, assistant director of Career Services, said many times both a

business and a student will keep tabs on each other.

“Recruiters will sometimes follow a particular student through his college

career and sometimes students will keep up to date on a prospective

employer they meet through the carnival.”

The main objective of the carnival is to provide realistic career

information to students, she said.

The carnival is open to all interested students, but it is aimed at

attracting freshmen through juniors. This gives companies and students a

chance to develop a relationship before graduation.

“For a recruiter, they establish a pre-recruit relationship with juniors

and make early contact with sophomores,” Boyd said. “Some companies are

looking for summer workers or some are looking for full time

employees.”

Many companies participate in the carnival because it provides them with

name recognition on the UT campus.

Kelley Hull, AMA vice president in charge of special projects, said the

student-company relationships fostered by the carnival are invaluable.

“It’s very network-oriented and establishes contacts early,” she said.

More than 80 companies are expected to participate this year ranging from

department stores and governmental agencies to accounting firms and

chemical companies. More than 1,500 students are expected to attend.