Career Fair helps Eagles find career success

Morehead State University students need to do more than just focus on academic goals and enjoy the social aspects of the college experience. They need to be thinking ahead. Eagle students need to begin positioning themselves to break into the current job market as soon as they arrive on campus.
 
This is why MSU holds its fall and spring Career Fairs: to provide students unique opportunities that will help increase their chances for career success.
 
Face Time
 
Many students’ idea of job hunting involves spending hours in front of a computer searching online for employment opportunities. At MSU’s Career Fairs, you can connect with more than 80 employers and graduate programs all under one roof while learning about full-time and part-time jobs, internships, co-ops and summer jobs.
 
“I think the main reason to attend the MSU Career Fair is the face-to-face contact with potential employers and graduate schools. It gives students an opportunity to get a leg up on the competition,” said Megan Boone, employer relations liaison with MSU Career Services. “The ones that make a positive first impression are remembered.”
 
Boone also said it's important for underclassmen - even freshmen - to make attending a career fair a priority
 
“I think the biggest misconception still is that it’s just for seniors,” she said. “Students don’t realize the networking component and the opportunities for getting internships. It’s about gaining information and advice to differentiate yourself.”
 
The importance of gaining internship experience can’t be overstated. In fact, nearly all of the employers taking part in National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook 2015 survey said they prefer to hire job candidates who have work experience.
 
Prepared to Perform
 
Students should take the time to do a bit of preparation before they attend the Career Fair:
 

• Dress the part. Make sure you are dressed in business attire and potential employers will immediately take you more seriously. If you don’t have a suit or business jacket, feel free to visit the Suit Bank in the MSU Career Center. If you find something that you like and that fits, you can have it without charge.
• Bring copies of your resume and have an introduction prepared that will serve as what Boone calls your “30-second commercial.”
• Research the companies and schools in attendance and be prepared with questions to ask them. A representative with Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas puts it well, “Do your homework on the companies that will be in attendance. Know what they do, what they make, where they’re located, how long they’ve been in business, company history, etc. It shows initiative and genuine interest in the company you’re handing your resume to.”
• Taper expectations. Some students think they will walk into the Career Fair and walk out with a new job. While this can happen, it’s often not the case. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a job interview, land an internship or do some networking that may prove crucial down the road. “It’s as much about who you know as what you know,” Boone said.

 
When Preparation Pays Off
 
As a senior majoring in computer and electronics engineering technology, Jake Marler of Lewis County, Kentucky, can attest to how a stop at the Career Fair can give you a step in the right direction towards your future goals.
 
Marler said he went to the Office of Career Services and attended several of its events to get guidance on his resume, presenting himself to employers and dressing for job interviews. During his visit to one of MSU’s career fairs, he ended up interviewing with five different companies and was later offered summer internships at two Fortune 500 companies before accepting a position as a production engineering intern with Hitachi Automotive Systems in Berea, Kentucky.
 
“Regardless of what grade you are, it is beneficial to attend the fair. It makes for good practice in becoming comfortable in that environment,” Marler said. “If you attend every fair, by the time you are a senior you won’t be that nervous person with the sub-par resume. It’s crucial to be prepared for life after college and the way to do that is to be involved in as much as you can with Career Services.”
 
Phoning It In
 
For students experiencing their first MSU Career Fair, having so many people, employers and graduate programs in one place can be a bit overwhelming. Career Services is continuing to offer an app to help attendees practically have the event in the palm of their hand.
 
The Morehead State Career Fair Plus app is a free application that is available for both Apple and Android devices. The app provides a real-time map of the employers and graduate programs in attendance, allowing you to pinpoint and favorite particular organizations prior to their arrival.
 
“We’re hoping it makes it a more efficient experience for students on the day of the fair,” Boone said.
 
More to Learn
 
The MSU Spring Career Fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, at the gym in the Laughlin Health Building. MSU students and alumni from all majors are encouraged to attend and the event is free and open to the public.

After the Career Fair, MSU Career Services is offering several workshops and events to give you even more helpful tools and knowledge to aid you in your job search.

​Internships Basics Workshop
Tuesday, March 14, 10 – 11 a.m.
Career Center, 428 University Blvd. (across from Baird Music Hall)

Kentucky Teachers Network Career Fair
Tuesday, April 4, 3:30 – 6 p.m.
Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, Kentucky

Etiquette Networking Dinner
Wednesday, April 26, 4:30 – 7 p.m.
Center for Health, Education and Research (CHER), 316 W. Second St.

Fly, Eagle, Fly
Wednesday, May 3, Noon – 3 p.m.
Career Center 428 University Blvd. (across from Baird Music Hall)
 
To learn more, call 606-783-2233 or visit the Career Services website.