For Campbell students, Career Fair preparation historically means printing resumes, brushing up on interviewing etiquette and readying a business professional outfit. This spring, students also prepared by practicing their best smile in the mirror.
For the first time at the annual spring Career Fair hosted by Student Success, an Orange You Ready? section provided new career development services to more than 500 students in attendance, including alumni networking, resume building and free professional headshots.
Freshman business major Amari Simpson said she was excited about the additional resources despite the long line for headshot photos.
“I’m here looking at business careers so that one day I can get into event coordination,” she said. “This is a really amazing service, especially because it’s free.”
Tuesday’s Career Fair was held in Pope Convocation Center as usual, but the new changes moved business exhibitors to the floor of Gore Arena to make way for Student Success booths on the concourse. Employees and alumni were readily available to help students prepare.
“At one booth, they’re helping students with their elevator speeches or with questions they can ask so recruiters know they’re serious, and in another, they can tweak their resumes electronically on the spot or go to Indeed.com and research other industries,” said Michelle Perez, assistant vice president of Student Success and coordinator of the event. “There’s a lot here for students to do to get their career momentum going.”
Student Success’ new services benefited recruiters as well as students, according to Perez. Graduate program booths lined the concourse while more than 80 exhibitors stayed busy on the floor.
“So many are here looking for students from all majors,” she said. “They might be an engineering firm here to recruit engineers, but they also need marketing professionals and historians. Instead of a singular fair, they’re here to see the strengths in all of our student majors.”