For upperclassmen looking for career plans after they leave Penn State or for freshmen and sophomores trying to get ahead, the annual Fall Career Days fair may be of assistance.
Fall Career Days 2012, sponsored by Penn State’s Career Services, will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 11 through Sept. 13 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
According to a press release issued on Penn State Live, last year the event brought over 500 companies from around the nation to the University Park campus. However, this year, the number of employers scheduled to appear at the event has exceeded the previous total by nine percent.
“Since last November, all activity has steadily increased between six to nine percent, from each of the Career Days to on-campus interviewing,” Jeff Garis, director of Career Services, said, according to the press release. “We’ve been really vigilant with recruitment numbers, and everything is showing an increase.”
Some Penn State students will be attending the fair this year due to the increase of employers and opportunities.
“Last year, I was going to go, but it seemed intimidating,” Katie McNamara (sophomore-chemistry) said. “This year, I may attend regardless due to the large amount of employers compared to last year. It may be too good to pass up.”
Each day of the event, this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, different types of careers will be showcased. On Tuesday, non-technical careers will be present. On Wednesday, internships and co-ops will be featured, and on Thursday, technical careers will be featured.
Upon checking into the event, students will receive a nametag with their name and major. A valid Penn State student ID+ is required to enter the fair. According to the Fall Career Days website, it is strongly encouraged that students attending bring multiple copies of their professional resumes and a notebook to write down important information from employers. Dress code is also encouraged for men to include pressed suits and ties, and for women to wear pant suits and appropriate skirts and blouses.
Even though freshmen students will not be directly applying for career positions at the fair, some are attending to get ahead with their career planning and advising.
“I’m going to attend the fair because I want to get a head start, so when I’m a junior or senior, I’ll know what to do and what’s going on,” Farnese Motto (freshman-pre-medicine) said.
Garis said that Penn State’s reputation for being a quality academic institution explains why so many companies want to attend this event.
“We meet with employers face-to-face regularly, and they are consistently acknowledging Penn State’s academic integrity and the quality of the graduates that come from here,” Garis said, according to the press release. “This hasn’t changed throughout the last few months and it’s only driving our recruitment. Penn State students are very marketable to employers.”
Some Penn State students see the opportunities presented by the Fall Career Days as a way to remind them what a Penn State student is really about.
“This school is more than just a sports school,” Kershley Charles (freshman-kinesiology) said. “It takes more than one person to change tradition, and the number of employers this year proves that statement.”
