This Monday students attended the Get Experienced Career Fair. Held annually in the Veale Convocation, Recreation and Athletic Center, this fair helps kick off the spring recruiting season. This year’s fair featured around 100 employers, a significant increase from the 80 employers that attended last year.

The employers represented a wide range of industries and included both small and large firms, non-profit organizations and government entities. Manufacturing, advertising, consulting, technology and the healthcare industry were represented among others.

Brian Matthews, the assistant director of experiential learning, offered some advice to students regarding the Career Fair.

“I recommend that students view the Career Fair as an opportunity to network with employers, learn about what positions exist and to come with an open mind,” he said.

As assistant director of experiential learning, Matthews works with students on career counseling, employer engagement and securing experiential learning opportunities.

There is not one specific set of actions all students should take to guarantee success at the Career Fair, according to Matthews, but proactive engagement, research and preparation are good places to start. Additionally, Matthews recommends students take advantage of resources offered by the Office of Post-Graduate Planning & Experiential Education.

Although he recommends all students attend the Career Fair, Matthews also provided a rationale for underclassmen.

“Many employers look to build early relationships through creating summer leadership programs that give students the opportunity to experience their culture, rotating through various departments and interacting with leadership. In many instances, this is done before full-blown internship opportunities are offered and gives both students and employers the chance to see if there is a potentially good fit,” he said.

The office also hosts a larger fair every fall semester, typically around the first week of October.