By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
Twice a year, Fort Hays State University Career Services hosts a big event to showcase its students by bolstering their interviewing skills and bringing in many employers for a Career-Internship Fair.
On Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., potential employers will pack themselves inside Gross Memorial Coliseum and make themselves available to speak with students.
“This event is all about getting employers and students together to showcase our students here at Fort Hays,” said Dan Rice, director of FHSU Career Services.
FHSU hosts one career day in both the fall and spring semesters. According to Rice, the fall career day went well, with around 650 students taking part.
“We had a lot of students participate, more than the average, and the employers were really pleased that there were so many students,” he said.
Rice said this is the best opportunity students will have to meet with a large number of employers in one location. Employers looking for interns, future full-time employees, and immediate employees will all be present at the career fair.
“It’s a real win-win situation for the students,” he said. “There will be lots of opportunities present.”
Typically, there are around 75 employers that participate in the career fair day. Currently, there are 35 employers who have registered, but, according to Rice, many of the employers sign up last-minute.
A list of registered employers can be found on the Career Services webpage.
The real goal of the career fair, Rice said, is to give students an informal professional setting to expose students of all majors and class levels to careers, internships and full-time employment.
“We want to show off our students. We want them to shine, so we make it open to not just seniors, but all class levels,” Rice said.
Freshman and sophomores are encouraged to research majors or jobs that might interest them, and the employers will be able to answer questions. For juniors, the opportunity to talk internships with employers will be available and, for seniors and graduate students, they can discuss post-graduation opportunities.
A resume is encouraged, Rice said, but not required.
“Employers realize that freshman and sophomores may not have a lot of career experience in a field to put in a resume, but employers will look at a resume if the student has one,” he said.
No individual meetings are scheduled as students may come and go at their convenience. Employers will have a table reserved with information displayed. Students are encouraged to select five to 15 companies to visit.
Rice would like to see a lot of students come down to the career day because that’s how they are able to bring in the high number of employers.
“The more students the better,” Rice said. “Employers are not going to come if they don’t feel its worth their time.”
Five hundred students is about average, he said, but he still hears from employers about getting more students to the event.
Rice added employers often come back because of how impressed they are with the students at FHSU and how they handle themselves.
“A lot of employers give me positive feedback about our students on how professional they looked or how they conducted themselves,” he said.
Rice encourages students to dress nice — at least business casual.
“There will be some students who will wear the suits, but business casual is acceptable,” he said. “You want to look nice because it gives the impression that you are interested.”
For more information on dressing for success, visit the career fair information webpage and download the pdf file.