An ESF student talks with a recruiter at the 2020 ESF career and internship fair

Annual Career Fair Connects Students and Employers

02/25/2020

Suits, ties, fresh-pressed shirts, skirts and high-polished shoes were the order of the day as scores of ESF students - resumes in hand - descended on the Gateway Center for the annual Career and Internship Fair.

More than 105 employers filled the Gateway conference room and concourse to find students to fill jobs and internships. Many companies were represented by ESF alumni such as Cheryl Bieren, WPE '87 from Rex Lumber Company, a wholesale tropical and domestic hardwood distributor and custom-molding manufacturer.

"We come as often as we can," said Bieren of the company with stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey and Virginia. Bieren at the career fair to find salespeople and interns for all their locations. "We like people who have an environmental background and know different kinds of wood and how it's processed. It makes for a strong salesperson."

This year's career fair was the part of the Career Development Series presented by Career Services. The series included a session on resume writing, an alumni/student networking event and an employer/faculty networking reception following the career fair.

During the various programs, students learned what employers are looking for in determining who gets an interview and eventually hired and effective strategies for navigating and networking at a career fair.

This year's students stepped up their game, according to John Turbeville, senior assistant dean for the Division of Student Affairs and director of Career Services.

"More academic departments are inviting us into their classes to talk about career readiness and preparation," he said, and it's having a positive effect.

"You can see it from the way they present themselves and I hear it from employers," Turbeville said. "It's about having the confidence to know who you are and how to tell your story that grabs an employer's attention and makes you stand out."

Said Bieren, "This year the students seemed even more prepared. They're dressed up, they're asking questions and not just walking by."

Zaynab Taveras was one such prepared student. The senior chemistry major researched employers she was interested in, worked on her resume and attended the alumni/student mixer. "It was an opportunity to talk with the alumni and get an idea of what employers are looking for," she said. "It broke the ice. I didn't feel like I was thrown in cold here (at the career fair). The programming by Career Services was really helpful and I definitely appreciated it."

This year Career Services added an employer/faculty networking reception to the slate of events. "We found the employers are interested in knowing what our degree programs are and how they relate to the work in the field."