For the second year in a row, Saint Xavier University’s Career Services Office is hosting a Fall Job Fair.
This year’s Fall Job Fair will take place on October 8 from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. in the Shannon Center. In the past, the University has only hosted a job fair in the spring, but last year, they decided to host a fall job fair as well.
“We thought that maybe the fall one would attract more business employers hiring for business students,” said Mary D. Fitzpatrick, Assistant Director of Career Services.
“Traditionally, our spring one attracts those that are hiring for education and nursing, and some of the social services positions. Then we found that with our fall one, a lot of employers that hire in the business fields like to get a jump on these things and get an earlier start, so they were more likely to be attracted to that.”
However, Jean Riordan, Director of Career Services, said there are plenty of opportunities for students of all majors.
“The types of employers that recruit on campus at a job fair are typically employers who have a lot of positions to fill, so a lot of them are open to taking any major,” said Riordan.
“It’s less super major specific than it used to be. I think they’re really open to looking at liberal arts majors who have the skill sets they’re looking for, so that’s encouraging.”
Those planning on attending the SXU Fall Job Fair should be sure to dress professionally and bring their updated resume with them to the fair. The job fair is free and open to the public, serving as an example of the school’s mission and values.
“Our priority is our students and our alumni, but to be a good community member and to compliment the Mercy tradition, we do make it open to our community,” said Fitzpatrick. “It’s a good way to demonstrate our core value of hospitality.”
There are currently 29 employers scheduled to attend the job fair, recruiting for full time, part time, and internship positions.
Some of those employers include Prudential, TCF Bank, Little Company of Mary Hospital, U. S. Secret Service, and the YMCA of Metro Chicago.
This list will be updated until the day of the job fair, so Fitzpatrick encourages those planning on attending to frequently check the SXU Career Services page online for the most up-to-date list of attending employers and the positions they will be recruiting for.
One of the main benefits of attending a job fair is gaining practice in talking to employers and developing your networking skills, said Fitzpatrick.
“So much of finding a job nowadays is networking, and when you become comfortable with talking about yourself, the more confident you come across; and an employer sees that, and they want to hire people who feel very comfortable and confident about themselves, Fitzpatrick said.
“We say start freshman year, so the more practice you have with this, when it comes time to really rev up your internship or job search, you’re already going to have that practice, and that will put you ahead of the pack.”
To help people prepare for the fair, Career Services is also hosting workshops entitled “Navigating the SXU Job Fair.” These workshops will take place in the Career Services Modular Unit behind Pacelli Hall on October 3 at 2:00 p.m.; October 4 at 12:00 p.m.; and October 7 at 3:00 p.m. These workshops will cover topics such as networking skills, how to make a good first impression, and interviewing techniques.
SXU’s Career Services Office also has resume walk-in hours every Monday and Wednesday, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Having a completed and accurate resume is very important going in to a job fair, said Fitzpatrick.
“The number one reason why employers won’t hire someone is mistakes on a resume,” Fitzpatrick said. “If they see a typo, incorrect grammar, or inconsistent formatting, they’re going to toss you right in the garbage. That’s why you should take advantage of the Career Services Office – it’s free! Let us take a glance at your resume, and we can make sure you’re going in there top-notch.”
People attending the job fair should also be sure to research the employers they are interested in, and ask questions of those employers while at the fair, Riordan said. She also emphasized the importance of following up with employers.
“If it’s a place you’re particularly serious about, you should go home after the job fair and write them a note and follow up with them after the job fair, and send them another copy of your resume,” Riordan said. “Employers tell us that they receive so many resumes at job fairs, that they usually only bite on people who follow up with them.”
Paige Jeffrey
News Contributor
About Post Author
