After being canceled a few weeks ago due to a snowstorm, the Annual Spring Career and Internship Fair is set to take place on April 10, from 12-3 p.m. in the Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Recreation Complex (RecPlex). All class years and majors are encouraged to attend and will be given the opportunity to connect with over 70 employers present.
The Career Center has stressed the importance of preparing for the interview and job search process by offering various workshops on networking, building a resume and creating Stags4Hire and LinkedIn profiles. At the fair, students are able to exercise these skills through interactions with employers.
In terms of rescheduling the fair to a date almost two months later, Deirdre Bennett, Fairfield University’s Associate Director of Career Center and Employer Engagement, remarked “Rescheduling the fair went very smoothly. We are fortunate to have such helpful colleagues in the RecPlex and Conference and Event Management who helped us secure a new date and update the numerous work orders. Fortunately, we did not incur additional costs with the rescheduled fair. The number of employers is reduced, but the quality and range of employers is still excellent.”
Previously, over 90 employers were scheduled to be present at the canceled fair scheduled for Feb. 14. This is about 20 more than the amount scheduled for the new fair. However, Bennett emphasizes that despite the decrease in employers set to be present, there is still a large variety of companies for students to network with, along with over 150 recruiters: “What is notable is the range of industries that will be represented. Recruiters from the worlds of fashion, social services, health care, tech, finance, grad schools and governmental industries will all be in attendance.”
At the fair, students will also be able to talk to career counselors at the “Ask An Advisor” table to discuss navigating the fair and the career planning process. However, some students have questioned if the fair is taking place too late this year, in reference to internship application deadlines.
While different industries have different deadlines for summer internship positions, Indeed cites that the application process typically starts around November, but no later than January. In addition, the earlier students apply, the more likely they are to be considered for a role. Most networking should be done before the application process as well.
With the fair taking place in April, students looking for a summer internship may face the challenge of being behind in learning about the networking and application process for certain companies. Junior Leslie Abbott remarked “Since originally planning to attend the previous fair in February, I’ve had to apply to internships for the upcoming summer on my own. After some work, I was able to secure one, so I don’t plan on attending the rescheduled fair. Even though the fair is later than usual, I think it is still an opportunity for students who are thinking about an internship for next summer.”
Bennett adds that “students who are unsure about what they want to pursue would get a lot out of the fair. Since there are so many industries, students can consider options they never thought of or eliminate options they had been considering.”
While the fair is taking place later than usual, students are still given an opportunity to connect with employers they spoke with at the fair. Each organization’s table will have a QR code for students to scan. Following the event, both students and employers will receive an email from Handshake recapping all the connections made that day.
The Career Center also encourages students to look ahead to their Alumni Job Shadow and Career Exploration programs this year, which give students another opportunity to network in various industries, specifically through Fairfield alumni.
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