The Smith Career Center hosted the Spring Job & Internship Fair yesterday in the Renaissance Coliseum to connect students with prospective employers for the summer, school year and after graduation.
According to Executive Director for the Smith Career Center Jon Neidy, this spring fair was a larger turnout than previous spring semesters due to an increased effort to bring in more diverse businesses.
“The fall is always bigger than the spring, but the spring has hovered usually around 165 and we’re at 175 [employers this year],” Neidy said. “We did change our marketing slightly. We decided to include more non-profits this year in our marketing … so that increased our numbers a little bit.”
Neidy said these efforts were made to service a wider variety of majors at the career fair.
“We specifically made the decision to invite the non-profits in because they’re attracting a wider audience,” Neidy said. “We also increased our efforts in the communication space, so we have more media companies here, more companies who are looking for those marketing majors, those [communication] majors, so we made a significant effort in that way.”
Clayton Fyfe, a junior computer information systems major, said he appreciated the Smith Career Center’s attempt to broaden the student appeal at the fair.
“I think it’s good that they have a … diverse range of people that they’re going [for],” Fyfe said. “Considering how big of an engineering school Bradley University [has], I’m glad to see that they have [employers in other fields]. It’s nice knowing that they’re diversifying the different kinds of groups that are coming.”
Fyfe also said his choice to attend the fair was not just about finding a job.
“The main thing that is important [to me] is having interview experience and being able to talk to people and essentially get that networking,” Fyfe said. “I don’t necessarily know if I’ll get a job [from the fair], however, it’s more just to see what different companies have to offer.”
According to Neidy, the Smith Career Center wants all students to look at the career fair as more than just job and internship opportunities.
“We very much encourage, regardless of whether or not you’re looking for an internship or full-time job, for you to attend the fair because we think it’s good for you to have practice talking to employers,” Neidy said. “Even if you’re not necessarily looking for a job or internship right now, it just makes you more comfortable when that time comes.”
Neidy said he wanted to remind students that future improvements are based on their opinions and wants all students to share their thoughts with the Smith Career Center.
“We solicit feedback from students and solicit feedback from employers, and we always try to take that feedback into consideration when we’re making those changes to the fair,” Neidy said.
