Editorial
Career Fair succeeds in student participation
October 14, 2010
One complaint the Student Voice has issued in the past is the lack of student participation and spirit at UW-River Falls. However, the Voice tips its hat to Career Services for its presentation of the Career Fair and to all UWRF students who attended.
Career Services offers a wide array of support for UWRF students that goes far beyond resume and cover letter critiques, and this year’s Career Fair proved that.
The fair offered a turnout of roughly 80 employers, which presented various recruiters and encouraged students of all majors to attend.
While some of the businesses represented at the fair were lesser known, others — AFLAC, Mary Kay and Wisconsin Public Radio to name a few — were household names; additionally, almost all of the recruiters supplied interested students with intricate details about their businesses and job opportunities.
For some, a ballroom filled with dozens of employers may be intimidating, and it is for that reason that Career Services offered a prep session to help students feel better prepared for the fair.
It goes without saying that events like this at UWRF are hard to come by, which is why the Voice was pleased to see a solid student turnout.
Of course, the number of students in attendance was down from last year’s Career Fair. The fair’s coordinator, Kirsten Blake, said that there were just over 500 students in attendance this year; that number is dwarfed by 2009’s turnout of roughly 800 students.
This does not mean that the event was not a success.
On the contrary, the quality of students in attendance, with regards to preparedness, was much higher.
In previous years, employers at the Career Fair paid witness to some students networking in sweatpants, while other students looked idly on without direction. This year, the appearance of students in terms of attire was much improved and their personal presentation was better practiced.
Approach any student who attended this year’s Career Fair, and they are likely to assure you that the overall feel of the fair was a far more professional than former years.
Career Services deserves our praise for its efforts to provide students with an event that is not only well attended but helpful in getting students started with their careers.