(Photo courtesy of Regis University)
By: Allison Upchurch, Staff Reporter
The daunting hunt for a job or internship went underway last Tuesday in the Field House, where the Center for Career and Professional Development put on their largest career fair of the year. Rows of tables lined the floor as recruiters eagerly awaited possible candidates to connect with them, offer them information on jobs and the company, or to give out free swag such as pens, reusable grocery bags, and sunglasses.
Over 70 employers and recruiters from a range of for-profit and nonprofit organizations attended the fair, representing industries such as government agencies, education, business, and finance.
"It's great," Nancy Ferro, one of the recruiters from the nonprofit Epic Experiences said, "We get to talk to all of the students that come by and find out what sort of volunteer or internship experiences they are looking for, and we always find wonderful Regis students."
Other participants in the fair included Iliff School of Theology, City Year, Department of Veteran Affairs, and the Denver Broncos Facilities Department.
"This career fair is for all majors and all students, undergraduate and graduate, as well as alumni," Katie McCue, a Career Development Specialist in the Center for Career and Professional Development said of the career fair, "We put on the fair really to help students and alumni to connect with employers who are in the local Denver area, as well as some companies that are outside of Denver."
"I think it's important to connect because it's easy to go to school and stay focused on academics, which is extremely important, but it's also important to think about what your next steps are," McCue said in relation to why it's important to connect with employers in a career fair setting.
And in a career fair setting, those employers come right to students and alumni – convenience at its finest. "They can just come to campus and really get that connection firsthand" McCue says.
However, the career fair is only step one. Now, those students and alumni who attended the fair must follow up with those employers, send in official applications, and set up a time for an official interview. If that all seems daunting, then there are free services at the Center for Career and Professional Development that can help students and alumni out including one-on-one appointments for résumé and cover letter building, mock interview sessions, and further tools for job and graduate school searches.
While this specific career fair only lasted one day to many students it was the first day of the career opportunity of a lifetime.
For more information on future career fairs or resources, email the Center for Career and Professional Development at careers@regis.edu, call their office at 303-458-3508, or book an appointment online here.