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Printer-Friendly ModePre-registration deadline set for Job Fair
February 27, 2006 —
SVSU's Career Planning and Placement has set a pre-registration deadline of March 24 for its annual University Wide Employment & Networking Fair, being held on Friday, April 7.
The Fair, which is free, is held from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the O'Neill Arena and is an event that allows students and alumni to speak to prospective employers about full-time and part-time employment, co-ops, internships, and seasonal and volunteer work. Graduate schools will also be in attendance.
This is the second year that pre-registering will be possible online, but a set deadline is a first this year. According to Wynn McDonald, assistant director of Career Planning and Placement, pre-registering is an advantage.
"By pre-registering," he says, "students will have their name badges pre-printed with a color code that will represent their college. Their major will be also be listed with their name, so employers can more readily see that.
McDonald says the pre-registering made last year's fair more successful.
"We tried that for the first time last year and got positive response from the employers," he adds. "It also helps at the ticket window, so all students have to do is provide their name and get their name tag and be all set."
The Fair last year had 101 employers and 725 students and alumni, but McDonald said he figures both numbers will be surpassed. The deadline is set, however, to make registration more efficient.
"Last year we kept the online registration up until a few days before the event, and that backlogged us," he explains. "So it takes on more meaning that we have a deadline date for the online registration."
McDonald also says that by having the name badge pre-printed, prospective employers will view the students and alumni as more professional.
"If students don't pre-register, then they will have to register by hand," he says. "They will probably have to wait in line a little longer and have to fill out the entire form and name badge by hand. So by pre-registering, it will add to a more professional environment. It's clear and easy to read."
In addition, McDonald says that the Fair is not simply about finding a job immediately. He stresses the word "Networking" from within the title.
"A lot of individuals miss the second part of the title, the networking," he says. "(The Fair) is for people that are freshmen through seniors, through alumni, all across the board."
McDonald points to social work students as an example. He says there will be a number of hospitals at the Fair, which all employ social workers. While the hospitals may not be recruiting for social workers at the Fair, McDonald says the representatives can give interested social work students the right contact information for possibly applying for a job at that hospital.
Last year's fair was also a success, McDonald says, because of the student volunteers that assisted throughout the day. He says he's looking for similar help this year.
"We had 66 volunteers that helped us last year, and the employers were extremely responsive about having that," he says. "Right now, we're at 31, and we could use some more volunteers."
McDonald says volunteers would be needed any time between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
"(The volunteers) can actually participate in the event for part of the time as well as volunteer part of the time," he adds.
There will 28 different stations, inside and outside, that volunteers will be needed for. McDonald says the volunteers, among other things, might be representing their college, may be helping employers in the parking lot by bringing in equipment, or taking refreshments to other volunteers at other stations.
This year's fair also features a way for employers to essentially pre-register, as well. By paying their fee up front, employers are allowed to choose which booth they want in the arena. The idea is not only a positive for the employer, McDonald says, but also aids in preventing some employers from cancelling.
"We had 119 employers sign up last year," McDonald says. "Some were no shows, some cancelled, so we had 101 employers that were in attendance. As of (Friday) we're at 81 employers, and we're further ahead than we were at this time last year."
McDonald says of the 81 employers signed up, around 20 are new to the Fair. He expects to pass last year's total because 87 of 88 employers surveyed from last year's Fair said they would return.
"There are a number of reasons for this," he says, "but I know that it is mainly because of the type of service provided by everyone included.
McDonald is hoping the pre-registration deadline will get more students to register as quickly as possible. He says that with the online registration, Career Planning and Placement will be sending reminder notices with updates, like a reminder call. Last year, he said, some students registered in February and early March and forgot about the Fair by April. In addition, McDonald says "job fair tips" will be available, detailing how to make the most out of the event.
To for more information or to pre-register for the Fair, go to www.svsu.edu/careers.