Thursday, Mar 17, 2011
Employers and job-seeking Rider students and alumni will have the chance to connect at the Spring Career Fair on March 31 in the Cavalla Room.
by Sean Ramsden
Rider undergraduate, graduate students and alumni will have a chance to market themselves to prospective employers on Thursday, March 31, during the Spring Career Fair in the Bart Luedeke Center Cavalla Room.
Approximately 50 companies from fields ranging from finance and retail to nonprofits and state and federal government will be represented from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fair will feature full-time and part-time employment, internships, co-ops, externships and summer opportunities. Participating employers will be looking for all types of majors and background.
Joyce Tyler, director of Career Services, said it’s vital for all students to attend the Career Fair, even those who only began their collegiate experience in September.
“For freshmen, it’s important even just to observe the process,” Tyler explained. “And even though freshmen are not looking yet for full-time employment, they will need to accumulate as many internship experiences as they can during their four years at Rider in order to be competitive in the job market once they graduate. It’s also the perfect chance to build up your network of contacts.”
Tyler said that the significance of the Career Fair for sophomores and upperclassmen is heightened by the state of the economy and a job market still struggling to gain momentum.
“Many of them will be looking for jobs very soon, and they will need every job tool available to them for their search,” she said. “The Career Fair is a prime opportunity to interact directly with employers, and they should make sure to look for opportunities that would be relevant to their long-term goals.”
Students and even alumni in search of work should arrive at the Career Fair with questions ready to ask of the employers, Tyler said, adding that it’s not too early in the academic year to hunt for internships, either.
“There’s still time to secure an internship for the summer,” she said.
Students and alumni seeking help with preparing and updating résumés and cover letters, are welcomed to stop by Career Services in BLC Room 237 for the annual Résumé Blitz Days, from Monday, March 28, to Wednesday, March 30, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All who attend the Career Fair are encouraged to wear professional attire and bring plenty of résumés to hand out to company representatives. Students and alumni should come prepared and know how to articulate what type of work they are looking for, Tyler said. A list of attending employers and their vacancies is available on the Rider Career Services Web site, located at rider.edu/careerservices. Click on: BRONCS CAREER LINK.
