Employment fair to provide job opportunities to students

After attending most of their classes and weighing their course loads for the semester, some students might look at their empty wallets and decide they need to begin searching for a part-time job.

Job-hungry students can stop by the William Pitt Union on Thursday between noon and 3 p.m. to talk to more than 50 employers at the Student Employment Fair. 

Cheryl Finlay, director of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Career Development and Placement Assistance, said in an email that the fair is designed for those who want to find positions that do not require a college degree. 

“Students who are looking for part-time employment or internships can meet with representatives from many Pitt departments as well as local employers,” Finlay said. 

Last year the event drew about 800 students, and Finlay said that a similar turnout is expected this year. 

The Student Employment Fair is not to be confused with the Fall Career Fair, which is scheduled for late next month. While the employment fair helps students find part-time work, the career fair is designed for students seeking jobs in their fields after graduating.

“The Fall Career Fair will have recruiters and representatives from more than 200 local, regional and national nonprofits, corporations, government agencies and graduate schools. Most of the positions that these representatives are looking to fill will be full-time, requiring a bachelor’s or master’s degree,” Finlay said. 

Students can fill out applications during the fair and meet with representatives from employers within the University, including the offices of Student Life, Intramurals and Recreation, Cross Cultural and Leadership Development and the William Pitt Union.

“For students who are looking for a work-study position, part-time job or internship, this will save them a lot of time and effort,” Finlay said. 

According to the website for Pitt’s Office of Admission and Financial Aid, students who qualify for work study receive it as part of their financial aid package. The federal government subsidizes funds that count toward work-study students’ salaries. The department or agency that employs the students pays the rest. 

Shawn Ahearn, the director of communication for Student Affairs, has hired students through the Student Employment Fair in previous years. He said that the event helps him save time as an employer.

“From my perspective, it’s great because I get to meet the people. You can meet 25 people in a matter of two hours, whereas, if I just got 25 resumés … It’s just more cumbersome,” Ahearn said.

Ahearn also said that students who are able to meet with prospective employers have a better chance of making a favorable impression. He added that the fair can be particularly beneficial to freshmen. 

“It’s just a good opportunity, especially for the incoming freshmen … This is a place where they can cruise through and visit a lot of possible employers in a very nonthreatening, casual way … It’s not a real formal atmosphere. It’s pretty laid back … It’s something that is good for the younger students for sure,” Ahearn said. “It’s just a great place for employers to meet students and students to meet employers.”

Beth Plocki, the manager of human resources for Sodexo Campus Solutions at Pitt, said the fair gives employers a chance to witness students’ customer service skills. 

“This gives us a chance to talk to students and find out what type of position they are looking for and what kind of availability they have,” Plocki said in an email. 

 Sodexo is seeking to hire 75 to 80 employees this semester for a variety of food service positions across campus. Last year, Sodexo hired more than 50 students who attended the event.

“We love having student employees and do our best to place as many applicants as possible,” Plocki said. 

Marilyn Ross, the director of Intramurals and Recreation, said that she is also seeking about four student workers at the Student Employment Fair this semester. She hopes to find people with a passion for sports. 

“We’re always looking for enthusiastic students … Work-study students we have picked up have been dynamite,” Ross said.