Upcoming job fair to be quite the doozy

The economic downturn affects not only the job market but also Pitt’s upcoming job fair.

‘… The economic downturn affects not only the job market but also Pitt’s upcoming job fair.

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Pitt’s annual spring job and internship fair, scheduled for Feb. 11 and 12 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the main floor of the William Pitt Union, expects to host three fewer employers than last year. But the real difference exists in the number of nonprofit and government jobs.

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Monica Varela, a spokeswoman for the Office of Student Employment and Placement Assistance, said 29 nonprofit organizations will attend the fair, 11 more than last year.

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While fewer corporations are signed up to attend the fair so far, Varela maintains that the event still serves as a prime opportunity for students to find work.

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‘You can make the personal connection, that face-to-face contact,’ said Varela.

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She emphasized that students can make a stronger impression in person than they could submitting an application online.

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This two-day event, unlike its fall counterpart, focuses more on internships and less on full-time jobs.

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On the first day, employers specializing in technical fields invite engineering and computer and information sciences majors to visit their booths. The second day focuses on positions for students majoring in arts, sciences and business.

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Del Monte Foods, Dollar Bank, GEICO and the Internal Revenue Service signed up to attend. Many local businesses plan to recruit students and alumni at the fair, but there are also companies from as far as California and Texas.

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Varela encouraged students to dress as they would for a job interview and to bring resumes.

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In general, Varela said that students should do more to prepare for job fairs. The Office of Student Employment and Placement Assistance makes a list of companies planning to attend the fair available online so that students can research the companies beforehand.

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Varela said that some representatives at previous job and internship fairs felt disappointed that the attendees knew so little about their companies.

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The Career Development Office offers resume critiques, mock interviews, help with self-presentation, an’ etiquette’ dinner and a program about how to work a job fair before the event.

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Because this fair targets internship seekers rather than job seekers, the University sent letters to freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The Office of Student Employment and Placement Assistance also advertises with fliers, slides on the television screens around campus and, for the first time, with an event on Facebook. Varela said that if Facebook advertising proves successful, the office will advertise for the fall job fair on Facebook, too.

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Last fall’s job fair featured 230 employers, up 100 from the previous year.