Employers plan to scout students at Career Fair

This Thursday, Pitt students will fill the Pete for a different kind of workout, sporting their dress shoes instead of sneakers.

The Office of Career Development and Placement Assistance will host its annual Fall Career Fair on Sept. 24 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Petersen Events Center. More than 200 national and local employers will recruit for part-time and full-time jobs and internships.

The companies come from several different industries including business, engineering, retail, pharmaceuticals, technology, healthcare and government with representatives from national companies such as Geico, Rite-Aid Pharmacy and Target, as well as Pittsburgh-based companies, such as Pittsburgh Mercy Health System.

In the past, 3,000 students have attended the fair.

According to Joel Anne Sweithelm, special events and marketing coordinator, the Career Fair is open to undergraduates, graduate students and alumni. More than half of employers will recruit for internships and full-time opportunities at the fair.

“With close to 250 recruiters from corporate, government and nonprofit organizations from across the country, the event provides a wonderful opportunity for students to practice meeting and networking with recruiters face-to-face,” Sweithelm said.

Gilson Engineering, an engineering company for Automation and Process Control Industries that will be at the fair, is looking for students who are good at communication and organization to fill a technical sales position, according to manager Chris Gilson. This is the first year that Gilson Engineering will attend the fair, and Gilson said the company hopes to reach more Pitt students outside of Internet postings.

“I’m thinking Pitt is a well-rounded engineering school,” Gilson said. “We’re looking for a well-rounded engineering student — one that’s more socially oriented and technically qualified.”

This year, CDPA is encouraging students to be “ready inside and out” for the Fall Career Fair, according to Sweithelm. To make a good first impression, CDPA recommends students wear a clean, pressed professional outfit. CDPA’s Career Closet in 200 William Pitt Union loans professional clothing, in case students do not own a suit.

To prepare the “inside,” Sweithelm encourages students to research employers on the Pitt Career Fair Plus mobile app and on the employers’ websites.

“One of CDPA’s key Don’ts is that students should not approach an employer and ask them what they do,” Sweithelm said. “It is the student’s responsibility to know this information about the employer before they go the fair.”

Although students must research the companies beforehand, the fair serves as a great resource for more personal conversations about future employers.

Rachel Wachter, the HR talent acquisition and hiring manager for Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, a nonprofit behavioral health company, said the career fair is beneficial for both students and companies because it allows the nonprofit to inform students about their opportunities.

“If it’s someone who’s really looking to make a difference in the lives of others, this would be a great place to work,” Wachter said. “Your experiences make people feel good at the end of the day about the work they do.”

Pittsburgh Mercy Health System has had many Pitt students intern who evenutally become full-time employees for the company. The health system is currently looking to fill entry-level direct care positions and part-time direct care positions.

Although many employers will look for upperclassmen and graduate students to fill their open positions, CDPA partners closely with the First Year Experience office to provide freshmen and interested sophomores with a tour of the Career Fair.

“Students from past fairs have often commented on how helpful these tours were for them,” Sweithelm said. “When students are ready to apply for an internship or full-time job, they will be much more comfortable in this setting.”