As the spring job and internship fair approaches, and various organizations send their spokespeople in search of new talent, students must consider their strategies for interviewing and networking.     

Hannah Kelling, a senior psychology major who works for the Career Center, advises student to check and double-check themselves.

“The best way to prevent yourself from being stressed out the day of the event is to be super prepared,” Kelling said. “Once you’re able to jump over that hurdle, you can relax into a comfortable conversation about the company and how you might fit their needs.”   

Assistant Director of Employer Relations Robin Pijor said the long-running job fair is open to any student—unlike others that are designed for specific majors.

“We’ve been doing one general job and internship fair each semester for years and years,” Pijor said. “They’re open to all students and alumni, regardless of their major or area of study. It’s open to everyone who is affiliated with Kent State University.”          

Registration is not required to attend the event. However, students who have their FlashCards will be able to use swipe machines at the event to print out name tags from their Flash @ Work Profiles.

Last fall, 144 employers attended the fair–the largest number in the event’s history. This week, 141 employers are expected from a wide range of fields, including non-profits, IT, fashion and manufacturing.

“We try to get a very diverse group,” Pijor said. “We’re very fortunate to have what I like to call ‘regular customers.’ They’re the ones who know the quality of our students and alumni, so they’re dedicated to coming back here on a continuous basis. We would love every major here to say ‘there was someone for me at the job fair.’”

Career Services will host its spring job and internship fair on Thursday from noon to 4 p.m. in the Kent State Student Center Ballroom.

Daniel Hale is the student finance reporter for the Kent Stater. Contact him at [email protected].