Students were dressed to impress as they gathered in University Quad where 125 employers sought out potential hires at the Fall Career Fair on Sept. 26.
Companies of various backgrounds were holding pre-screening interviews as they looked to have Cal Poly Pomona students join their team.
Target, Hot Topic, Ecolab and many more companies had tables throughout the quad to connect with students and showcase their brands.
“We are looking for potential candidates that are excited, show a lot of personality and very good communication skills,” said Dante Giles, general manager of Silvercar by Audi.
(Taylor Johnson | The Poly Post)
Director of the Career Center Tom Munnerlyn stated that the Career Center works to prepare students for the event by advising with resumes, hosting mock interviews and posting additional resources located on its website for students to refer to.
Munnerlyn credits the success of the career fair to the establishment of relationships with a large number of employers who want to engage with CPP students.
While many students conveyed that they were nervous about the event, they also expressed how they looked forward to the networking opportunities at hand.
“I think it most definitely helps with networking and just making those connections,” said Monet Boyd, a fifth-year urban and regional planning student. “It could be a possibility to step into the career that I want to do.”
Keeping in mind that students may be fresh into the workforce and while students may not yet have experience, companies were there to provide that opportunity, said Chelsea Underhill, associate recruiter for Hot Topic.
“Being a go-getter is huge for us as a company; I like it when people at career fairs approach me and know about my brand, are passionate about it and want to talk to me about their experience,” Underhill said.
The Career Center posts the attending employers ahead of time so that students are able to do research on the companies they hope to speak with.
“The fact that they have taken the time out of their personal schedule to look us up and be informed before speaking to us goes a long way,” Giles said.
To further stand out above the rest, Pedro Esquivel, a fourth-year electrical and computer engineering student, suggests to “definitely do research, have an elevator speech ready and print out more resumes than you think you are going to need.”
The Career Fair is a biannual event with the Spring Career Fair planned for Thursday, March 5.