On Sept. 28, Career Services will host the annual Career Fair in the REC from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

Students can network with over 160 working professionals at the fair. All types of students and alums can benefit from the event’s wealth of resources, which include a wide variety of professional advancement options. 

Although it seems far away, there are plenty of events to attend in preparation for the Career Fair.

Craig Marinello, manager of student employment and internship development at Career Services, said, “It’s about being proactive instead of reactive. If you’re proactive, you are never stressed.” 

Career Services hosts a multitude of pre-fair events to help students prepare. 

On Aug. 24, there will be a Part-Time Job Fair. Local employers will be there to meet with students and discuss career options. This event is smaller than Career Fair, but it is a great place to pick up networking, relationship development and job searching skills. 

Jenna Simmons, the career and job search consultant, plays an essential role in organizing all of the fair’s components.   

“It’s a much more loose event, and it’s for everyone. There are more opportunities for different jobs and people at a part-time job fair than there are at a career fair,” Simmons explained.

On Sept. 10, the annual Suit Up event will occur at JCPenny in Hammond Square Mall. There, they will provide a 50-60% discount on all professional clothing for Southeastern students. 

This can help students prepare for the fair since they are expected to dress professionally.

Although the Suit Up event is only for one day, the Lion Pride Career Closet is available year-round, allowing students to take six to eight clothing items for free per semester. 

A professional resume is one of the most important things students need. 

“Your resume is key. It is a visual representation of you so that you are remembered,” Marinello said. 

Marinello and Simmons, and others in Career Services review students’ resumes throughout the year.

However, in preparation for the Career Fair, there will be a week of resume reviews from Sept. 18-25. In addition to Resume Reviews, Career Services will print out students’ resumes for free on Sept. 25. 

Come to the fair with printed resumes, but also have online copies of your resume ready to email to an employer. Preparing by researching companies and coming up with questions in advance is also a good idea. 

“The goal is to get on the website for a few minutes and show you know a little bit more than maybe the average person,” Simmons said. 

There are opportunities for all students at the Career Fair regardless of classification. 

Freshmen, in particular, can benefit from volunteering at the fair since they get an inside look at how the event is run. 

Sophomores and juniors attending the event can look for internships, part-time jobs or volunteer opportunities tailored toward their majors or interests. For seniors, graduate students and alums, the fair allows them to network with potential employers and find a job they can start immediately after graduation.  

“There is a reason for every student no matter what stage of life they are in to come,” Marinello said. 

It’s still early enough to start getting ready for the Career Fair. For more information about Career Services and its upcoming events, visit Career Services’ website.