As a freshman who is both new to my job as a reporter and new to the suit-and-tie regime of professionalism, I must admit that I was a little intimidated when I first walked through the doors of Career Fair. Nerves were calmed and tensions ceased, however, when I was greeted by friendly, helpful recruiters.
As I went from booth to booth, I was overwhelmed by the vast and diverse opportunities provided by the Career Fair. There were many companies searching for specific majors. Students all across the board, from industrial technology majors to family and consumer science majors were able to find companies recruiting for their specialized fields.
What I didn’t expect to find was a number of businesses that were willing to take all majors for internships and job positions. I learned from Jason Jones, recruiter from the NASA DEVELOP National Program, that NASA accepts students of all majors for internships, as long as they have a personal interest in science.
As we spoke, I noticed that no one had taken interest in the NASA booth throughout the entirety of our conversation, despite the potential of such an internship. Jones explained that, while there are many students who do inquire about NASA’s internships, quite a few students tend to be intimidated because of preconceived notions that NASA only considers scientific geniuses for employment. This mindset consequently leads to missed opportunities for students too afraid to explore their options.
One aspect of the Career Fair that I was highly impressed with was that it displayed a wide variety of careers that shed light on employment possibilities that many students may not have otherwise considered. Among these job opportunities was OPTIONS, a social service program that focuses on tending to the needs of those with disabilities.
“I work in human resources,” said Denise Gordon, hiring coordinator for Options. “And I don’t have a degree in human resources. I’d never been around an individual with disabilities. It’s been the best thing for me. They brighten my day; I brighten their day. I love it.”
If I learned anything from Career Fair, it’s that students who only look at a few job and internship opportunities within their major are not taking full advantage of everything Career Fair has to offer.
My advice is to speak with employers and recruiters at all booths and to explore different fields, even if they seem obscure and unrelated to your major. The opportunities are there; you just have to look for them.