By Emily Huizenga, News Correspondent
Northeastern’s Career Services and organizers of the first of three career fairs held this year hope students will take advantage of opportunities to network with hundreds of employers as they head toward graduation.
Lining the walls of Cabot Center, the fair will feature more than 200 businesses from around the world from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Director of Career Services Maria Stein says it is a good sign employers are coming to Northeastern in particular.
“Our career fairs remain strong throughout bad recessions when employers must think very strategically about hiring,” she said. “Students here are fortunate in that their education really does draw employers. They like their work experience.”
The career fair provides a venue for students to discuss this real world experience in detail without the formality of an interview environment. Companies are specifically interested in the co-op program. The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) is attending for the first time with the goal of better understanding the co-op program at the career fair, according to event organizers.
Career Services also allows non-Northeastern students to attend during the last hour of the fair to highlight how much experience Northeastern students have in comparison to other college students.
While a Boston University student has 8-12 weeks experience at an internship, a typical Northeastern co-op lasts six months. Stein says these differences really emphasize how valuable Northeastern students are.
Stein encourages students from every major to take time to stop by the fair, as companies representing all realms of employment will be present. Career Services has secured employers, ranging from Meditech, Kupis Pharmaceuticals, Clear Channel, Frito Lay, The Gameshow Network, Intell, Johnson and Johnson, Microsoft, IBM, Hungry Fish Media and the US Department of State.
While some businesses will be offering full-time positions geared toward graduating students, others, such as AT&T, will be looking for students to enroll in career training programs. More than 120 companies are also offering co-op and internship opportunities.
Middler finance major Tom Galante, whose first co-op was at IBM, recommends younger students attend to get an idea of the type of co-op they want to pursue.
Stein emphasized the importance of getting a head start.
“You meet these professionals and become very interested in their companies, then have a conversation with your co-op advisor,” she said. “It’s a good way to get insight into an organization.”
Many companies bring their current Northeastern alumni and co-op students along to speak to interested undergrads.
Although the majority of the companies the fair hosts traditionally hail from the Northeast, some offer positions all over the country. The consulting agency Booz Allen Hamilton, for example, is centered in Virginia but has offices in Boston and along the West Coast.
Middler accounting major Ariel LaFord agrees.
“[The fair] can be really overwhelming because there isn’t much direction,” she said.
A complete list of employers is available to students online at the Career Services website and printed copies of the multinational companies present will be available at the fair. Stein acknowledges that students will likely not have the full four hours to devote to the fair, and should use these resources to prioritize the employers they wish to speak to.
“There will be lines,” she said, noting that well-known companies like Microsoft and EMC often bring extra representatives to manage the abundance of interested students. “Don’t be afraid to say hello, and know ahead of time the conversation you want to have.”
No registration fee or pre-registration is required, but students must show a Husky Card. Career Services will host two more career fairs in February and March of this year.
“It’s a great way for students to get a sense of what type of employers are available through this school,” Stein said. “Every student should start that networking now.”
