Students of all majors gathered for the Fall Career Expo in Al Lawson Multipurpose Center on Wednesday to speak with 97 organizations and Fortune 500 companies.
Students are invited to attend the expo, which will feature booths from companies such as; Eli Lilly and Company, General Electric, PepsiCo., Macy’s and more.
The Florida A&M University Career Center gives students the opportunity to connect with prospective employers once a semester.
Camryn Brown, third-year business administration student, addressed the level of competition students face when walking into the Career Expo.
“The hardest thing about being at the career fair is being so close to your competition,” Brown said. “There are thousands of students and outside people who attend the career fair. Your chance of getting an opportunity is just as high as the next.”
Researching the companies, as well as the type of positions offered, before arriving at the expo will increase the chances for qualified candidates.
FAMU alumnus and Teach for America representative, Mike Wood, gives helpful tips on how to become a prepared, potential candidate for a major company or organization.
“Students can best prepare for the career fair by doing research on not only the companies that are going be present, but also which ones they exactly hope to land a position with,” Wood said.
Although minimum wage has been raised, the need for a higher paying salary job is still there.
Wood talked about the financial benefits one meaningful conversation can make.
“The career expo is one of the most golden opportunities to go from making $8.50 an hour to up to $50,000 a year or more post-college life! The opportunity (and money) to one day make your own way in life is a conversation away at the career expo,” Wood said.
A significant increase in salary is always positive, but for many students the reward was the networking and experience the expo created.
Brown expressed her gratitude as well as the benefits the Career Expo have.
“The career fair was very beneficial for me. There were numerous companies that had opportunities in my career field,” Brown said. “The career fair can be helpful for students at FAMU only if you know how to apply yourself and standout, knowing what companies to talk to and what opportunities best fit you and your career.”
Although more students are encouraged to attend, 1,430 students took advantage of the networking opportunity the Career Fair offered.
Delores Dean, director of the Career Center, spoke positively about the attendance and the students who attended.
“Of course we always want more students, but the employers were impressed with how well dressed and prepared the students were,” Dean said.
The next Career Expo will be held in Al Lawson Multipurpose Center on Jan. 27 from 9:30a.m.-3:30p.m.
For more information contact the FAMU Career Service Center at 850-599-3700.