By Olga Kingsbury, Career Coach, Career & Professional Development

The purpose of the Internship & Career Days is to connect our best student talent at the U with local and national employers. While the ultimate goal of our recruiting events is to help students get hired, there is more to the Internship & Career Days than just getting internships and jobs.

Our mission at the Career & Professional Development Center is to empower students and recent grads to continually explore and pursue rewarding careers through accessible career education, events, resources, and networking opportunities.  This is exactly why every semester we come together as a team and organize a series of events the goal of which goes far beyond recruiting.

Even if you are not currently interested in getting an internship or a job, we encourage you to attend our events because this experience will allow you to learn a bit more about yourself, the people and organizations in your community, and the world of work.

Consider attending our career fairs to not only get internships and full-time jobs, but also explore organizations and connect with employers. Career fairs are a wonderful opportunity to practice your professional communication skills and plan for your future internship & job seeking endeavors. To prepare for a meaningful conversation, you can see a list of registered employers on the career fair page in the Events section in Handshake. Not sure what to talk about with a recruiter? See a career coach to plan for that conversation.

Events like the Engineering Alumni Association Spring Career Fair Bootcamp, STEM Resume Reviews, Veteran Networking  Lunch, and multiple employer sessions available on Handshake are wonderful opportunities to learn what it takes to get an internship or a job, connect with current industry professionals to have meaningful career conversations, hear professional feedback on your resume, prep for an interview if you are ready, and learn more about how you can apply your major, experience and talents to the professional world. Company representatives, who come to campus to lead information sessions and workshops, review your resume and answer your career questions, do that for a reason – they genuinely want to see you succeed and potentially find opportunities with their organizations.

To keep track of all career-related activities on campus, check events on Handshake often. In the meantime, the Career & Professional Center is here to answer any questions you may have and help you navigate career events at the U. Stop by our office in SSB 350 or visit our virtual career studio here.