Florida A&M University’s Career Center is hosting its annual school-wide Career Expo on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Leon County Civic Center.
Companies such as BP, Macys and Coors Brewing Company are a part of the 146 registered companies that will be in attendance at this year’s Career Expo. The expo is open to all majors, all classifications and alumni.
Delores Dean, director of FAMU’s Career Center, explained how beneficial it would be for students and alumni to take advantage of the opportunity to attend.
“There is no where else students will be able to find these many companies together all wanting to recruit students,” Dean said. “Generally, 67-75 percent of students who take advantage of all the opportunities that the Career Center has to offer find job placements.”
Dean said that the goal of the career expo is to provide students with full-time internships, co-op summer or part-time and full-time employment.
Last year’s career expo had 1,300 students in attendance.
“This is an opportunity to sell yourself,” said Carol Motley, associate professor at the School of Business.
Motley encouraged students to participate in the career expo. In preparation for the expo Motley advised students to “do your homework.”
A student can do their homework by researching a company before meeting with them. This gives the student an opportunity to ask great questions and to show the representatives of the company that they are interested in working for that organization.
Motley also advised students to be on the assertive side when attending the career fair.
“Instead of talking to friends, introduce yourself to individuals who are there to serve you,” Motley said.
Mathew O’Kane, 23, a senior business administration student from Tallahassee, said he is going to the career fair because he is looking for permanent placement.
“I am going to shave, pick up my clothes from the dry cleaners and head to the career fair,” O’Kane said. “I am interested in interviewing with the CIA, FBI and Google because these companies deal with different problems everyday.”
O’Kane said he recommends that students be social when interviewing with various recruiters at the expo. “Just be yourself,” O’Kane said.
Some students, however, are not convinced that the career expo will meet their needs for this semester.
“I already have my career [as a student],” said Jeff Burrell, 24, a senior health and science student from Ellenwood, Ga. “I am one semester away from graduating and I’ll probably go next semester.”
Despite what Burrell and Coney said, Myra Everette, 22, a senior marketing student from Palm Beach is attending the career fair for the second time of her academic career.
“I am going to the career fair to talk to perspective employers,” Everette said. “I want to speak with United Technology Corporation, Ernst & Young and Johnson & Johnson.”
In addition to the potential opportunities available to students, the career center will have door prizes ranging from laptops to iPods for FAMU students who register and attend the expo.
For more information on the Career Expo or to obtain the list of companies that will be in attendance, visit http://careercenter.famu.edu.