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Career fair showcases a variety of professional opportunities for grads

On Wednesday, Oct. 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. Puget Sound held its biannual career fair in Marshall Hall.  At this semester’s Career Fair, 18 organizations were represented, with 12 Puget Sound alumni attending to represent their respective employers. Each semester, Career and Employment Services (CES) invites a wide range of organizations to participate—and as always alumni are encouraged to come to network with current students.

This Career Fair had opportunities for students interested in marketing, graphic design and art, IT, writing, economics, environmental issues, working abroad, teaching, management, consulting, social services, finance, human resources, non-profit, government and media.  First-time participants at the fair this semester included The Weekly Volcano, Earth Economics, PJ Hummel & Company, and Alvarez & Marsal Business Consulting —all of which told CES that they were impressed with Puget Sound students and looked forward to returning to future Career Fairs.

CES occasionally hears students say that they didn’t attend a Career Fair because they didn’t think there was anything for them, but a number of employers at this semester’s Fair were looking for students from a variety of different backgrounds.  For example, Earth Economics, an environmental research and economic advising firm, was looking for graphic designers in addition to research assistants.
Kris Hay, the Communications Coordinator for Career and Employment Services, made a point to emphasize that these opportunities are available to anyone.

“Organizations are less interested in specific majors than they are in the collection of skills that students hone while obtaining a liberal arts degree at Puget Sound.  Communication, critical thinking, teamwork and leadership skills are some of the top characteristics that employers seek.”

One hundred and ninety-five students attended this semester’s Career Fair, and Alana Hentges, the CES Associate Director, said that the organizations present appreciated their interactions with students from each level of their college career.

“Employers told us that they were pleased to see so many first and second year students in attendance—the increasing numbers suggest that students ‘get it,’ that they will benefit from exploring options and gaining experience in part-time jobs and internships earlier in college,” Hentges said.

The next CES sponsored Career Fair is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 1. Whether students attended this semester’s Career Fair or not, CES is available to help students with job and internship searches year-round.  Their office is located on the first floor of Howarth in Howarth 101 and drop-in hours Monday through Friday are from 2 to 4 p.m.  Students can also schedule an appointment at 253-879-3161.  Online resources are available to students on Cascade or the CES homepage at www.pugetsound.edu/ces.  CES is also active on Facebook, Twitter (CEStweets), and posts regularly on their blog at http://blogs.ups.edu/cesblogs/.