By: Brooke Byrne, bzb5183@psu.edu, Lion’s Eye Web Staff
On Wednesday, October 28, students had the opportunity to network with several businesses that came to campus to participate in Career Day.
Company representatives from Wawa, Vanguard, and others set up tables in the Tomezsko lounge, and students were able to introduce themselves, exchange information, and leave their resumes. The hour of networking was preceded by an informative question-and-answer portion in which students could ask the representatives questions about the interview process and what to avoid including on their resumes.
A lot of planning goes into an event like this. Christine Allen, the Coordinator of Career Services, and everyone in the Career and Advising departments assisted with inviting employers, creating a directory for students, marketing the event and much more.
“It takes a team of many to pull off an event like this,” Allen said. “We also depend a great deal on faculty to encourage students to attend. And, of course, we’re very appreciative of the employers who come out to campus to discover talent for their organizations.”
In the past, the Career Service department held two smaller events throughout the semester. This semester’s event was different. It was held in the larger venue, the gym, and included the question-and-answer portion to create a more welcoming event. All of this planning seemed to have paid off as 75 students attended and met with employers from 14 different companies.
“The feedback was extremely positive from both students and employers this semester and has been since we changed the format a few years ago,” Allen said.
With this new format, students could feel more comfortable approaching tables, and they had more time to converse with employers to get to know them and their company better. Victor Lin, a sophomore at Penn State Brandywine majoring in Information Sciences and Technology, learned about what kind of students businesses are looking for.
“There are plenty of employers from different types of industries, and many of the industries seek out different types of majors,” Lin said. “It was a great experience, and I would definitely attend again if there are different companies next time.”
Career Day will be back on campus next semester for students to get some first-hand experience at networking. Whether one is looking for an internship or a job, campus resources and events like Career Day are a great place to start.