Collegiate Job and Internship Fair to attract 140-plus employers

Arizona State University will host the 19th annual Collegiate Job and Internship Fair Feb. 22 in the Memorial Union on the Tempe campus. The event will provide students with opportunities to interact with more than 140 hiring organizations looking to fill internships and career positions. 

ASU consistently attracts top local, state and national hiring employers and was recognized by the Wall Street Journal as the fifth most desirable university in the country for corporate recruiting.
 
“We recruit at ASU because we know we’ll find top talent,” says Kurt Styers, a recruiter from Vanguard. “The students we meet are polished, professional and ready to start their career.” And Vanguard is not alone.

Nellie Erickson, senior field campus recruiter for Target, says she recruits at ASU “because we always find a talented pool of students who are eager to gain real life experiences and expand their knowledge.”
 
Why should ASU students be encouraged to attend this fair? Money, for starters. Taking advantage of a career fair to look for a full-time position or internship may help upcoming graduates increase their earning potential. Students from the 2010-2011 graduating classes who attended at least one career fair reported an average starting salary nearly 5 percent above their peers who did not attend such programs. And in a survey completed prior to graduation, students from the same class who had at least two internships reported an average starting salary for a job they accepted nearly 7 percent above their peers who did not have an internship. 

And if money isn’t enough of an incentive, according to ASU’s seasoned recruiter from Federated Insurance, Kitty Boso: “There is an electric atmosphere at the recruiting fairs at ASU that you rarely find at other campuses. The students are prepared, eager to excel and full of energy.”
 
The 2012 Collegiate Job and Internship Fair could present more opportunities for upcoming college graduates than those available over the past couple of years. While the overall U.S. labor market continues to present some challenges, reports indicate that hiring trends for college graduates could experience a substantial rebound in 2012. According to the National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE), 51 percent of employers expect to increase their hiring of recent college graduates over the previous year.

“With more than half of the 140 participating employers recruiting for all majors, and about 42 percent seeking paid interns, there’s really no reason we shouldn’t see an increase from the 1,460 students who attended last year,” says Elaine Stover, director of Career Services on the Tempe campus.
 
To help candidates prepare for the Collegiate Job and Internship Fair, ASU Career Services will be sponsoring Rapid Resume Reviews in the Memorial Union the week before the fair. ASU students and alumni can attend one of these sessions to have their resume reviewed by a local recruiter or career development professional.   
 
For a list of employers scheduled to attend Collegiate visit: asu.edu/career.