On Thursday, the BYU-Idaho Center will transform from a place of basketball and volleyball to a place of career exploration and networking.
The Career Fair happens twice a year during the fall and winter semesters. Over 40 grad schools and 100 companies are traveling to Rexburg from all over the country to recruit students for graduate degree programs, internships and jobs in all sorts of industries. It starts Thursday morning at 10 and runs until 2 p.m.
“Career fairs are a little bit unique in that they give students an opportunity to meet with recruiters face to face, kind of get a leg up in the application process,” said Career Center Marketing and Event Coordinator Janet Barton. “It also gives students practice just talking to recruiters, which is really helpful for a lot of students. It also gives students just an opportunity to explore opportunities maybe there's things they never even considered or thought about and career fairs kind of give them the chance to kind of see some of those possibilities as well.”
The Career Center has seen success from previous fairs and hopes this fair will continue to help students make connections.
“I've talked to a few students. We always send out a survey afterwards, and I hear from a few students talking about how they were able to get an internship or a job,” Barton said. “So, you never know. Career fairs can inspire students to make a change or kind of explore other possibilities.”
Students are encouraged to prepare for the fair – Barton says to bring several copies of your resume, review the list of recruiters coming on the job marketplace website Handshake and practice your 30 second introductory elevator pitch.
The Career Center also has opportunities to help students prepare for interviews, improve resumes and receive mentorship. All students are encouraged to attend.
“A lot of students think it's just for juniors and seniors or students who are maybe a little farther along in their academic careers,” Barton said. “We just encourage all students to come. It's never too early to start thinking about your career, whether you're a freshman or a sophomore.”
For more information, check out byui.edu/career.