West Texas A&M University’s Fall Career EXPO is coming up! The event is open to all students and is an opportunity to connect with employers from across the region. The EXPO will be held at the First United Bank Center (FUBC) between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14.

This is a great opportunity for students looking for full or part-time employment, an internship or to network and practice interviewing skills. Whether you are looking for a job or internship in the near future or not, this event is a valuable opportunity to connect with employers.

“We had a student worker who attended all of the Career EXPOs leading up to the time where he actually got an internship with an engineering company,” said Sam Green, assistant director of the Office of Career and Professional Development. “He was able to develop a really good, strong network, so, when it came time for him to find an internship, he had the right connections with those companies.”

The Career EXPO is an opportunity to connect with many employers, all in one place and over the course of a single day.

“So the way I look at it, you can go to one place, and you can talk to 100 different companies,” said Kim Muller, director of the Office of Career and Professional Development. “If you tried to do that in your own time, it would take a lot more than the couple of hours that it would take you to do it at the fair.”

According to Post University, college career fairs are a great way to explore the kinds of job opportunities available at different companies and gain insight into what skills are important to a job or career field you are considering.

Many students feel intimidated by the prospect of attending the EXPO, but taking some simple steps to prepare can make it a great experience and help you reach your career goals. There will also be a VIP loft upstairs at the EXPO where students will have access to water, snacks, and tables to sit at. If students need to take a break at any time during the event, the VIP loft is the perfect place to go.

The Office of Career and Professional Development usually hosts one to two workshops each week, which include topics such as resume and cover letter reviews, interview preparation and LinkedIn assistance. To register for these workshops, log in to Handshake and the workshops will be under the Events tab.

Another way to prepare is by getting more information about the employers who will be attending the event. To view employers attending the event, including descriptions of jobs they offer, go to Handshake and click on Fall Career EXPO 2021, listed under the Events tab.

Registration for the EXPO is not required, but you can click on the “Join Event” button when viewing the Fall Career EXPO 2021 event in Handshake to say you will be attending.

For students seriously seeking an internship or full-time job, there is an opportunity to attend the “Prepare for the Fair Networking Night,” which will take place in Legacy Hall on Oct. 13. During this event, students will have the opportunity to connect with select recruiters and learn about the expectations employers have for students attending the EXPO.
Registration is required for this pre-event and can be done through Handshake at bit.ly/networkingnight21.

Make sure to dress for the EXPO as you would for an interview, and bring copies of your resume to give to employers!

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