Employers are ready to meet St. Thomas students on Friday, Sept. 23 at the St. Thomas Fall Career Fair. Nearly all of the 61 employer spots were filled a few days after employer registration opened. The event will be held in James B. Woulfe Alumni Hall, Anderson Student Center, 1-3 p.m.
The fair is open to undergraduates, graduate students and recent St. Thomas alumni. Students can still register on Handshake where they will find a list of employers and open positions.
“We have a strong and talented pool of students as well as employer partnerships to pilot an event just for St. Thomas,” said Mark Sorenson-Wagner, director of career development. “Having the event on campus allows us to maximize our students’ time. For employers, it allows greater access to as many St. Thomas students as possible.”
Employers want the opportunity to meet in person. According to a recent survey by the National Association of College and Employers, 68% of employers plan to spend their time recruiting at in-person events, compared with 32% on virtual events.
Students are getting ready as well.
“I’ve never attended a career fair before so I’m a little nervous about how they work,” said Michael Ferlita ’24. “I’m expecting that I will only get a few minutes with a recruiter, so I really need to perfect my elevator pitch.”
To support students, the Career Development Center offers help for a successful Career Fair experience, including resume review, elevator pitch perfecting and interview strategies. The career fair is an opportunity for all students, including those who have not yet settled on a plan after graduation.
“For students who are not yet seeking internships or full-time roles, I hope they are able to meet employers and learn about what their work looks like and the work culture,” said Sorenson-Wagner. “This tends to be helpful as students are still exploring their career options.”
While a St. Thomas-only fair is new, Sorenson-Wagner said the university will continue to take part in consortium career fairs like one organized by Minnesota private colleges.
“I want to get a better understanding of the few companies that I am interested in and how to prepare for an interview with them," Ferlita said. "I’m hoping this will give me an edge over the competition.”
Career Ambassadors will be available in MHC 123 Sept. 19-23 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. to help, and Career Educators will be available Sept. 21 and 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you have questions about Career Fair, please contact Mark Sorenson-Wagner, St. Thomas Career Development Center, at msorenson-wagner@stthomas.edu.
