Wearing a black pant suit in the lobby of the ARC at around 3 p.m., Katie Donnelly sat at a table, painting her nails bright red in preparation for the Spring Business Career Fair.

The senior in Media and majoring in advertising was one of the many students with a non-business major attending the fair. 

“Some businesses here offer positions in marketing or merchandise buying, and since I will be graduating in May, I hope to find a job offer here,” Donnelly said. 

Each fall and spring semester, Business Career Services hosts a career fair on campus that is open to all majors. The Business Career Fair is a two-day event that kicked off Tuesday at the ARC, and it will continue on Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. The fair is a networking opportunity for students to meet with business professionals in the hopes of finding a job.

“This fair offers opportunities for students to get to know future employers and look for possible internships and jobs in the future,” said Evan Blanchette, student volunteer at the fair and freshman in Business. Blanchette helps direct other volunteers with their duties, guides students checking in and out of the fair and answers the questions of attendees. 

Kevin Kim, student volunteer at the fair and sophomore in Business, said the career fair is the first step for students who are getting to know recruiters.

“This is important because networking is everything in business,” he said.  

Each day at the Business Career Fair, around 100 companies work to recruit new students who want to present themselves to potential employers. The I-Link website for Business Career Services provides a list of companies that will attend the business fair, the types of majors they are looking to hire and the position types they are offering. The companies provide an overview of their business as well, so students have the opportunity to discover a variety of career paths before attending the fair. Recruiters at this semester’s fair included Capital One, PepsiCo, Verizon Wireless, among others.

Aditya Sundar is a graduate student in a one-year technology management program at the University. As an international student, he hopes to use the fair as a means to find a career in the United States.  

“I hope to find a job in consulting or technology-based project management at the fair,” Sundar said. 

Business Career Services, a part of the Ernst & Young Center for Career Advancement, offers numerous programs for students looking for a business-related career after college. It advises students on how to perfect their resume for recruiters. The service also provides students with a staff of professional career advisers to assist students with job preparation, including preparing for interviews, reviewing job offers and helping find career paths that fit a student’s specific major.

Danielle Pullano, freshman in Media, said she will be attending the fair Wednesday. After college, Pullano said she hopes to have a job at an advertising agency, specifically working with social media. 

“I’m looking forward to meeting employers and the chance to learn about internships and networking.” Pullano said. “I’m lucky to have this opportunity as a freshman to focus on my future career.”

Christina can be reached at [email protected].