Southern Oregon University is an institution devoted to its students’ growth and long-term success. After completing many of the degrees that SOU offers, students find themselves looking toward the future, wondering: “what’s next?”. One of the significant ways SOU helps provide opportunities for future-focused students is through the SOU Career and Internship Fair, which has proven immensely successful this year.
This year’s career fair may have been the first time students had the opportunity to speak to employers face-to-face since the beginning of Covid-19, and likewise for many employers. A variety of different fields were represented, allowing students to explore many potential options going forward after their time at SOU. Such fields ranged widely, from the Eugene Police Department to a local video game company: Sun Spear Games. With such varied employers, entrepreneurial students could easily seek out potential opportunities. The enthusiasm in the room was high, with many productive conversations taking place, promising potential for better futures.
Max Brooks, SOU’s resident Career Preparation Coordinator and one of the instrumental factors in the career fair’s success, provided a statement regarding this year’s career fair:
“I was really excited by the number of employers that registered for the fair this year and the enthusiasm of the students who attended. We ended up with about 65 organizations recruiting on campus, and nearly 300 students who came to talk to them. Initial feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and I look forward to hearing stories in the coming days and weeks of students who secured jobs and internships at the event. I am currently collecting survey information from employers, and so far more than 90% are reporting that they expect to hire at least one person they met at the fair. I think that’s a testament to how happy they were to participate, as well as how great our students are.”
With 65 different employers, the 300 hundred students that attended were sure to find something of interest. One of the notable successes of the career fair is that 90% of employers are interested in hiring new workers: a testament to the kind of qualified workforce members that SOU seeks to produce. However, the career fair itself is not the end to the job hunt for many students, and SOU hopes to continue to provide opportunities for students that were unable to attend. As for students who couldn’t attend, Max Brooks Provides opportunities outside of the fair:
“I suggest that they review the employers who registered on this spreadsheet, and then email me at brooksm@sou.edu if there are ones they really want to talk to. I would be happy to share the names and email addresses of the recruiters from organizations of interest.”
Many different avenues are worth exploring for those seeking potential professional experiences. Just because some students missed the fair, SOU will not abandon students seeking employment. One must remain dogged in pursuing a potential dream job, and many potential opportunities await. For those who interact with employers, persistence is critical. Brook “would strongly encourage them to follow up with their favorite recruiters and organizations via email to thank them for coming and to ask about next steps in the hiring process. It’s a great way to continue the strong impression that they made in person at the event.”
Students who prove themselves persistent and passionate are sure to find the jobs they desire through SOU’s resources, and the resources that SOU has provided during this year’s fair appear to be excellent!
