Employers and students met in the Shepherd Union Atrium on Wednesday as part of the annual Job Fair put on by Career Services at Weber State University. The fair aims to bring employers and organizations with ideal employment opportunities for university students to campus to engage with potential employees.
The fair brought in more than 25 different employers and organizations from on and off campus, including companies such as FedEx, Harmon’s, Snowbasin Resort and Teleperformance.
Tricia Cook, recruiting specialist with Career Services at WSU, said the majority of students work while attending WSU, and it’s important for Career Services to provide the opportunity for students to connect with potential employers. Having a job fair makes employment issues more visible and makes students and employers aware of Career Services right at the beginning of the semester.
“Sometimes applying online . . . can be a little bit daunting,” Cook said. “You put out your resume and you fill out applications and you don’t hear back, and it can be frustrating. The fairs give students the chance to interface directly with employers.”
Ciara Larson was one such student looking for a job. A junior studying psychology, Larson just transferred to WSU from Dixie State College in St. George. Larson said she was hoping to find employment around the WSU community.
“I was really impressed, the way that all the companies engaged you and wanted to let you know about their company, to apply,” she said. “It was nice, being face to face and interacting with employers. Better than going on the Internet and trying to find something on Craigslist.”
Larson said she intends to follow up with some of the companies and positions she learned about and applied for, and was glad for the opportunity to meet with employers.
Brooke Broderick, marketing/public relations coordinator at Snowbasin Resort, represented one of the employers at the fair. Broderick said Snowbasin was at the fair to reach out to the local community and demonstrate what positions are available.
“This is a great event for us to pop over and see if any students are interested in working at a ski resort this winter,” she said. “We have part-time jobs and full-time jobs. I think it’s a great job for students.”
The fair is one of several Career Services puts on throughout the school year. Cook said it’s aimed at jobs that are good for students while attending college, such as part-time jobs, as opposed to the Career Fair or Graduate School Fair, which are aimed at students graduating and moving on from WSU.
Cook said students who missed the job fair but are still interested in finding employment while attending WSU should check out what Career Services has to offer, either online at www.weber.edu/careerservices or by visiting its center in the Student Services Building.
