Although the unemployment rate in California has been steadily decreasing as the recession wanes, many university students are still wary of the job market that awaits them upon graduation.
About 160 of those wary students flocked to the California State University, Stanislaus Career Fair this week, in search of a valuable opportunity to meet and talk with potential employers.
“The majority of our graduates from CSU Stanislaus end up working with jobs in the area and region,” said James Leonard, Senior Writer and Content Specialist at CSU Stanislaus. “So it makes a lot of sense for local businesses and organizations to come and talk to are students who are going to be graduating.”
The annual event saw an increase in student attendance this year, said Leonard. With about 40 organizations, corporations, and employers at the event, students with resumes in hand were eager to speak with various corporate representatives.
“[The Career Fair] helps students to be able to talk to these businesses and get through that first step towards whatever their career is going to be,” said Leonard.
Organizations and businesses present varied significantly, from E&J Gallo Winery to the San Francisco Police Department, Starbucks Coffee Company, Wells Fargo Bank, Stanislaus County Community Service Agency, Target, the City of Modesto, and many more.
Various schools were also at the event, including the San Joaquin College of Law, the California School of Forensic Studies, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Fresno Pacific University, and CSU Stanislaus Graduate Admissions.
Dani Pourbabaei, a sales representative with Capital Connect, said that the security alarm company was looking to hire 10 to 15 individuals. Many of those hired may come from the Career Fair event at CSU Stanislaus.
“We took their resumes and had them fill out the forms that we had available, and we will be holding interviews within the next week,” said Pourbabaei. “It’s a good opportunity for students, and on our side as a business it was very good because we got to speak with college students, mostly Marketing majors, which is what we’re looking for. We tend to attract college students who are looking for an advertising/marketing job.”
Although the Career Fair had approximately 41 businesses and organizations present, not all the students were pleased with the turnout.
“I was disappointed in the small number of opportunities and employers at this event,” said Eddie Campbell, a senior and Biology major at CSU Stanislaus. “But I guess that’s just the reality waiting for us after college.”
With 9.8% of the labor force currently unemployed within the State of California, most college students share sentiments of uncertainty when trying to enter the career field of their choice.
Even if CSU Stanislaus students did not find the right opportunity at the Career Fair on Wednesday, the Career Services department offered free resume critiques. Staff also provided students with a vast amount of information on producing an effective resume including help on resume writing, a vital skill that will last a lifetime for many students.
For more information regarding the Career Services Department at CSU Stanislaus, visit http://www.csustan.edu/career.
