by Brianna Coffey, Student Public Relations Writer
The largest college career fair in Greene County will take place Wednesday, Sept. 30, from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Typically, this event is held in the Doden Field House at Cedarville University, but given the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will be held virtually on Handshake, an online platform that connects students with jobs.
The event is exclusive to Cedarville students and is free of charge.
Jeff Reep, director of career services at Cedarville, believes it is absolutely critical for college students to attend the career fair because of the experience they will gain from interacting with potential employers.
First, the career fair affords participants the opportunity to gain experience in interviewing and networking — two key elements to successfully securing employment.
“Every time people attend a career fair, they are more likely to become more comfortable in this kind of setting and represent themselves more professionally,” said Reep. “For young college students, especially freshmen and sophomores, they want to prepare for future job interviews. The career fair gives them this opportunity to excel by the time they are seniors.”
Handshake is the platform that powers the “Jobs for Jackets” website. Individuals who are interested in attending should create a Handshake profile and register so they can schedule group or one-on-one sessions with representatives from local, state and national organizations that are seeking future employees.
Group sessions will provide a place for students to interact with employers. One-on-ones will be in 10-minute increments, allowing students the opportunity to ask questions and talk face-to-face over the screen with employers.
According to Reep, professional organizations like Reynolds and Reynolds, Innotec, Networks of International Christian Schools, Youth Works and Speedway LLC will be in attendance, as well as 40 other employers. Individuals who are seeking an interview or career can also utilize the LinkedIn photo booth service, which will be located in the Stevens Student Center on Wednesday, September 23 from 9-11 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. and is provided free of charge.
“I don’t know what the future’s going to hold, but we could have hybrid or online options for career fairs in coming years,” Reep said. “The world is changing.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,550 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.