The career planning and placement offices of the University of Illinois at Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College, Robert Morris College and Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University will host the 11th annual Springfield Collegiate Career Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, in the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The primary audience for the free event is current students and alumni of the four participating institutions.
Representatives from approximately 100 area employers are expected to be on hand. A partial list of those already confirmed includes Archer Daniels Midland, Illinois workNet Center, and Scentsy.
Tammy Craig, director of the Career Development Center at UIS, noted, “This is the most high profile event held on campus for students who would like to talk with local and national businesses as well as agencies of the local, state and federal government. The professional atmosphere gives students the chance to make positive first impressions on company representatives.” Craig added that, in addition to searching for a job, students are encouraged to attend the fair for networking and gathering general information.
Beyond information about actual job openings, the fair is designed to provide an open information exchange about different organizations, hiring trends and the best routes to future opportunities. For potential employers, it is a chance to disseminate pertinent information and to develop a pool of candidates interested in future opportunities, internships and summer openings as well as permanent employment.
Information for students, alumni and others: Pre-registration is not required; business-casual attire is required and participants should bring copies of their resumes to the fair. UIS’ Career Development Center is also offering opportunities for advance preparation with several programs. “Career Fair Prep Expo: Making the Most of Career Fairs” will be held in the Public Affairs Center, across from the Food Emporium, on Thursday, February 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and on Friday, February 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Just In Time Career Fair Prep Workshop” is on Wednesday, February 11, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Career Development Center, Student Affairs Building 50, and a workshop on “Recession Proof Job Search Techniques,” sponsored by the University of Illinois Alumni Association, is on February 18, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Career Development Center.
For current UIS students and Career Development Center clients, a “Last Chance Resume Critique” will be held on Friday, February 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Career Development Center.
Information for employers: Advance registration is required. Free booth space will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is available online at http://www.uis.edu/careerservices. For more information, contact the Career Development Center at 217/206-6508.
UIS’ Career Development Center is located in room 50 of the Student Affairs Building, phone 217/206-6508. An updated list of employers participating in the Career Fair, as well as the web-based programs UIS-SUCCESS and CareerSearch are available on the center’s website at http://www.uis.edu/careerservices.