Capitol College's annual Career Fair is coming up! The event, to be held on Friday (March 28) at the McGowan Center on the Capitol campus, provides a valuable networking opportunity for those seeking job opportunities -- as well as for employers looking to recruit qualified talent.
"We're hoping to give students as much opportunity as possible, to meet various employers, network, and make connections, as well as to find internship opportunities," says Sarah Alspaw, assistant director of career servcies at the college. "We have a variety of organizations that will be attending and recruiting students for open opportunities for full-time positions and part-time positions, as well as internships."
Companies, government agencies and research centers that will be attending the fair include the NSA, Northrop Grumman, Agnet, LJT & Associates, Informaton Security Solutions, Pepco Holding, the Space Telescope Science Institute, and several contracting firms associated with NASA.
The event will be open to Capitol students and alumni from 10 am until 2 pm. Students from other institutions and community members are invited to attend starting at 11 am.
The fair is highly attractive to employers because they are familiar with the calibre and qualifications of students at Capitol, according to Alspaw.
"Our students are highly specialized," she said. "They get the opportunity to work hands-on in labs much earlier than students at other institutions. We have a unique student population here at Capitol, and employers who attend the event not only get to meet our Capitol College students, buit they get to meet alumni and we are also inviting students from other institutions in the area to attend as well."
Rachel Burns, assistant director of development, urged Capitol alumni to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the fair.
"Some of the exhibitors are looking for candidates with more than entry-level experience," she said. "It's a great chance to share your resume and to network."
The Alumni Association, she added, will have a table at the event, and all alums are encouraged to stop by.
To help prepare attendees to best take advantage of Career Fair, Alspaw's office is organizing a series of workshops ahead of March 28. They will cover such topics as metworking skills and strategies for success, and on professional dress. S-Lab and other student clubs at Capitol are cosponsoring the workshops.
"This is a formal event," Alspaw said. "it's very important that students are dressed professionally, and that they have several copies of their resume on nice resume paper."
Attendance at Capitol's career fairs is a requirement for students who want to be eligible for the college's unique job guarantee, under which the college pledges that qualified grraduates will be able to land a job at a competitive salary within 90 days of graduation -- or be entitled to free aditional coursework at Capitol.
Want more information about Career Fair? Contact Career Services by e-mail at careers@capitol-college.edu or phone (240) 965.2494.