Employer Reflections on the Career Fair

Over 850 students and alums got a chance to connect with 125 local and national employers at last week’s career fair, and the employers were impressed!

Phoebe Townsend, from ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, appreciated that “students who are interested in us have sought us out.”  These students, she felt, were already “demonstrating a willingness to learn and enthusiasm for our mission.”  Phoebe’s advice to the job seeker: “Have a good resume and follow the process. It sounds simple, but we really appreciate it when people follow our guidelines.” Representatives from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps echoed the sentiment as they too saw a lot of students taking initiative. “It seems like students have really done some online research to know a bit about who we are and what we do.”

Well done UVMers, way to show up!  Representing yourselves so well at an event like this comes with the added benefit of bolstering the profile of the University which, in turn, serves us all as employers across the nation see the value of a degree from UVM.

We were also proud to see 24% of fair attendees being 1st and 2nd year students – we applaud your early start!  Students at this fair were just as likely to have come to explore and network as they were to have been searching specifically for a job or internship.  Jonathan Griffin, from VTrans, was “impressed that even freshmen and sophomore students were applying for positions—it’s never too early to get started.”  Jonathan’s own story is a testament to not waiting.  He began working for VTrans part-time during his last semester at UVM and that evolved into the full-time position he holds now. His advice to you: “Engage in the interview process, come prepared to ask questions. It’s equally important to ask questions as it is to answer questions thoroughly, because that shows engagement and thoughtfulness in the process.”

City Market’s Nick Garcia also highlighted the importance of the interview as a dialogue.  “Take your time to learn about the store and enroll in the community, so that when you come in, you can talk about it in an engaged way… put yourself in a position where you can have a conversation with your interviewer.” City Market, by the way, is hiring NOW for many different positions as they look to open their South End location this November.  City Market, and all the companies in attendance, are posting opportunities in Handshake.

For helpful advice on what to do after the event: How to Follow Up with Recruiters After a Job Fair.

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