More than 300 students and 21 departments participated in the annual Student Employment Job Fair on Sept. 14, according to Career Services Manager Matt Massie. He said that student feedback about the job fair has been very positive.
“I think they were eager to have the opportunity to work on campus,” Massie said.
Many on-campus departments are sensitive to student demands outside of work, according to Massie. He believes those department supervisors know that a student’s first priority is school.
Massie was not aware how many students had been hired as a result of the job fair when asked on Sept. 18. He said that a new rule requiring student workers to get a background check made the hiring process longer. A background check takes seven to 10 days to process.
There are jobs available off campus as well; employers contact Career Services daily, according to Massie.
“Dayton’s not dead. We’ve got jobs,” he said.
Jobs are posted daily on a bulletin board in Career Services. Any student can come see the job board so long as they check in at the door, according to Massie. Students can also access job postings online at https://myinterfase.com/sinclair/student. A user name and password are provided in the login instructions. Elder-Beerman, Cox Radio Inc., Five Rivers MetroParks and the City of Dayton are a few of the companies who had online posts as of Sept. 21.
One of the important tools a job seeker has is a network, according to Massie. He said that Career Services is in the process of developing both Twitter and LinkedIn accounts that students can use to build a professional network and stay informed on available jobs. Massie cautioned against using MySpace as a professional networking tool.
“It’s not just what you put on your profile, it’s who you’re connected to,” he said.
Finding a job is not always easy, but Massie said students should not give up.
“Stay positive. Be persistent. Hone your skills. Market yourself. Use your network,” Massie said. “If you don’t have a network, build one. If you don’t know what a network is, come talk to us.”