Close to 40 local employers will be gathered in the Great Hall in Building 12, on Feb. 3, for the 24th annual Life and Health Science Career Fair at Sinclair.
“This is a career fair that employers look forward to every year,” says Matthew Massie, manager of career services. “We have employers that have been coming since we started.”
The fair will run from 12 until 4 p.m., and is intended both to help students find employment and to discover the kinds of work opportunities that exist in the community. All students are encouraged to come and interact with employers and to start the process of finding a job early, says Massie.
“Waiting until you’re ready to get a job to start the process of getting a job is insane,” says Massie. “That’s not today’s workforce anymore, looking for a job means starting months and months before hand.”
The event also allows employers to come in and establish a presence on campus.
“We have a very strong reputation in the community,” says Massie, “employers actually seek this out.”
The fair is a good opportunity for students to make a good impression on recruiters. More than 500 students usually attend the career fair, and Massie strongly suggests that students who are serious about finding a job take extra steps to stand out from the crowd.
Dressing professionally, having a positive attitude and a smile, and having a well-crafted resume and short ‘elevator speech’ about why you’re a good candidate are all crucial to attracting employers’ attention.
“Employment does not happen through osmosis,” says Massie. “You have to be willing to go out and talk to people, to put yourself out there, to extend a handshake and a warm smile and sell yourself.”
Career Services can also help students prepare for the fair. Students can bring in their resumes to have them critiqued by the Career Services staff. A list of the companies attending the fair is also available on their website at www.sinclair.edu/services/career so students can do some research ahead of time.
The fair is not just for students in the medical field. Hospitals also need IT people, accounting people, business people and a variety of other professionals, says Massie. People from the surrounding community are also welcome to attend.
“Where else can you go and have 30-plus employers in a room waiting to talk to you?” asks Massie. “This is something that’s designed for [Sinclair students], and all it takes is a little bit of their time to benefit from it. It’s a resource for them to be successful.”