Throughout the week of September 28, 2015, the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) Career Development Office hosted three career expos: the Construction Career Expo with 55 companies, the Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) Career Expo with 38 companies, and the Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (FAES) Career Expo with 76 companies.
The ATI Career Expo experienced significant growth as the number of companies in attendance was up 116% from a year ago. In addition, the number of students in attendance, 245, had increased 143%. At the Construction and FAES Career Expos, 147 and 408 students were in attendance, respectively. These events provided students with opportunities to explore their interests, find full time positions, and search for internships, while employers had a forum to recruit Buckeyes. Of the 281 recruiters present at 3 events, 44% were Ohio State Alumni. More than 140 interviews resulted from connections fostered at the career expos.
Understanding what qualities stand out to employers is vital to student success. Kara Manz of Kubota Tractor Company said, “We strive to hire the best and the brightest who have excellent communication skills and are eager to try new experiences.” Manz also offered a word of advice to students, “The biggest tip I can give is to make sure to visit all the employer booths. There may be hidden job opportunities that the employer has not made public.”
Although the fall 2015 career expo series has ended, there are still a multitude of opportunities remaining for students and employers. There is another series of career expos to look forward to in 2016. On January 21, the Environmental and Sustainability Career Expo will be held, followed by the winter FAES expo on February 24.
Students can prepare for the upcoming events now by contacting the CFAES Career Development Office. To participate in a resume review, a mock interview or to have any career questions answered, contact Career Development Manager, Adam Cahill (cahill.71@osu.edu), Career Development Coordinator, Mary Mclaughlin (mclaughin.154@osu.edu), or Career Development Coordinator, Trish Raridan-Preston (raridan-preston.1@osu.edu).
Students can also research companies and jobs through their Hireabuckeye accounts.
Natalie Miller, Undergraduate Student
Career Development and Communication Office