SU students make preparations for future

Southern University hosted a career fair on Wednesday, September 19. Over 100 companies attended the fair including Proctor and Gamble, Chevron Corporation and Chase Bank.
Students began preparing for the career fair weeks ahead of time. Their instructors stressed the importance of career fairs and seizing such a wonderful opportunity. Various organizations also held workshops focusing on resume writing and interview etiquette.
The senior class joined forces with the Department of Career Services. The students organized an extravagant presentation featuring two speakers and a very intriguing fashion and business show.
“Opportunity is an amazing thing, and it’s for those who seek it,” said Al Barron, Director of Career Services.
Barron also touched on the analogy that people are individual businesses. Everyone, especially at career fairs, has to market themselves in a fashion appealing to buyers.
Toni Jackson, the Development and Career Placement Coordinator for the College of Business and MBA Program, discussed the different types of resumes and the uses of each. Jackson stated that students with little work experience should create a functional resume that focuses on various assets such as leadership, critical thinking, and technological skills. He also spoke about the interviewing procedure and the importance of knowing yourself.
“Tailor your resume to where you can control your interview,” said Jackson. “In order to do this, students must assess their skills and career aspirations. The resume is a representation of the student and his or her capabilities.”
“Don’t lie about your resume,” explained Jackson. “Interviewers use resumes as a way to get to know students and of course as a guide for asking questions during an interview.”
Of course, after students prepare a resume and make the proactive decision to attend a career fair there is always one problem that seems to change their minds: not knowing what to wear.
Students who attended the career fair Wednesday showed that they were eager to learn more about opportunities and more importantly that they were ready to work simply by having a professional attitude and by dressing in professional attire.
No bright orange shirts, short skirts, or bangle earrings came anywhere near the F. G. Clark Activity Center on Wednesday. Students put away their blue jean friends and opted for a more professional appearance. Suits, closed-toe shoes, dress slacks, and ties were the items of choice.
Many of the companies that attended the career fair came in search of students in a particular field such as engineering, agriculture or journalism, but students still had an optimistic outlook.
“It helped me experience what I’ll have to do in upcoming years,” said Derrick Coleman, a freshman accounting major from Opelousas.
Unfortunately, several students stated that they didn’t attend the career fair because they felt that they did not have enough work experience or they felt that they had plenty of time ahead of them to start making career choices.
The fact is that companies who participate in career fairs know that some students aren’t going to have work experience; they know that some will be freshmen.
These companies are looking for proactive students with the ability to learn, make adjustments, and perform well.
“I judge technical skills by performance in college (grades),” said Aaron Blagrove, Site Leader for the Folgers Operation, works for Proctor and Gamble.. He went on to say that leadership is judged through students’ extracurricular activities and the positions that they serve in a leadership capacity. He said that when conducting interviews, he looks for two things: technical skills and leadership.
Other company representatives stressed the importance of communication skills and problem solving skills.
SU will host its spring Career Fair on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.