STORY AND PHOTO BY JONAS CORLISS
Cypress College held its annual Spring Career Fair, hosting over 60 different employers for students to visit, speak with, and learn about job opportunities on Tuesday, April 9.
The event took place in the Gateway Plaza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Alongside all of the businesses and employers, music was provided by Associated Students and the first 200 students who checked into the event were given small Career Fair Kits including mints, water, and a notebook. Students filled the plaza and visited stations under canopies where each employer had a table, display, and employees for students to learn from.
There was a wide variety of employers from several fields including, child and elder care, hospitality, food service, local city work, military, law enforcement, and more.
Each employer had a stand where students could speak with people from the organization to learn more from experts. Many also had pamphlets and business cards for further learning and to potentially reach out for an interview for one of their advertised positions.
At a table next to the Business building, students could look into having their professional headshots taken.
This semester’s career fair was a major success for the organizers. “It is a bigger turnout than the last three years, over 300 students [within one hour],” stated Angela Sardan, a Career Center Coordinator and organizer.
The amount of people was far greater than expected, especially since the last career fair only had around 170 students that checked in. Within that first hour, more handouts needed to be printed due to the volume of people in attendance.
The large turnout this year was likely due to various changes. The location of the event was at the front of campus by the bookstore and college complex, which made it easy for students to stop by. Sardan credited the music AS had played during the event as a good way to draw students in. Sardan also stated that the increased promotion from staff and instructors made a big difference this time around.
While this career fair was a major improvement from years past, the organizers still want to make it better. Once students finished talking with three employers, they were able to submit a survey to enter a raffle. The survey ended with a question about ways to improve the fair in the future. A major focus for Sardan was bringing in more employers for students who did not have access to one that fit their major.
With the great success of the event and the positive feedback given by students, the Career Center is certain that future career fairs will be even better, providing more opportunities for students to network with employers in their desired fields.