Multicultural fair highlights career options for minority students

The University's biannual multicultural career fair Thursday will represent an opportunity for minority students and others to connect to their future careers.

The fair will commence Oct. 15 at 11 a.m., when recruiters will assemble at the Illini Union in rooms A, B and C.

Susan McKenna, assistant director for the Office of Minority Student Affairs, or OMSA, said most of the recruiters attending this fair do not typically attend other career fairs on campus.

Recruiters will speak with students and sign them up for formal interviews to be conducted on site Friday, according to the Web site for OMSA, the event's host.

"Students can come in and they can pick and choose who they want to talk to," McKenna said.

She added no prior registration is necessary for Thursday's event. She said students should dress in professional attire and bring several copies of their resume and personalized cover letters.

Judith Martinez, assistant director at the Career Center, said the multicultural career fair is extremely important since businesses will seek out students from various backgrounds.

"I encourage all the students to take part in this great event, where companies are trying to diversify their work force," Martinez said.

Friday will only be for formal interviews, mock interviews and resume reviews, as arranged with individual recruiters during the career fair Thursday. Representatives from graduate programs and organizations such as Allstate Insurance and Teach for America will attend.

The fair will provide opportunities for internships, graduate degree programs and full–time employment with nonprofit organizations as well as private firms. Recruiters are looking for students in a variety of majors, McKenna said.

"They (recruiters) are all committed to hiring a diverse work force," McKenna said. "One reason we need it is so a diverse group of students can go there and they know going in that they are welcome."

McKenna said the current economy will also have an influence on the job market.

"A student has to do whatever it takes to gain an edge because it is very competitive," she said.

According to the OMSA Web site, the multicultural career fair is the only diversity career fair on campus. It has been held at the University since the 1990s, and the number of recruiters this year stands at 47–a large increase over previous years.

The Peace Corps is one of the recruiters that will be in attendance. Anya Hamrick, graduate student, is a member of the Return to Peace Corps Volunteer Organization, and will be volunteering at the Peace Corps booth Thursday. She said she was optimistic about the idea of a multicultural career fair.

"It's a good source of information for people who are open to various options," Hamrick said.

Martinez said students should visit the Career Center in preparation for any career fair. She said taking advantage of all the opportunities they have to offer can help students learn how to approach companies when they come to campus.