Job and internship fair looks to build student-employer relations

Home Campus Job and internship fair looks to build student-employer relations
Job and internship fair looks to build student-employer relations
The Blue Diamond Gallery/ Creative Commons
The Blue Diamond Gallery / Creative Commons

Students will have a better opportunity to engage with employers professionally and personally Thursday at Hillsdale College’s job and internship fair.

The career services office is holding the annual event from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Six more companies and organizations than last year are sending representatives to the two-day event, presenting employers to Hillsdale’s campus and community. New this year, an exclusive afterglow networking event for students who are personally invited by recruiters during the fair will allow further connections in a more informal environment.  

Assistant Director of Career Services John Quint invited companies with prior connections to the event. He said an improved economy has made recruiters more willing to come to Hillsdale.

“Personal connection and relationship was where we started,” Quint said. “We want to get this thing built up and expand it.”

Twenty-five companies — including Aerotek, Enterprise Holdings Inc., and Quicken Loans Inc. — made the cut.

“We would like to see every employer that comes hire or give an internship to a student,” Quint said.

While the fair introduces recruiters to Hillsdale students, it also familiarizes them with the campus environment, Quint said. This gives them an idea of what it means to be a Hillsdale student, he said.

The afterglow networking event is an extension of that goal to connect employers with future employees The event will be on Thursday from 4-6 p.m. in the Searle Center.

“The idea is that there is the traditional career fair, and if the employer would like to invite a student back to talk in a more informal networking environment, they’re going to have the opportunity to do that,” Quint said.

Senior Bilyana Petkova, Student Affairs Mentor director, encouraged all students to attend, regardless of their class rank.

“You can start networking and get a start ahead of other people looking for a job,” Petkova said.

Hillsdale connections with alumni benefitted senior Matt Vanisacker. After meeting a recruiter for The Hershey Company, who attended Hillsdale, Vanisacker interned over the summer for the corporation. Hershey is also scheduled to attend Thursday’s fair.

“Through career services, there are so many different connections of different alumni who understand what you’re going through,” Vanisacker said.

While those connections are helpful, it is ultimately the Hillsdale education that separates students in those internships and jobs, Quint said.

Vanisacker agreed: “A lot of companies are enjoying the liberal arts because those students know how to think.”