By Lucy Ruscitto | Staff Writer
Baylor’s Career Day is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation and in the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center.
The campus Career Center hosts Career Day to provide students with an opportunity to introduce themselves, create connections and seek out internship and job opportunities with over 150 employers.
In the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation atrium, for-profit companies can be found meeting with students, and the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center will host nonprofits and government agencies.
Shelby Cefaratti, the marketing communications coordinator at the career center, said there is a heavy emphasis on the fact that Career Day is all-encompassing for students in every area of study.
“For business, liberal arts and STEM [majors], we really try to look at what companies are going to be hiring lots of different majors,” Cefaratti said. “Then, we look at what are some of those more specialized companies, and make sure that we bring those in too.”
Cefaratti said in the past, the Career Center used to put on multiple smaller, major-specific fairs for students, but found they were difficult to publicize and attract students to because there were so many of them throughout the academic year. Many of the employers come specifically seeking Baylor grads to recruit.
“We have it early in the semester because that’s when employers are going to be recruiting,” Cefaratti said. “We do it all together so that the students, instead of taking numerous days, can take one day they can dedicate to this.”
Las Vegas sophomore Anchal Chandra is on the pre-dentistry track at Baylor. She said this Wednesday will be her first time attending Career Day, but she has fully utilized the Career Center and its resources in order to receive her first collegiate internship.
“I went to the Career Center to amp up my resume, tailored towards internships I was aiming at for the summer. They also helped me with writing my personal statements and other application essays,” Chandra said. “It really helped me out, gave me confidence about what I’m doing and what I’m writing about, and how to tailor it in a way where it’s professional.”
Cefaratti said she acknowledges that the Career Center is an underrated source for students.
“I am working to try to make sure the Career Center is part of the vocabulary and the experience [of students]. It’s part of the transformational education that you get. This is part of your tuition,” Cefaratti said.
Cefaratti said the Career Center’s best tips for preparing for Career Day include dressing the part, trying on your outfit many times beforehand, bringing numerous copies of one’s resume and going with an open mind. Cefaratti also said it is imperative that students register for Career Day through Baylor’s Handshake website.
“If you don’t have a resume, come see us. Every office has drop-in hours. You can make an appointment. We also have resume templates online through Handshake,” she said.
Chandra said she has been preparing for Career Day and recommends that students practice their introductions with employers.
“Networking and creating that elevator speech, where you’re selling yourself and your credentials, who you are and what your goals are,” Chandra said. “Practice it in the mirror a couple times… maybe with your professors that you’re comfortable with, and make sure you’re able to deliver it in a confident manner and be able to share yourself with grace.”
Despite the push for campus-wide involvement, Cefaratti said she believes that there has been a stigma of anxiousness built up around Career Day. Another stigma she said students believe is if they’re underclassmen or not a business major, they cannot attend.
“Looking for a job is not fun or easy, or I think a lot of students are very intimidated by it,” Cefaratti said. “Going to the career fair as a safe way to do it. You can go, you can talk to different employers, you can practice introducing yourself in a real environment.”
