By Sydney Matthews | Staff Writer
The Career Center hosted the spring semester Career Day Wednesday at the Bill Daniel Student Center (SUB) and Cashion Building. Students looking for jobs and internship opportunities attended the event to learn more about jobs that are available for this summer and beyond.
“The goal of career day is to introduce students to a multitude of companies and organizations so that they can look for internships, jobs and gain experience so that they can build up to what they want as a career goal,” Amy Rylander, director of the Career Center, said.
Around 2,500 students showed up for this semesters Career Day, according to Rylander. Recruiters were there to get to know students and explain their company further.
“I learned that it’s important to pitch yourself well to employers,” Orange County, Calif., senior Ryan Sigal said. “I enjoyed learning about all the companies that were there and interacting with people that I wouldn’t be able to talk to without career day.”
Through Baylor’s Handshake — a platform that helps students and young alumni network and find recruiters for jobs — students were able to prepare for the companies they were most interested in.
The Career Center listed the companies on Handshake along with a description of what opportunities were available for the Baylor community before coming to the event.
“I really enjoyed talking to Argus Media, Inc. and Austin Film Festival which were in the Student Union Building portion of the event,” Sigal said. “I found them on Handshake and thought they would be the perfect place to go first.”
Career Day is not just for specific majors, Rylander said students from all majors can benefit from career day and find an employer from their prospective field.
“I think all majors should attend Career Day, there were tons of companies that were looking for all different types of students,” Sigal said. “Also, I was able to look at what companies fit my major to help me decide where I should go.”
After meeting with recruiters, students often connect with them either through LinkedIn or by collecting their contact information.
“Students follow up in a couple of ways, but all the employers have a nametag on, and students should take a note of the name of the person they talked to,” Rylander said. “After, I encourage them to go to LinkedIn and send them a message. That is a great way to build their network.”
In the coming days, the Career Center will be following up with recruiters by sending students resumes that have been submitted to Handshake. Rylander said she encourages all students make sure their resumes are updated to ensure their most updated information is being sent to employers.
