The University of Connecticut is holding a university-wide career fair today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will hold a fair for STEM students tomorrow with over 200 employers present across both days. Students will be able to obtain internships, part time and full-time jobs at the career fair.
The career fair is open to all majors, and all students are encouraged to attend. Buses will bring students from regional campuses to the Storrs career fair, according to the Career Center’s Associate Director of Corporate Partner Relations, Lisa McGuire.
Students can use the instant resume review tool Quinncia to perfect their resume before the career fair. There will be a printing station available for students who want to hand out paper copies of their resumes, according to an email from the Center for Career Development.
“Use Quinn, start your resume and come to the Career Center to fine-tune it. Meet with a career coach — career coaches will walk you through what’s on your resume. Make sure you can speak to every bullet on your resume,” McGuire said.
Students can also get a professional headshot taken in Iris photobooth located in the career center, which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Students who are unable to attend the career fair can still find jobs on Handshake or go to the spring semester career fair.
“Handshake is the Indeed.com for colleges and universities,” McGuire said.
McGuire stated that there was a benefit to attending career fairs versus applying on a platform such as Handshake or Indeed. “Students are making connections,” McGuire said. She gave the example of a Lockheed Martin recruiter who told students at a career fair that they would be prioritized over those who only applied online.
UConn’s relationship with companies in the military industrial complex, such as Lockheed Martin, was criticized by protesters yesterday. Defense manufacturing companies including General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin and RTX will be present at the career fair. Activists called on UConn to sever ties with companies involved in the genocide in Gaza which has left over 41,000 dead, Gaza’s Health Ministry said, according to Democracy Now and the Denver Post.
McGuire told students not to be put off by employers who could not accept paper applications, because some companies can only accept online applications.
“We talk with students, organizations and clubs” to decide which employers to invite to the career fair, McGuire said. About half of employers are invited and half reach out to UConn to attend the career fair.
“UConn’s reputation is fantastic, especially in the northeast, […] but also nationwide,” McGuire added.