Career Fair

NARRATOR:Listen to a conversation between a student and an employee in the university career services center.

MALE EMPLOYEE:Hi, can I help you?FEMALE STUDENT:One of my sociology professors suggested that I come to the career services center and talk to you.She thought there was going to be a career fair soon, where I could talk to different companies about a possible summer job.

MALE EMPLOYEE:Well, there's our classroom-to-corporation career fair...That's our largest fair every year.We get representatives from over 100 companies-and they actually conduct interviews right here on campus.

FEMALE STUDENT:Great, what kinds of companies?

MALE EMPLOYEE:Uh, this year we'll have representatives from all the major technology companies in the area.FEMALE STUDENT:Oh, then I don't know how helpful that'd be... I'm a sociology major.

MALE EMPLOYEE:Well, that's fine. Sociology students often get jobs in marketing, administration, human resources-tech companies have openings in those areas.

FEMALE STUDENT:Well, I'm mainly interested in working with people, in human services...

MALE EMPLOYEE:Well, in that case,we do have a smaller fair coming up,with smaller companies and some public-service organizations-this one might be a better fit for you.

FEMALE STUDENT:Yeah, I think that's the one my professor was talking about.

MALE EMPLOYEE:Most likely. Now, have you been to a fair like this before?

FEMALE STUDENT:Not really.But I just show up and talk to different companies, right?I don't have to register or anything, do I?

MALE EMPLOYEE:No, you don't have to register, but I highly recommend that you come prepared.

FEMALE STUDENT:Prepared?

MALE EMPLOYEE:You should dress professionally and have copies of your resume with you.

FEMALE STUDENT:[Surprised] Copies of my resume? Do I really need that?

MALE EMPLOYEE:Well, it's not a requirement.But a lot of students come to our career fairs-plus, we've opened up these fairs to the public,to people in the neighboring communities.So anything you can do to make yourself look more-well, look more professional,that's going to set you apart from the other job applicants.

FEMALE STUDENT:Hmm, I don't even have a resume. I've never written one before.

MALE EMPLOYEE:Oh, that's not a problem at all.Have you been to our new Web site?It has all sorts of information about how to write a resume.And once you've written it,you can make an appointment to bring it in to us at the career services center and have someone look at it with you.

FEMALE STUDENT:OK, so I really need to have a resume just to get a summer job?

MALE EMPLOYEE:Well, that depends on the company,but it's a good idea to have one.

FEMALE STUDENT:OK, I guess I'll need to have one sooner or later anyway.

MALE EMPLOYEE:Oh, and we'll be adding other information to our Web site eventually...uh, like we'll have a list of the companies that're going to be at the career fair by the end of the week.You should check it out,and then maybe do some research on the companies.That should help you when you talk to them, too.