CAFNR Career Fair can ease stress over what to do next summer
by Kathleen Sprouse, posted Feb. 18, 2008
Hot Resumes, Hot Advice and Hot Tamales
CAFNR’s “Hot Resumes” event on Feb. 20 offers students hot tips for resume writing.
The open house is from 4 to 7 p.m., 2-64 Agriculture Building.
Students can have their resumes reviewed with one or more professionals before the upcoming career fairs.
The professionals are from communications, policy, finance law, sales and marketing.
Hot tamales and hot chocolate will be served. |
The anticipation of summer has some students excited while others are dreading the countdown because of pressure to have an internship or job.
CAFNR hosts both the Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Fair and the Hospitality Career Fair on Wednesday, Feb. 27, from noon to 4 p.m. at the MU Recreation Center. These career fairs bring more than 75 companies to campus including: Monstano Company, Archer Daniels Midland, MFA, United States Army, Applebee’s, Target, Isle of Capri Casino, and Steak ’n Shake.
On Thursday, Feb. 28, interviews will be conducted. The Career Services Web site provides details.
The fairs are a great opportunity for students, including freshmen, to explore potential careers. Company representatives are available to answer students questions, provide information about what their company offers, from internships to potential jobs, and to set up interviews.
What if you’re not ready to intern?
If you are not ready for an internship, going to the fairs is still beneficial.
“It is overwhelming at first … so many companies to sort through,” said Rebecca Williams, a senior hospitality and hotel management major.
Williams has gone to the CAFNR Career Fair for four years, has interned with the same company every summer and will be working for the same company after graduation. She encourages all students to participate in the Career Fair.
“Just explore it, see the companies, just take a look around,” Williams said.
CAFNR offers students many resources to help prepare them to apply for an internship or job. The annual Etiquette Dinner offers students an impressive meal with dining tips and a chance to meet CAFNR Connection mentors.
CAFNR Career Services has an impressive Web site including an:
- online template for writing a resume
- questions to ask employers
- what to expect at the career fair
- pictures showing appropriate attire for the fair
Stephanie Chipman, CAFNR Career Services director, is available to meet with students like Ashley Seder, a sophomore, to help edit their resumes.
“I’m not sure about the cover letter,” Seder said. “I want to see if there is anything I can do to make it better or more professional.”
Chipman encourages students to first visit the CAFNR Career Services Web site and figure out what they want. She suggests students pick three goals to complete between now and the Career Fair. Those goals could include researching potential employers, signing up on hiremizzoutigers.com and putting together a resume.
“Do those three things, show up at the Career Fair, and introduce yourself to five employers,” Chipman said.
Chipman stresses the importance of the Career Fair. She said it is a great opportunity for students to find out what potential employers are looking for. Sophomores and freshmen can use this opportunity to look for an internship for the coming summer. Juniors can look for an internship or a potential job.
Students should visit the CAFNR Career Services Web site, it offers student various resources to make applying for internships or jobs easy.
For the month of February, CAFNR Connections’ mentors are available to review your resumes Online. Professionals from The National Weather Service, John Deere, Anheuser-Busch, Sigma Aldrich and others are available upon request by sending an e-mail to Stephanie Chipman at ChipmanS@missouri.edu with the subject, “Request mentor resume review.”
