Spring career fairs offer job-seeking students a path to success

In addition to career fairs offered on campus in spring 2020, job-seeking students who attend the University of North Georgia (UNG) will have the opportunity to travel to the Georgia Association of Colleges and Employers (GACE) Statewide Career Fair through Career Services' Driven to Succeed Bus Trip.

Known as the largest career fair in the state, the GACE career fair gives job seekers the opportunity to network with employers from around the region.

In January, Career Services specialist Lori Cleymans sent out a mass email to alert students about the free transportation to the fair. She hopes this will make the fair more easily accessible to students.

"Often, our students are unable to attend such events due to transportation difficulties, which causes them to miss these valuable opportunities," Cleymans said. "At the GACE Statewide Career Fair, students will have access to more than 100 employers who are hiring for internships and full-time and part-time positions."

UNG's Career Services will provide a free lunch to attendees, as well as resume workshops and online preparation modules before the event. Students who are interested may register via Handshake or stop by the Career Services offices on UNG's Dahlonega, Gainesville and Oconee campuses.

However, students don't have to travel for a face-to-face with potential employers. This semester, career fairs will be on the Dahlonega, Gainesville and Oconee campuses.

Diane Farrell, director of Career Services, encourages every student, no matter their year, to attend these events because it is never too early to begin interacting with potential employers.

"It will never again be this easy to interact in person with a large group of interested employers," she said. "Career fairs are for students at any point in their college experience, whether they are a freshman looking for their first summer internship or a senior looking for a full-time professional position."

In addition to the traditional career fairs, a UNG Teacher Recruitment Fair will be at the Mike & Lynn Cottrell Junior Achievement Discovery Center at North Georgia, which is in Cumming. Education majors will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from various school districts throughout the area to learn about teaching opportunities.

Farrell recommends students gather employer business cards and start practicing good networking skills at these events. A post-event survey from last year's career fairs concluded that 100% of employers planned to follow up with students they spoke with at the fair.

Farrell also advised students to dress professionally, bring several copies of their resume, research the companies, and come prepared with questions. The list of companies attending can be found on Handshake.

Dates for spring 2020 career fairs are:

• UNG Business & Beyond Career Fair, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Convocation Center on the Dahlonega Campus.

• UNG Teacher Recruitment Fair, 4-6 p.m. March 12 at Mike & Lynn Cottrell Junior Achievement Discovery Center at North Georgia in Cumming.

• UNG Spring Job Fair, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 18 in the Robinson Ballroom on the Gainesville Campus.

• UNG Summer Job Fair, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 8 in Multi-Purpose Room 522 on the Oconee Campus.

• GACE Statewide Career Fair, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 14 at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.

For more information, visit Career Services webpage.