Walking into the Career Fair on
Tuesday, September 9, it was amazing to see
some empty tables even though such a large
number of students filled Hermann Hall. With
149 total companies participating, 45 percent
of which were accepting international stu-
dents, it seemed like students had a plethora
of work opportunities. So many professionally
dressed students were present that 25 were on
the waitlist. Shirlean Williams, from the Ca-
reer Management Center (CMC), was the head
of organizing this career fair, and even she was
impressed with the students’ dress. The events
hosted by the CMC leading up to the career
fair, she says, definitely helped the students
perform better at the event. Williams was able
to secure several new companies for this fair,
including Target, Structural Group, and Mara-
thon Petroleum, among others. She was also
extremely excited to know that there were over
4,000 jobs available at the career fair.

However, from the students’ per-
spectives, this career fair did not offer as many
opportimities as were advertised. While speak-
ing with long Massaquoi, he mentioned that as
he walked to each company he was interested
in, not many of them had representatives at
their tables. This concerned him; did he come
late? But he came at 1:00 pm. and it ended at
four in the afternoon. Sankesh Iain, a second

 

  

year Masters of Electrical Engineering student,
says that the CMC’s pre—career fair events were
very helpful when he attended them last year.
However, he was unimpressed with the job-
selection for international students present at
this career fair. There are many challenges for
international students, with the visas, and their
sponsors. The process for businesses to be able
to accept internationals requires a lot of work
for the companies. Unfortunately for Iain,
that meant that he was only able to visit two
companies who would even consider hiring
an international student in his field of study.
Another international student of electrical en-
gineering, Ming Chen, found interest in more
companies than Iain. With a minor in artificial
intelligence and the experience of learning
Java in one of his classes at IIT, Chen was able
to talk with more companies, even with the
challenges that come with being international
and wanting to work in the United States. He
mentioned that most of the companies pres—
ent were interested in IT and computer science
majors, offering many jobs related to software.
As a fourth year undergraduate, Chen did a lot
of research on the companies he was interested
in, which helped him during the fair, and he
plans to follow up with the companies this
time.

Taking the student concerns back
to the top of the chain, Shirlean Williams very
willingly offered to clear the air. In regards
to the international challenges, she says that

Student newspaper of the Illinois Institute of Technology since 1928

Career Fair: Stunning or Bumming?

Khaleela Zaman
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many people are attracted to the large corpo-
rations with well—known names. However,
she stresses that the smaller consulting firms
also present at the fair are usually much more
willing to go through the process of sponsor—
ing visas. Most people do not know that these
firms have contracts with the big brand-name
corporations, and Williams shares that often-
times people working for the consulting firms
are eventually able to find an “in” (and a job)
with these corporations.

In addition to people basically form-
ing mobs around the big names, including
Motorola and Goldman Sachs, many students
abandoned the lesser-known companies, leav-
ing those representatives looking quite bored
behind their tables. Shirlean Williams con-
veys that so many students are attracted to this
“branding,” including both domestic and inter-
national students. She says that most people
do not know that some of the companies at
the career fair actually work together or are
competitors. Both eClinical and Epic are com—
petitors, with their employees doing the same
jobs, yet the line for Epic is always much longer
than the line (if there even is one) for eClinical,
Williams observes. That is why she has always
stressed the importance for students to con-
duct research on the companies attending the
career fair.

Shirlean Williams expressed her
deep passion for helping students secure work-
ing positions to enhance their careers. She

  

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is always working to get more companies to
come to IIT’s career fairs, and she even helps
organize smaller events where students can
come to see just one company at times sprin-
kled throughout the year. For example, Google
has agreed to conduct an information session
separate from the career fair, which will be
held on Thursday, September 18 at 12:45 pm.
in the MTCC Ballroom. If a specific compa-
ny is not at IIT, either at the career fairs or at
smaller events, then Williams says they should
be available online through Iobs4Hawks.

When asked to give advice to IIT
students regarding the career fair, Williams
extremely passionately says that she just needs
students to come out for the events, prepared
and with plenty of research done.

She said, “I’m going to keep push—
ing [to get more career opportunities], I just
need students to help me. We are on their
side.” Williams adds that she keeps trying to
get larger corporations to represent themselves
at IIT. However, many big-name companies,
including Amazon, have come and very few, if
any, students have met with them. “If students
do not come, it hurts us,” she said. Shirlean
Williams and the CMC are devoted to help-
ing students with their careers and are always
working to expand the career fair opportuni-
ties for students in all majors; they just need
students to take advantage!

Photos by Khaleela Zuman