Over 2,000 determined students dressed in business formal attire braved the rain to attend the Career Center's Fall Career Expo Thursday.
The event allowed 149 participants in the Expo to offer business advice to current students interested in internships and future career options.
"We expect the students who come talk to us to have done some research on the company so they can tell us why they would be a good fit," UHY representative RinaMadias said. "It simply shows initiative."
Enterprise Rent-A-Car representatives said confidence and quality conversation skills are the key to a successful first impression.
"More than anything we want the student to show that they are confident because that's what you need in sales," Enterprise representative Rick Willis said.
Enterprise representative Nikki Secrest said the students should primarily direct the informal interview process.
"We will guide the conversation but ultimately we want to see if a student has the ability to keep the conversation going," Secrest said.
Junior management and consulting major Michael Barnett said it would have been beneficial to know these tips before attending the fair.
"I wish I knew what they wanted me to say," he said. "It's difficult balancing that line between showing them you know what you're talking about and telling them something that they don't really want to hear."
Students in fields outside of business said they were discouraged by the event.
"When I approached my first company they told me they were only looking for finance majors," senior psychology and design major Jenna Spizzirri said. "When I approached another representative for a different company they told me they were only interested in students who wanted to be sales associates."
Other students said the fair was very helpful.
"[The fair] went really well," junior American studies major Emily Pusateri said. "I now have a better idea about what I want to do this summer and after graduation."
