Read This and You Could Land a Job

The Career Expo, held once every semester, aims to link students and alumni with potential employers and provide them with information about various professions. Photo by Cydney Scott

There’s good news for graduating seniors. According to a new survey, students graduating with a bachelor’s degree will see a 7 percent increase in available jobs this year over last. The survey, by the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University, reports anticipated growth in fields as varied as computer science, engineering, finance, agriculture and food processing, advertising, and public relations.

Whether you’re a member of the class of 2012 or still a freshman, tomorrow’s Career Expo, being held from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the George Sherman Union Metcalf Ballroom, is an excellent place to begin looking for a job or an internship.

BU’s Center for Career Development (CCD), the Expo’s sponsor, expects more than 125 nonprofit, for-profit, and international employers, looking to fill jobs in areas of finance, communication, education, and more, to attend. Companies include the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s communications department, John Hancock, Oracle, and the Peace Corps.

The Expo, held once every semester, aims not only to link students and alumni with potential employers, but also to provide them with information about various professions.

“Even students who aren’t yet ready to look for an internship or job can still benefit from speaking with recruiters and getting to know more about companies that they might be interested in,” says Eleanor Cartelli, CCD associate director for marketing and communications. “We strongly encourage professional attire, but it’s not required. We want all students to attend, even if they don’t have time to change into a professional outfit between classes or before a campus job.”

Meaghan Beatley (CAS’11) snagged an internship with the American Program Bureau, a speaker booking agency, after attending last fall’s Expo. She says the experience has allowed her to use her English degree by giving her a chance to develop copywriting, editing, and marketing skills.

Beatley had gone to the CCD for résumé help before the Expo, she says, and the advice she got there helped her stand out when she met an APB representative there. She recommends other students do the same and also encourages them to research the companies they are interested in before they attend. “Be comfortable and try to relax—it’s not an interview,” she says. “Be confident; that’s what companies are looking for. Start early and don’t limit yourself too much to one sector, because you can do marketing, for instance, in a variety of different fields.”

In advance of tomorrow’s Career Expo, CCD staffers are offering two events to better prepare students. The first is résumé and cover letter reviews, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, at the CCD, 19 Deerfield St. No appointment is necessary. The second, titled Career Fairs: How to Work a Room, is also being held at the CCD today, at 1 p.m. The advisory session offers tips on how to approach an employer at a job expo and how to follow up after the meeting. Registration is required for this event. Students can find more information here.

The Career Expo is tomorrow, Wednesday, February 15, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the George Sherman Union Metcalf Ballroom, 775 Commonwealth Ave., second floor. The Center for Career Development is at 19 Deerfield St., third floor, Kenmore Square, next to the post office.