Danielle Elliot

Major: event management

Minors: business, journalism and mass communication

Year: sophomore

What are you hoping to get out of this career fair?

“I sort of have an internship lined up for the summer already, but it’s always a good idea to just talk to employers that you could potentially be interested in. You know, network and just make sure that your name isn’t unfamiliar the next time you wanna apply for something. It’s really great interview practice as well, it’s just working on your confidence to talk to employers.”

Do you have any advice for people coming to the career fair?

“I would say just don’t be too nervous or if you are really nervous maybe talk to a company you’re not super interested in first just to kind of work out your jitters, but usually the employers are really excited to talk to you, so just be yourself and ask them questions you actually want to know the answers to.”

What companies are you excited about today?

“Today I’ve talked to Camp Foster (YMCA), which is like a YMCA (the Y) camp in Okoboji, and then I talked to Fair Hills Resort and then I have a couple more camps or corporate businesses I was gonna talk to.”

Are you using any type of approach or speech when you come up to an employer?

“I just say my name, grade, major, something that’s sort of about me and then I sort of ask them a question about them or their business.”

Bennett Vanderveer

Major: religious studies

Year: senior

Is this your first time at the career fair here?

“No, it’s not my first time, but it is my first time as a religious studies major. I used to be CPRE (computer engineering).”

What are you hoping to get out of the career fair?

“I’m just hoping to talk to a few employers and get an idea of how my skill-set might be useful to them. Just something that I can’t really do online itself per say, just to also just kind of get my face out there. Maybe I’ll get an internship or a full-time position, if I’m lucky, but really this is just more so about the experience of just getting me a bit more known. Just getting the knowledge of what I should be saying.”

What kind of companies are you looking into?

“There’s a few insurance firms that look rather interesting [that] I feel like I could be applicable to. If there’s any sort of government-related organizations as well I’ve been kind of looking around for, those are the ones that really interest me the most. I’d really love to help all sorts of walks of life people.”

Daisy Lopez

Major: open option (LAS)

Year: freshman

Is this your first time at a career fair?

“Yes. Right now I’m studying FCEDF. It’s family consumer sciences education.”

Are you nervous? What about?

“A little bit. I don’t really know exactly what to do, or what questions I should be asking.”

Is there anything you’re looking out for? Specific employers?

“Mainly just in the education side. So, not really specifically, but just more toward that.”

Michael D’Agostini

Major: pre-business

Year: sophomore

Is there anything you’re looking for today?

“An internship in finance.”

What kind of companies are you looking into?

“I’ve looked at J.B. Hunt, I’ve looked at Kohl’s, Spreetail (DCC, LLC.)”

Do you have any advice for people coming to the career fairs?

“Meet as many people as you can and do your research beforehand. That really helps.”

Carrie Swartz

Major: political science

Year: junior

Have you been to any of the other career fairs?

“I have not. This is actually my first one. I’m here because I’m required for a class, actually, but I think it’s a good experience to actually come and see the booths and stuff.”

Is there anything specific you’re looking for from the career fair today?

“I actually really want to talk to Vote Smart. I used it in my research this summer and so I’d really like to talk to them about potential internships.”

Do you have any strategies when you go up to an employer?

“Definitely confidence is key. I feel like, just putting yourself out there. I’ll probably say my name a couple times just to make sure they’ll hopefully remember me.”

How do you think this experience will help you in the future?

“I think just getting your name out to employers is really important and beneficial and I also think it helps build communication skills.”