One of the largest college careers fairs in the nation is set to take place at Hilton Coliseum and the Scheman building: the Spring Engineering Career Fair.

On Tuesday, 280 registered companies and an estimated 2,800 students will converge at Hilton and Scheman. This event, which goes from noon to 6 p.m., serves as a resource for students to progress in their professional careers by networking and filling internships, co-ops and other employment needs that may exist.

For those behind the scenes planning this event, there is an abundance of optimism as the fair approaches because it has seen substantial growth.

“We’re really excited this semester, especially because our spring career fair is back to being full again. We’ve come out of a recession these past three to four years. … Our fairs are now packed and full,” said Roger Bentley, manager with Engineering Career Services.

A sense of optimism is also felt by the companies that will be in attendance.

“A lot of the employers that come to recruit [alumni] of ISU. … They love coming back because they know that students coming through our engineering program are prepared and professional,” said Jessica Bangen, student co-chair for the spring fair.

Due to the fair’s increased prosperity, a slight problem has arisen, albeit of a relatively benign variety.

“Unfortunately, companies might have to be on a wait list because we are so full,” Bentley said.

Due to the allotted capacity reaching its apex, Hilton and Scheman are expected to be somewhat congested, especially at the registration lines. To help make up for this, students will now be able to conserve time with the new opportunity to pre-register for the fair at 308 Marston Hall.

“We want to eliminate about five to 10 minutes of their time. They can register early and just walk right in to talk to the companies they want to talk to,” Bentley said.

These companies, ranging from 3M to PepsiCo, are not solely seeking upperclassmen for immediate professional opportunities.

“Coming to the career fair as an underclassman is just as important as coming when you are looking for professional experience. You may think you are wasting the recruiter’s time, but they actually like it when freshmen come and talk to them,” Bangen said.

Recruiters, eager to speak with freshmen and underclassmen, are not the only beneficiaries, though, as younger students also hold plenty to gain.

“Many companies will keep your resume on file so they know how many times you have expressed interest in the company. Getting your name in the company’s system is a huge advantage because they can tell that you are dedicated when you come back and talk to them the next year,” Bangen noted.

There is also experience to be gained simply by going through the career fair process.

“When I was a freshman I never knew what to say to employers, but now that I’ve been to three career fairs, I feel confident walking up to any employer and starting a meaningful conversation,” Bangen said.

No matter what grade level or expectations a student may have in tow for the fair, prior preparation is key for any student to make a positive impression with recruiters.

To do so, professional attire, research and comportment are key factors for success.

“Be prepared to talk about yourself, be prepared to market yourself, be prepared to tell me your strengths and what you’re involved in and how it might contribute to my company,” Bentley said.

To set oneself apart, Bentley recommends students know the ins and outs of companies they plan to meet with.

“I [the recruiter] don’t want to talk about things you could’ve researched online, I want to talk about how you could help our company,” Bentley said. “If you can cut out a monotonous step for me, I’m going to respect you more and want to talk to you more. It’s about my company, but it’s also about evaluating you.”

For any professional concerns or questions in relation to the career fair, students are urged to visit ISU Career Management System (CMS), an online tool for students and companies alike.

“We definitely have all the information available to them on CMS. They can learn all about the companies, they can learn what positions are available [and] there’s links to the companies’ websites,” noted Bentley.

Lastly, to cure any anxieties, students can visit Engineering Career Services in person or via the Web.

“On our engineering career services website, we have a lot of keys on preparing for the career fair, step-by-step processes on things to do to maximize your time and research for a company that’s coming,” Bentley proclaimed.