More than 70 seasonal employers were represented at the ISU Summer Job Fair Thursday in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

Jill Rutz, administrative assistant for ISU Career Services, said this year’s job fair used new marketing techniques to reach a younger audience.

According to the Summer Job Fair’s web site, www.iastate.edu/~career_info/sjf2003.html, the job fair, which is put on by ISU Career Services and the Freshman Council, is open to all majors and years in school, but first and second year students are especially encouraged to participate.

“More work with the Freshman Council has helped in getting first and second year students,” Rutz said. Tear off tabs on posters and advertising in different areas of campus has helped to reach this audience, she said.

Director of ISU Career Services Bev Madden said she thought this years’ extended hours would bring more students to the event, but also said the later hours make it more difficult for representatives.

“Longer hours makes it harder for reps because they are on a circuit,” said Madden, “but their next stop is Drake University, so that’s not too bad.”

The job fair is one of many fairs put on by Career Services. The Business/LAS Spring Career Day, Design Career Day and Engineering Spring Career Expo are also put on by Career Services in the month of February.

Clint Knox, a representative from YMCA Camp Pepin, said he likes coming to job fairs instead of doing interviews over the phone because he can see who is truly interested in the positions offered.

“I like [job fairs] a lot. I can see it in their eyes,” said Knox.

Jody Heimos, a representative from YMCA of the Ozarks Camp Lakewood, came all the way from St. Louis and said she expected to hire about 10 students from the Iowa circuit.

The job fair gives students a chance to make connections with potential employers even if they aren’t looking for a summer job right now.

Katie Walker, sophomore in animal ecology, said she met a potential employer at last year’s job fair and came back this year to apply for a position.

The employers were “friendly and make you feel welcome,” said Walker. “They offer a lot of help and provide information to get you going in the right direction.”

Joe Ogrin, freshman in computer engineering, said he is looking to stay in Ames this summer but did see the job fair as “nice if you want to go places you’ve never been.”