Engineering students interacted with potential employers Tuesday during the Engineering Career Fair, which allowed both students and businesses to get out their names.

The career fair is part of E-Week, an annual celebration of the Engineering College that consists of various events throughout the week.

Ben Olsen, general co-chair of the engineering fair, said the fair is a convenient resource for students.

“The fair gives students the opportunity to visit with a wide variety of companies at one central location,” said Olsen, senior in chemical engineering.

The fair allows students to begin networking at an early stage of their careers, he said.

“The career fair can help the underclassmen get into the swing of talking with companies and learning to sell themselves as potential clients,” Olsen said.

The fair can help students land an internship or a full-time position in the future, he said. Several elements of the fair are new this year, including career fair ambassadors to help new students get the most out of the career fair.

Also new this year were learning seminars that outlined the best way to interact with potential employers.

Olsen said he expected more than 260 companies and nearly 4,000 students to attend this year.

Megan Mohrfeld, junior in mechanical engineering and fair staff member, said the event allows students to get a taste of the real world.

“At the career fair, [students] can get an idea of companies that they might have interest in and can narrow down which field in engineering they are most interested in,” she said.

Students such as Dan Wiklund, freshman in engineering, came to the fair to explore their options.

“I am just trying to get a feel for what’s out there and to look to the future,” he said.

Bryan Zarn, project manager for Russell Construction Group, Inc., said his company was taking r‚sum‚s, meeting people and learning about the types of students in today’s job market. Zarn said he looks for students who display confidence and a strong personality during conversation with the company’s representatives.

“The goal of getting an education is being able to put it to use and to work for a company,” he said. “The career fair allows students to meet employers firsthand and see what they do.”

Zarn said students can’t know what’s out there until they see for themselves.

“The career fair allows students to understand what the industry does,” he said.

Mohrfeld said upperclassmen treat the fair as an interview process.

Underclassmen looking for internships should also take it seriously, she said.

“Many employers here are looking for a good first impression,” Mohrfeld said.

“They are interested in students who know what they want, who are dressed professionally and who are excited about their field.”