Hundreds of engineering students gathered at Hilton Coliseum and the Scheman Building on Tuesday to present themselves to potential employers in hopes of kick-starting their careers. 

Prestigious companies such as Amazon, Google, Caterpillar Inc. and Pratt & Whitney made their way to Ames to interact and converse with students of various engineering backgrounds. 

In preparing for the career fair, students tidied up their résumés, finished their cover letters and dressed their best. 

Cullen Anderson, attendee of the event, said he revised his résumé to include his most recent experience in order to help him stand out among the other students. Anderson also said he used CyHire to research the companies he wanted to talk to beforehand. 

Dylan Hynds, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said he updated and revised his résumé to ensure it was perfect and mistake free. Hynds said CyHire was a great help in looking into companies and what they were looking for in prospective students. 

There were dozens of companies offering internships and co-ops in the field of materials engineering. Among those, Anderson talked to TPI Composites, a firm that specializes in producing composite wind turbine blades. With a facility in Newton, Iowa, it is a great fit for students looking to work near college.

Among the multiple firms offering internships in the field of mechanical engineering, Hynds talked to Pella Corp., a company with headquarters in Pella, Iowa. Pella Corp. specializes in the engineering and manufacturing of windows and doors. 

When asked about the perfect internship, Hynds said he would be really interested in a job with global trade, as he wants to get his master of business administration in supply chain management. 

Many students often feel nervous and other feelings of stress when attending the career fair, but participants had words of encouragement for students looking to overcome those pre-career fair jitters. 

Simply getting a name out there is a great first step, Anderson said. Even though some companies may not be looking for a particular skill set, interacting with those companies and networking is an excellent skill to improve. 

Hynds said he would recommend getting a map of Hilton Coliseum and Scheman, so students can quickly find firms they want to talk to and plan out their day. He also recommended being well-educated on the companies at the fair so potential employers will see an interest in the company from the student.