Spring Career Fair draws hundreds

Senior Jessica Roland (right) talks with MBNA America recruiters John Guzzo and Paddi Cathell (left).

4:24 p.m., April 29, 2005--About 650 UD students and alumni decided to test the waters in the current job market by attending the Spring Job Fair, held April 21 in the Trabant University Center.

Sponsored by UD’s MBNA Career Services Center, the job fair drew recruiters from more than 100 corporations and organizations.

“Employer participation increased by 25 percent over last year,” Joyce Henderson, assistant director, MBNA Career Services Center, said. “Another sign that the economy is improving is that fact that we had a waiting list of 20 employers who wanted to attend the event.”

Employers are beginning to see more job growth in the service industry as opposed to the number of jobs that were available in the technology sector before the economy took a downturn, Henderson said.

“Government jobs are beginning to open, and many agencies are looking for accounting, finance and language majors,” Henderson said. “An example of this hiring trend by government agencies is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which plans to hire 1,750 patent examiners in the next two years.”

Henderson said that students are becoming aware that employers seek confident students who are motivated and display leadership abilities. Communication and problem-solving skills also are a plus, Henderson said.

Jennifer Funk (right) discusses job opportunities at the Vanguard Group with (from left) grad students Lei Xun, Slavka Szombathova and Meeta Gupta at the Career Services Fair.

“Students are beginning to feel a little more optimistic about entering the job market compared to a couple of years ago,” Henderson said. “They also realize that they have to do their homework as it relates to the job search and to market themselves in such a way that they stand out to employers.”

Henderson said that individuals who were unable to attend the event should check out the MBNA Career Services Center web site [www.udel.edu/CSC/], where 40 to 70 new jobs a week are posted on its “eRecruiting.com” management database system.

Also available at the site is a resume referral book where students can post resumes to be viewed by potential employers. Students who wish to access this information must register with career services.

For more information about workshops on interview preparation, job search strategies, salary negotiations and other career-related subjects, call (302) 831-2391.

Article by Jerry Rhodes
Photos by Kathy Atkinson

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