The Center for Career and Professional Development will host the Educators’ Career Fair, today, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., in the Live Oak Ballroom of the Setzer Student Center.
The educators’ career fair, open to all students and alumni, will allow future educators to learn about job opportunities and receive feedback from recruiters. Students should dress professionally and have multiple copies of their edited résumé for the event.
Forty school districts from the Houston and Southeast Texas areas will be in attendance, Angie Thomas, associate director of the Center for Career and Professional Development, said.
“This is a platform for students to get in front of a recruiter and start talking,” she said. “It helps build confidence.”
The fair, part of education week, is a chance for students to practice networking and start a conversation with recruiters without feeling pressured, Thomas said.
“When you apply for a job it is almost like going into a black hole and it is a lot harder to get selected through (the online) process,” Thomas said. “It’s easier to talk to someone (in person) and market your skill sets versus going through the online application.”
Students can prepare by researching school districts and looking for job openings that are available and interested in, Thomas said.
“Look to see who’s coming, then go to their websites to find out what openings they may have,” she said. “Tailor a plan for the day of the event so you have an idea of what you can go to the table with to that recruiter.”
Students are encouraged to enter the fair with an open mind and be prepared for possible job offerings, Thomas said.
“We’ve actually had school districts offer jobs right then and there,” she said. “There is a big need for teachers, so that’s a possibility.”
All students are welcome, not just education majors, Thomas said. She also encourages freshmen and sophomores to attend.
“(Underclassmen) may not think they’re ready, but it’s definitely something they should start early on,” she said. “It’s better to mess up now, when there is no pressure, rather than when it really matters.”
The Center for Career and Professional Development is located in 102 Galloway Business Building.
For more information, visit www.HireACardinal.org.
Story by Cheyenne Ard, UP contributor