Changes at Gulf Coast Job Fair

Hannah Pietsch

The Signal

FBI Special Agent Raymond Oglesby talks to Jeff Ray, a MHA/MBA student, about career opportunities at the Gulf Coast Science and Technology Job Fair Sept. 23.

The Office of Career and Counseling Services assisted students, alumni and community members in their job search by bringing more than 40 employers to campus for the Gulf Coast Job Fair Sept. 22-23.

Attendees from past years noticed a major change to the job fair this year. It was split into two days to be more industry specific. Job seekers with degrees in business and liberal arts attended the Gulf Coast Business and Liberal Arts Job Fair and met with employers hiring in those fields Sept. 22. Employers met candidates with backgrounds in science and technology at the Gulf Coast Science and Technology Job Fair Sept. 23.

“With reduced budgets, recruiters find it easier to convince supervisors to attend industry-specific job fairs,” said Beth Borck, career services and alumni events coordinator. “We wanted more employers to meet our students and alumni, so we made it easier for them to come by splitting the job fair into two days.”

While employers reported positive feedback about splitting the job fair into two days, students were divided on the split. Shelli Van Pelt, graduate business administration student, attended both days and thought the split was not the right design for the UHCL student and alumni community.

“It’s a small job fair,” Van Pelt said. “If it was this busy on both days, I think having it on one day would be easier.”

Toni McPherson, undergraduate management information systems major, also attended both days and was contacted by two employers after the first day.

“We’ve had a really great turn out,” McPherson said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the students, and I made some really good contacts.”

Despite the split, many employers have recruited UHCL students for many years and plan to continue. Mike Squyres, president of Flow-Cal Measurement Applications, has been recruiting UHCL students for 15 years.

“We’ve had good experiences in the past with the people that we have hired from here,” Squyers said. “I’m always looking for good people.”

Before employers left, Career Services staff asked them to complete evaluations about their experience at the job fair. “In job fair evaluations, many employers indicated that they will be contacting job fair attendees for interviews,” Borck said.

Some attendees were familiar with both sides of the job fair table. Attending this year as a recruiter for On Assignment Lab Support, Steffanie Reyes easily recalled the time when she was a UHCL student.

“I know what to expect from the university and professors,” Reyes said. “When a candidate has completed a bachelor’s degree, I know what experience they have and it makes finding the position easier.”

Another new feature of this year’s Gulf Coast Job Fair was the assistance of the United Space Alliance. Amy Carr and Cindy Bailey, human resources representatives from United Space Alliance, were excited about being a part of this year’s job fair.

“We wanted to pool our resources, so we directed employers here because we wanted to support our employees,” Carr said.

“And not just our company, the whole aerospace community will be affected by layoffs,” Bailey added.

School of Education students and alumni will have the opportunity to meet with local independent school districts at the Teacher Job Fair scheduled Nov. 4 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Bayou Building, Atriums I and II.

For students and alumni who missed the Gulf Coast Job Fair, Career Services provides networking events, resume critiques and mock interview sessions throughout the academic year.

For a current drop-in hours schedule, visit www.uhcl.edu/careerservices. To schedule an appointment with a career counselor, contact the Career Services front desk at 281-283-2590.