Career Fair season is upon us.
If you’ve been anywhere near the English department, you’ve seen signs for the Arts and Culture Career Fair in Chicago on Feb. 5, but that is by no means the only one!
- Feb 3 & 4 Business Career Fair from 2-6 pm at the ARC *
- Feb 5 Arts and Culture Career Fair (hosted by UIC, but open to UIUC students) from 12 – 2 pm at UIC Student Center East (3rd Floor) Chicago
- Feb 9 & 10 Engineering Career Fair from 2-7 pm at the Illini Union *
- Feb 11 Engineering/Founders Career Fair from 2-6:30 pm at the Illini Union
- March 7 Educators Job Fair from 9:30 am – 3 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn (1501 S. Neil St., Champaign) *
- March 9 Illini Career & Internship Fair (formerly All Campus Career Fair) from 12-4 pm at the ARC *
- March 15 Research Park Career Fair at 4:30 pm at the Research Park (1900 S. First Street, Champaign)
* more information available on I-Link
How do you find “more information…on I-Link”? Log onto I-Link and then click on the blue “Events” tab at the top of the page. Click “Career Fairs” on the pull-down menu, then click on the particular fair that interests you. You’ll find information on who is coming and what kinds of positions they are seeking to fill. Use this information! Advance preparation is the difference between a good career fair experience and a bad one.
There are LOTS of ways to start getting ready for a career fair, particularly the Business Career Fair, which is coming up quickly.
English, Creative Writing, and ToE majors should plan to attend How to Sell Your English/CW Degree at a Career Fair on Wed., Jan. 27, 5 – 6pm in EB 104. Learn how to find a job or internship at the Business Career Fair (Feb. 3 and 4) and the Arts and Culture Career Fair (Feb. 5) at this event. Hear from students who’ve been there and get advice on what to wear, what to bring, how to prepare, how to “pitch,” and how to hold your own as an English or CW major at these events.
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is also holding two sessions (same content, different times), “How to Sell Your LAS Degree at the Business Career Fair and Engineering Career Fair”: Tues., Jan. 26, 12:30-1:30 p.m., 1002 Lincoln Hall
or Mon., Feb. 1, 4-5 p.m., 1002 Lincoln Hall.
Can’t attend any of these sessions? Read up on what to expect! We have advice on attending the Business Career Fair and advice on what to expect at the Arts and Culture Career Fair.
Don’t have an interview suit? Doesn’t mean you can’t go (and in fact, if you have your sights on the Arts and Culture Career Fair, you’re probably better off without a suit). The Career Closet at The Career Center offers gently used clothes for students; it’s open Thurs., Jan. 28, noon – 3pm and Fri., Jan. 29, noon – 2pm, The Career Center’s Interview Suite, 616 E Green St, Champaign, Room 213. (Enter the Kaplan door by McDonald’s.)
If you’d like to review your resume, practice your pitch, discuss the pros and cons of attending, or practice parsing job descriptions, make an appointment with Kirstin Wilcox by emailing kwilcox@illinois.edu.