AMES, Iowa – It’s that time of year, when students re-read their resumes and practice their interview skills with their roommates. On Oct. 8, over 253 companies will be lined up and waiting to interact with students attending the Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day.
The in-person event will be held from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Lied Recreation Athletic Center, 518 Beach Road in Ames. It is open to the public, as well as Iowa State students and alumni.
“Despite the constraints of the current labor market, it’s refreshing to see so many companies and organizations that value the quality of our students and programs within the college,” said Mike Gaul, director of career services at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Iowa State’s Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day remains one of the largest career fairs of its kind in the country. A list of participating organizations can be found on the CALS Career Services webpage. Following Career Day, many companies will remain on campus for interviews Oct. 9.
Organizations interested in attending the Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day should reach out to Gaul, mikegaul@iastate.edu.
Ten tips to get prepared for Career Day
CALS Career Day co-chairs Jack Campbell, senior in agricultural business, and Abbie Probasco, junior in agricultural business, shared some tips for the more than 1,500 students who annually attend the event in search of jobs and internships.
Prepare your resume
There are a number of templates available online for students who don’t already have a resume, but Campbell recommends a simple, well-structured format. Let your skills and experiences make you stand out rather than a fancy design.
Probasco suggests bringing several physical copies of your resume, printed on resume paper if possible. ISU Printing Services and the Student Innovation Center offer resume paper, and students are able to load their own resume paper into any printer on campus.
CALS Career Services also offers a drop-in resume review for CALS freshmen. Through Oct. 2, students can head to 0015 Curtiss Hall from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday or 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday with a printed copy of their resume to get feedback.
Research the companies
Before walking into Lied Recreation Athletic Center, students should have an idea of what kind of work the companies they are interested in do and what positions they have open. Researching the company can also help generate questions, facilitate conversations and calm nerves.
“So many students just circle Oct. 8 on their calendar and show up that day,” Campbell said. “That’s great, we want them to show up. But the career fair starts now, and you can always be doing small things to prepare you for the day.”
Make a profile on CyHire
Have you registered for Career Day in CyHire yet? If not, here’s a simple how-to:
- Go to CyHire
- Log in with your ISU netID
- On the left-hand side of the screen, click “Profile” and set up your profile. Here, you can enter your resume and contact information.
- On the left-hand side of the screen, click “Events.” Scroll down to Oct. 8, the Agriculture and Life Sciences Career Day 2024. Click “Register Now”
From there, you can filter through all the employers who plan to attend Career Day, view open job postings, contact information and what students they are looking for. Conversely, the employers attending will have access to the profiles and resumes of all the registered students.
Apply ahead of time
After exploring open postings, Probasco said students should apply for jobs and internships before Career Day. This allows the student to learn more about the specific job, the hiring process and ask questions about what they saw during the application process.
Pick out a professional outfit
Career Day is a business professional event, and both Campbell and Probasco recommend picking out your outfit a day or two before to help lessen the stress day of. Dress to impress, but it doesn’t need to be your outfit that stands out. Let your resume be the thing they remember, Campbell said.
For students who don’t have business attire on hand, Probasco recommends the Free Business Attire Pop Up Shop, located in room 2255 in the Memorial Union.
Establish a purpose
“Know your purpose of why you’re going to Career Day,” Probasco said. “Are you wanting to just network? Are you wanting to get an internship? Are you wanting to get full time job? If you know before you go, you’ll make the most out of your time.”
Regardless of your purpose, come with questions. Campbell recommends having a few in the back of your mind to help keep the conversation flowing.
Take a lap
When you enter the building, Campbell said, the first thing to do is to walk one lap around all the tables. Get a lay of the land and see where your preferred companies are. You might see a new company that catches your eye, or you might just feel a little more comfortable.
During your lap, Probasco suggests talking to a company you don’t have on your list. Starting with a low-stakes interaction can help new Career Day-goers see what the process feels like, giving them some more confidence when speaking to other companies.
Know what you are going to say
Have a 30-second introduction ready to kick off the conversion, Probasco said. Walking up with a handshake and your name, major, expected graduation date and why are coming up to them is a good way to start.
Ask for the job
Once your conversation about the internship or full-time job is done, Campbell encourages you to just ask for more information. Inquiring about the next step or if they have interviews on campus shows your genuine interest in the position. If they say “yes,” great! You have an interview. If they say “no,” great! You can see what you can do this year to better prepare yourself for the next Career Day.
Relax!
Career fairs can be intimidating, but Campbell and Probasco agree to take a deep breath and just go for it.
Contacts:
Mike Gaul, Career Services, 515-294-4725, mikegaul@iastate.edu
Madelyn Ostendorf, Agriculture and Life Sciences Communications, 515-294-8892, madelyno@iastate.edu