The College of Business has many initiatives to help our students follow their passions and locate employment after graduation. Among them are the COB Corporate Mentor program, on-campus interview days and Resume Madness week, held in conjunction with the MSU Career Center. One of the largest, however, is our College of Business Career Fair held each fall.
The fall Career Fair was held Sept. 30 at the University Plaza Convention Center. More than 100 employers attended, and many of the recruiters were COB alumni. Two of the big four accounting firms, Deloitte and KPMG, attended to recruit interns and full-time hires for next year. Bass Pro created a must-see booth when it brought in several taxidermy animals including a raccoon and bird of prey. Meanwhile, ConocoPhillips, Data-Tronics and Hallmark heavily recruited for talented information systems students. Missouri State President Cliff Smart and even Boomer Bear stopped by to interact with students, alumni and recruiters.
In an effort to always continue improving the Career Fair experience for both employers and students, a number of changes were introduced this year. A new color-coding system was used to help students identify employers hiring their major and for employers to identify students. This made it quick and easy for everyone to determine with whom they needed to speak. A new COB Career Fair Guide was included in the Sept. 24 issue of the MSU student newspaper, The Standard. The guide provided an overview of each employer, positions available, majors desired and citizenship requirements. The guide was also color coded for quick browsing of information. Students and employers attending the fair were also provided with an opportunity to take a professional LinkedIn photo. Many took advantage of this great option. One change that was implemented last year, required professionalism workshops for students, was also continued. Prior to attending the fair, students were required to attend a 45-minute workshop conducted by the college’s own Corporate Relations Specialist, Vickie Hicks. Students learned the importance of a firm handshake, appropriate attire, and professional interaction. In total, 881 students attended one of the eleven workshops provided in August and September.
Each of the new changes to the fair was a success for all involved. The College of Business is already looking forward to next year’s COB Career Fair!
