Illinois State University’s Career Center is hosting its first Healthcare Professions Fair to connect students and alumni with employers from hospitals, social service agencies, and other organizations seeking to hire candidates for full-time openings or externships/internships. The Healthcare Professions Fair will run from 12:30–2:30 p.m. Thursday, November 16, in the Hancock Stadium Club.
Majors in nursing, health sciences, communication sciences and disorders, and social work are encouraged to attend. “Even students who aren’t seeking full-time employment yet should still come to the fair,” said Career Center Career Advisor Megan Kayfish. “It’s a great opportunity to learn how a career fair works, learn about the job search process at various organizations, and to network with employers.”
This fair is not just for health care majors. “Employers may also be seeking to fill positions beyond health care providers,” said Andee Radliff, Career Center assistant director for Employer Relations. “Some are seeking candidates in marketing, accounting, technology, and human resources for their administrative openings.”
Recruiting organizations
As of the first week of October, over 20 employers are registered for the event. Organizations are from notable health care agencies like Advocate Health Care, Memorial Health System and Rush University Medical Center. There will also be representatives from organizations such as Achievement Unlimited, a network that provides residential services to those with developmental disabilities.
Free professional head shot photos will also be available to current Illinois State students at the fair from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., whether attending the fair or not. Before the fair begins, there will be a free luncheon for Student Nurses’ Association officers to network with employers, learn about the positions they have available, and to identify the skills they are seeking in candidates.
Fair preparation
Candidates attending the fair should be ready for on-the-spot interviews. To help prepare, the Career Center provides InterviewStream, an online video interview tool that allows Redbirds to record themselves answering interview questions.
The Career Center also offers drop-in hours to provide helpful feedback on resumes from trained career ambassadors. A complete list of other ways to prepare is available on the Healthcare Professions Fair web page, and in the Career Resource Guide.
“Attendees should also review the list of employers attending our career fairs and research them before the event so they are familiar with the organizations, see if they are a good fit, and to be able to answer employer questions effectively,” said Mike Minton, Career Center associate director for Student Relations. A complete list of employers attending fairs and details about them are available on the Healthcare Professions Fair web page and through Hire-a-Redbird.
To make a good first impression, Illinois State students can also print their resume on free resume paper, and order free business cards from the Career Center. Students are also encouraged to also bring plenty of copies of their resume to distribute to employers.
The Career Center supports Illinois State University’s strategic plan, Educating Illinois, by assisting students with developing, evaluating, and/or implementing career, education, and employment decisions.
