Students are unpacked, classes have started, and another semester has begun at Illinois State University. For students studying accounting, the season also marks the beginning of their careers.
On Friday, September 14, employers from across the nation will be coming to campus to meet students and alumni who are majoring in accounting and seeking accounting positions. Held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Career Center’s Accounting Career Fair will take place in the in the Bone Student Center.
The Accounting Career Fair allows Redbirds to connect with employers to learn about their open positions, which may include full-time employment or internship experiences. But the fair is not limited to those alone.
The Career Center encourages all accounting students to attend the fair. “Career fairs are an excellent opportunity for students to explore accounting organizations, whether they are freshmen or seniors,” states Assistant Director for Employer Relations Andee Radliff. “When attending a career fair students have an opportunity to talk with employers face to face to learn about their companies, explore careers, and begin making connections with professionals in their field early before they are actually searching for jobs.”
Fair preparation
To help students prepare for the Accounting Career Fair, the Career Center is hosting InstaCareer, a career preparation session, on September 11 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Bone Student Center. Participants will rotate through various stations to learn how to introduce themselves to employers, how to make a good first impression, dress appropriately, and how to research and follow-up with employers after career events.
Students can also prepare for the fair by setting up an appointment with Career Advisor Mark Fauble, as he has helped many students prepare for career fairs.
“I meet with a lot of students before the Accounting Career Fair to help with their resume,” Fauble said. “Many of them are also concerned about talking to employers. I am able to provide them with quick tips about how to prepare both physically and mentally for the event. After the fair many students who were able to get an interview come back to the Career Center to get advice on how to prepare for it.”
If one’s schedule doesn’t allow time to meet Fauble in person, get help during the Career Center’s drop-in hours and Late-night-Resume Reviews. Other tips that help students to succeed at fairs include creating a profile in Hire-A-Redbird, the Career Center’s online job vacancy tool. Through Hire-A-Redbird students can access a complete list of employers attending the fair and apply for many of them, even before the fair. Attendees should also research the employers on the list to be prepared to answer the question, “what do you know about our organization?” The Career Center provides a number of other tips on the Accounting Career Fair webpage.
Before attending the fair, download the Symplicity Jobs and Careers app, available for free from the App Store or Google Play. Illinois State students can also order free business cards to distribute to employers and print out a resume on free resume paper through the Career Center.
Employers
With one of the best accounting programs in the nations, employers seek talented Redbirds to fill their accounting positions. Employers are required to register and can do so on the Career Center website.
The Career Center assists all Illinois State University students with developing, evaluating, and implementing career decisions.
