As the fall semester begins, Career Services at Illinois State University is not only preparing for a new academic semester but also looking ahead to Redbirds launching their career.
To assist Redbirds with their career success, two accounting career fairs are scheduled for this fall. The first is the Accounting Career Fair on Friday, September 9, which allows employers from across the nation to come to campus and meet students and alumni in accounting in person. The second is the Virtual Accounting Career Fair on Friday, September 16, which also connects Redbirds and employers, but does so via Zoom.
Both accounting career fairs allow Redbirds to learn about open positions, which may include full-time employment or internship experiences. But the fairs are not limited to those opportunities alone.
“Career fairs are an excellent opportunity for all Redbirds in accounting, whether they are freshmen, seniors, graduate school students, or alumni,” said Associate Director for Employer Engagement Natalie R. Alexander. “Career fairs allow them to connect with employers to learn about their organizations, explore career options, and begin making connections with professionals in the field as well.”
Fair preparation
To prepare for the accounting career fairs, Career Services provides Redbirds with multiple options for career assistance. Students and alumni can participate in drop-in hours for resume and/or LinkedIn profile reviews or schedule an appointment with Kristy DeWall, career advisor for those in accounting.
“If students or alumni are concerned about talking to employers, I can help them with preparing for the fairs and help them increase their confidence,” DeWall said. “They can also schedule an appointment to meet with me after the fairs for advice on how to follow up with connections and prepare for interviews.”
Other tips to help Redbirds succeed at the fairs include creating a profile in Hire-A-Redbird, an online job vacancy tool offered through Career Services. Hire-A-Redbird provides a complete list of employers attending the fair, so one can identify which to meet and apply for their open positions, even before the fair. Redbirds should also research the employers on the list to be prepared to answer the question, “What do you know about our organization?”
Before the fair, Redbirds can download the Symplicity Jobs and Careers app, which conveniently connects students to Hire-A-Redbird from their phone. It is available for free from the App Store or Google Play. Students can also order free business cards to distribute to employers, and print out a resume on free resume paper at the Career Resource Hub in the Bone Student Center.
Employers
With one of the best accounting programs in the nation, employers visit Illinois State to seek leading talent to fill their accounting positions. Employers interested in attending the fairs must register in advance on Hire-A-Redbird. Career Services also provides private interview rooms for those employers interested in conducting on-campus interviews after the fairs or throughout the academic year. Contact Natalie R. Alexander at 309-438-2200 for more information.
Career Services assists Redbirds with developing, evaluating, and implementing career decisions and is proud to host the accounting career fairs in collaboration with the Department of Accounting.
