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Thousands of ������Ƶ students take advantage of the networking opportunities provided at the Job and Internship Fairs hosted by the Fleishman Career Center every fall and spring. This spring, however, things will look a little different.

Through a series of smaller, industry-specific fairs, students will have an opportunity to make connections with employers in a smaller venue.

“Because of the nature of recruiting, large, fall-semester fairs make a lot of sense,” said Paul Deamer, senior assistant director of employer and alumni outreach at the Fleishman Center.

“Spring-semester recruiting, however, tends to include different types of employers and opportunities, and this new format is designed to take advantage of that with the students in mind,” Deamer added. “Our mission is to educate students and empower them to create connections for job success. These industry-specific fairs will help students and employers build a better connection for future opportunities.”

The new fairs include a Common Good, Government, Non-Profit and Summer Camps Fair; a Business and Communications Fair; and a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Fair. In addition, the Fleishman Center will host the University’s first Student Employment and Summer Opportunities Fair for students looking for part-time jobs on and off campus for the summer and upcoming academic year.

To best prepare for the industry-specific fairs, Denise Lorenzetti, director of the Fleishman Center, recommends planning ahead.

“Review the list of employers and their current openings, and make a game plan of which employers to seek out to make the most of your time at the fairs,” Lorenzetti said. “Wear professional attire and bring copies of your résumé, a smile and a polished elevator pitch.”

Students can visit the Fleishman Center before the fairs to make sure they are fully prepared to take advantage of them, whether to look for a job or an internship, or just gain career advice from professionals in the know.

One of the goals of the new format is to provide students with easier access to opportunities directly related to their career interests.

“With fewer organizations attending each of our new fairs, it’s a great opportunity for students to connect with employers who can accelerate their entrance into the field or industry they want to break into,” Lorenzetti said. “It’s also the perfect place for new networkers to practice their skills in a more specialized environment.”

The fairs will all take place in the Mandela Room, maximizing accessibility, and Deamer expects between 40 and 50 employers to attend each one. All students are welcome to attend any of the fairs that interest them, regardless of their major.

These new fairs, along with a nursing fair held in the fall and a pharmacy career day slated for the spring, are part of Fleishman’s University-wide effort to provide specific career and networking opportunities for students in as many fields of study as possible.