Recruiting Days give Wright State students a jump on the job market

Wright State student Derrick Sendi meets a recruiter during Wright State's Recruiting Days.

During Wright State’s Recruiting Days, the Student Union Apollo Room bustled with activity. Employers from every imaginable organization passed out leaflets and business cards while students in starched business attire shook hands and distributed résumés.

Employees from Career Services directed people through the chaos with free peppermints and helpful tips on name badge placement.

Recruiting Days, which are held twice a year in September and February, give students and alumni a chance to see what opportunities are available to them and to network with possible employers. There are three separate Recruiting Days events: Public Service and Creative Careers Recruiting Day, Business Recruiting Days, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math recruiting day.

Organizations that participate in the event are looking for paid employees, interns, and sometimes both. This year, at the Public Service and Creative Careers Recruiting Day, there were representatives from Americorp Vista, Boy Scouts of America, the Secret Service and Clearchannel Radio, to name a few.

There were plenty of students as well, with varying majors.

“There seem to be a lot of people who are just graduating and looking for that next step,” said Megan Bayes of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Ohio. Bayes was at recruiting days looking for volunteers to mentor at-risk youth during a 10-week summer program.

Megan Williams, who graduated in November with a criminal justice degree, confirms Bayes’ supposition.

“I am looking for something that I’m qualified for,” she said, “and something that pays the bills.”

While many students and alumni were looking for a paid position, some were seeking résumé-building internships. Aaron Klauber, from ClearChannel Radio, was offering just the thing.

Klauber was looking for charismatic students to intern in ClearChannel’s marketing and promotions department.

Klauber said he enjoyed Recruiting Days because the event gives him a chance to meet students face-to-face and judge their personalities. “We’re a radio station!” he said, “We don’t need wallflowers. I need active, good, outgoing personalities.”

He added that he had talked to many students who would make great interns and that he was looking forward to interviewing them further.

Jacob Little, a student majoring in organizational leadership, had spoken with Klauber earlier in the day and enjoyed the experience. Little also visited the Greene County  Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Defense Logistics Agency: Land and Maritime.

Little said he was looking for a position in sales, contracting or marketing. “I’m kind of open to anything right now,” he said.

Lucky for Little, at Wright State’s Recruiting Days, nearly anything can be found. Volunteer work, internships and paid positions for both students and alumni—it’s all there for the taking, twice a year.

The next Recruiting Days run September 20-21, 2011. For more information, contact Career Services at 775-2556.