Fair aids students in '98 job search

JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily Engineering sophomore Maher Haddad talks to a Federal Bureau for Investigation representative at the Job Fair yesterday in the Michigan Union. Career Planning and Placement hosted the annual event.

By Jewel Gopwani
For the Daily

Jockeying for attention yesterday at Career Planning and Placement's Job Fair '98, employers gave away everything from pens to potato chips to entice students into considering an internship or full-time job at their company.

"The market is good at the moment," said Sally Shueneman, CC&P career event manager. "We are up 14 employers from last year."

The fifth annual CP&P job fair attracted 129 employers to the Union and CP&P anticipated more than 1,000 students by the end of the day. Shueneman said many companies were looking to fill full-time positions, but this year's employers also were offering more internships than in previous years.

"There's a lot more competition and we're hiring more than in past years," said Bruce Galler, technical manager at Lucent Technologies.

The booming job market gives students an edge on finding employment, Shueneman said.

"All the companies are competing for the same students," said Kevin McFee, campus relations representative to the University for EDS, which specializes in technological services.

Social Work graduate student Ann Hooper said the companies at the job fair were informative and helped her find what she was looking for.

"I think (the job market) is better than it's been, at least for social services," Hooper said.

Job Fair '98 showed students the variety of employment options available.

"I'm sure I can find a job," said LSA senior Mike Munley. "It's just a matter of finding the one I want."

Companies admit the University's varied curriculum is beneficial in the work world.

"U of M offers a variety (of) disciplines that we can use at the agency." said Michael Coles, a Midwest recruiter for the Central Intelligence Agency. "It produces some of the best scholars in the Midwest."

Aside from education, employers feel confident that University students have other valuable traits.

"There are a lot of quality students here," said Kendra Quinlan, a consultant at Anderson Consulting. "We are looking for people who are motivated and have analytical skills."

With a flourishing job market and positive responses from employers, students said they feel confident about finding a job or an internship.

"Jobs are out there, but you just have to be willing to go out and get one," said LSA senior David Lapidus.

Job Fair '98 is just one of many ways students can seek opportunities in the work force.

CP&P will hold another job fair in February and, in the meantime, CP&P welcomes students to visit their office at 3200 Student Activities Building.

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