Job fair draws 180 companies

Representatives from more than 180 companies gathered Thursday in the Bob Carpenter Center in hopes of recruiting university students to their businesses. The usual squeaky clean gym floor was replaced by a sea of blue tarp and outlined by tables filled with career pamphlets, job descriptions, inexpensive giveaways and pictures of cheerful current employees.

Career Services' 42nd Annual Job Jamboree is the largest job fair that the university hosts each year, said Lynn D. Jacobson, Program Coordinator for the Career Services Center.

During the event, students can personally hand company representatives their resumes and some can participate a one-on-one question-and-answer session with certain employers or recruiters, she said.

"It is almost like speed dating," Jacobson said. "It is nice to have all these companies trapped in one room. This opportunity gives the students the free rein to ask one company of interest a couple questions, get a vibe and if they don't feel they are a match, then they can move on to the next company."

Senior Ryan Johnstone said this was his first time at the Job Jamboree, and the only thing he was nervous about was whether or not his name tag would stick to his suit.

"I have done my research," Johnstone, an accounting major, said. "I have researched a bunch of various companies online as well as reading about their programs they have to offer. I want to be familiar with their business practices in order to not make a fool of myself."

Senior Gabriele Gruchacz, also a first-time attendee, had a folder of resumes on-hand and ready to go.

"Being a marketing student, I have a broad field of employment to search in," Gruchacz said. "I kind of am keeping my options open while being here at the job fair just because I am uncertain what to jump into right now. I definitely want to find a company that fits my personality, plus it will make my senior year less stressful. I do not want to be that student graduating with no job lined up. "

Gruchacz said she primarily wanted to find a position in the sales side of marketing, and with some prominent companies such as Boscov's, Macy's, Ry Homes/NVR and Target present, she said she had her work cut out for her.

Other big-name companies present at the Job Jamboree were DuPont, JPMorgan Chase, Nordstrom, Pepsi, and T. Rowe Price, as well as the United States Navy, Army and Marine Corps.

Target representative Dwayne Earl said his company has found success in the past with college students.

"We are trying to find up and coming leaders here at Delaware that will eventually help our company grow in the future," Earl said.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security sent a representative, alumna Heather Sparks, to the Job Jamboree. She is an active police officer and came to the Jamboree as a recruiter.

"I was personally recruited from this job fair three years ago," Sparks said. "In the means of distinguishing potential students as employees would just be based on students obtaining a Bachelor's degree. I graduated having a criminal justice degree, but we accept a wide range of students."

Representatives from Case New Holland, a construction and agriculture equipment manufacturing company, attended the fair and brought a five-foot industrially made tractor prop. Jana Buckholz, director of college relations for the company, said she thinks the job fair is a valuable recruitment tool.

"We here at CNH—Case New Holland—love coming to UD's job fair to expand our worldwide agricultural and construction equipment business," Buchholz said. "Location is key, as well as some of UD's faculty do complete projects at our company. We love seeing the growing level of talent each engineering student class at this university brings to the table."

Jacobson said seeing university alumni at the Job Jamboree is rewarding.

"We love it when companies send our UD alums back to represent their companies," Jacobson said. "This 42nd Annual Job Jamboree has taken months of preparations, but I believe in the long run, many students and companies will find their matches here today."