Healthcare and education professionals top the wish list of the 100 businesses and organizations that are set to attend the Regional Career Fair at LSUS on April 10.
But the fair, which is a partnership including LSUS, Centenary, SUSLA, BPCC, Northwest Technical Community College and the Northwestern State University College of Nursing, has something for every aspiring job seeker.
The fair is open to any current student or alumni of these participating institutions. The fair runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will be hosted in the LSUS University Center with businesses set up in the ballroom as well as adjoining rooms (Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto and Webster).
“There are plenty of opportunities for every type of degree,” said Jennie Flynn-McKevitt, the director of career services at LSUS. “We have employers coming from as far as Dallas and Tulsa as well as other parts of Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.
“Students and alumni have a chance to get exposure to a bunch of great opportunities.”
Louisiana public entities will dominate the landscape such as school systems and police departments for local parishes, the City of Shreveport and various Louisiana state departments.
The healthcare industry is also out in full force with representatives from CHRISTUS Health, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center and Minden Medical Center as well as organizations from Arkansas and Texas.
Local and regional graduate programs are another key group for students who are thinking about continuing their education.
Oil and gas, manufacturing and nonprofit sectors are also well represented.
A full list of companies and the positions they are seeking to hire is available here.
LSUS Career Services is hosting another round of workshops to help students maximize the upcoming career fair.
LSUS students can sign up for free professional headshots Wednesday (through the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students and the LSUS Public and Media Relations Department) from 11-Noon). Pre-register for Block 1 or Block 2.
Students can also schedule resume reviews with Career Services on Wednesday and Thursday as part of the Resumes on the Run event. Visit the Student Success Center for a 15-minute review at any time between 10:30 am-2 p.m. on either day.
Want to know what to expect from a career fair? Attend Friday’s session “How to Crush it at a Career Fair” at 11 a.m. There’s an option to attend in person at the Student Success Center or through Zoom.
“You want to put your best foot forward, and you need your documents to tell your story effectively, but in companion to that, you want to be able to talk about your story,” McKevitt said. “Most probably think that entering a place with 100 different businesses is intimidating, so we want to help students feel equipped and confident about how to make authentic connections with employers.
“One piece of feedback we receive from organizations is that students should really consider what they are wearing to the job fair. You want to be memorable to employers.”
Practice makes perfect, and McKevitt advises students who aren’t close to graduation to attend the Career Fair as well.
“Students can explore what kinds of opportunities are out there and possibly make connections for when that time comes,” McKevitt said. “It’s valuable even for freshmen and sophomores because there could be opportunities to work while you’re in college.
“Employers want students who have tried what they are learning in the classroom in the real world in some capacity. It doesn’t even have to be in your desired field – those skills will still transfer to any job you want.”
For more information about the career fair or LSUS Career Services events leading up to the fair, email [email protected].