Career Center to Host Spring Career Fair

In addition to the Career Fair and Internship Expo, in the coming weeks, the career center will host workshops such as “How to Land a Job in Pharmaceutical Sales,” “Resumes for Helping Professions,” “Ace Your Interview,” and “Last Minute Job Search Strategies” for those still unsure of their post-graduation plans.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 25, 2005) -- Employment opportunities for 2005 graduates are up 13.1 percent nationwide from last year, and the University of Kentucky James W. Stuckert Career Center’s statistics reflect the trend locally. Since the semester began, the center has seen a 31 percent jump in the number of companies interested in interviewing UK seniors.

The center will host a Spring Career Fair and Internship Expo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 2 in the UK Student Center Ballroom. More than 85 employers for all majors and degrees will attend the expo. “Spring recruiters visiting UK include PriceWaterhouseCoopers, IBM, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Walt Disney World, and Xerox, to name a few, and the list continues to grow every day,” said Sue Strup, the center’s director.

Due to the increase in nationwide recruiting, UK is doing everything possible to provide students with top-notch career prospects and awareness. In particular, the center is focused on “hot job” fields such as accounting, engineering, public health, non-profit, sales and marketing, and pharmaceutical sales.

Students have plenty to look forward to, as salaries are also on the rise. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, seven out of 10 respondents expect to increase starting salary offers to new college graduates at the bachelor’s degree level, with an average projected increase of 3.7 percent.

To encourage students to take advantage of the numerous employment opportunities Kentucky has to offer, more than half of the participating companies are Kentucky-based including 28 from Lexington and seven from Louisville. Companies from 14 other states will also be represented.

There is no need to pre-register to attend the expo, but the center recommends students be professionally dressed, bring several copies of your resume and be prepared to speak with recruiters and representatives.

The event is open to all students and alumni of the University of Kentucky. If students are unable to attend, there will be a “Virtual Career Fair” on the Career Center’s Web site Feb. 21 through March 4, in order to contact companies interested in hiring.

UK’s state-of-the-art career center was built in 2000, and acts as a “one stop” shop for students, alumni and employers alike. While the center supports nationwide recruiters, over 300 alumni and friends of the university have volunteered to help undergraduates plan and prepare for meaningful careers through the UK Mentoring Network, and the center always encourages alumni to recruit through their alma mater.

For more information, contact the James W. Stuckert Career Center at (859) 257-2746, at 408 Rose St., or visit online .