WMU Home > About WMU > WMU News

WMU News

Career fair draws record number of employers

Jan. 25, 2007

KALAMAZOO--An unprecedented number of employers have registered to participate in the 29th Western Michigan University Career Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 1, in the second-floor ballroom of the University's Bernhard Center.

"We're having a banner year," says Lynn Kelly-Albertson, executive director of WMU's Career and Student Employment Services. "We actually had to stop taking registrations and start placing employers on a waiting list for available space."

The fair is free for job seekers and open to the public, but tailored for the University's internship candidates, graduating students and alumni. Organized by CSES, it is expected to attract more than 2,000 job candidates. Advance registration is not required. Job seekers should dress professionally and bring several copies of a current resume.

The 160 employers slated to participate represent economic sectors that include the life sciences, business, aviation, health care, government and manufacturing. They include such regional corporate leaders as Stryker, Whirlpool and Meijer; international giants such as General Motors, Fed Ex and Alticor; and organizations like the Peace Corps and Teach for America, which offer service-oriented career opportunities.

Many of the participating employers will return Friday, Feb. 2, to conduct first-round interviews with select job candidates identified at the fair.

In addition, WMU seniors considering graduate school who attend Career Fair 2007 will be able to talk with admissions representatives from WMU's Graduate College and branch campuses and several other Michigan higher education institutions.

The other institutions scheduled to send representatives are: Andrews University, the Thomas Cooley Law School, Cornerstone University, Eastern Michigan University, the Ferris State University School of Optometry, Grand Valley State University, Michigan State University's schools of Law and of Labor and Industrial Relations, Oakland University, and the University of Michigan-Flint.

Events leading up to this year's Career Fair will include Practice Interview Day, during which employers will help students with "mock interviewing," and a resume critiquing session by the WMU Writing Center and Society for Excellence in Human Resources.

In other sessions, Target Corp. executive team leaders will offer students "three-minute resume impressions" and Enterprise-Rent-a-Car recruiters, in collaboration with the Phi Chi Theta business fraternity, will offer interviewing and networking tips in a presentation on "Career Fair Etiquette."

During the fair, Enterprise Rent-a-Car will provide complimentary transportation for employers. Welcoming the employers and assisting with the fair will be WMU student volunteers from Drive Safe Kalamazoo and the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity, football team, Public Relations Organization, Sigma Phi Omega business fraternity and Student Alumni Association.

For more information, including names of participating employers and dates of the preparation events, visit the CSES on the Web at www.broncojobs.wmich.edu. Those with questions may contact LaSonda Wells, fair coordinator, at cses-events@wmich.edu or (269) 387-2745.

Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400
www.wmich.edu/wmu/news