By: Emma Marrison
As of Thursday October 24th, Wilbur Wright College hosted its first in-person Career Fair in five years. The fair has been virtual since the COVID-19 pandemic, it is very special seeing the Events Building lobby packed with exciting job seekers and potential employers.
In case you missed it, the Wright College Career Development Center amassed 47 companies ready to recruit potential job seekers within the Wright College community. Companies and professionals from all walks of life were represented at the fair, behind beautifully curated stands and inciting merchandise.
Multiple state departments were present, including, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Secretary of State, and the State Police. Most were recruiting for entry-level positions with the opportunity for rising through the ranks.
For those interested in the financial sector, several banks and investment consultants were in attendance. Popular names such as BMO, Bank of America, Chase, Wintrust, and Marquette Associates were represented at the fair boasting all kinds of branded merchandise and brochures.
By far, the most visually enticing stands were the uniformed professionals. The U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Cook County Sheriff's Office looked particularly put together in full uniforms. While they may look intimidating on the surface, these recruiters were excited to discuss their fields.
The United States Army Stand at the Fall 2024 Carrer Fair. Photo Credit: Emma Marrison
This year’s Fall Career Fair had opportunities for everyone, such as, internships, apprenticeships, part-time or full-time jobs in most fields were open to attendees. With free attendance as well as a complimentary information package, the Career Fair is highly recommended. The Career Fair at Wright College is hosted bi-annualy, with the next expected fair to be held in Spring 2025.
Attending the Fall 2024 Career Fair made a trend clear. Many of us are willing and ready to find a job and carve out a career, but have no idea where to begin. In a recent interview the Director of Wright College’s Career Development Center, Joe Reaves, provided some advice and went over the golden rules of the job search.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office Stand at the Fall 2024 Career Fair. Photo Credit: Emma Marrison
For those unfamiliar with Wright’s Career Development Center (CDC), it is a resource for students looking for work. Staffed by knowledgeable professionals, the CDC can be found in room A100 and is open Monday-Wednesday 9:00am-5:00pm, Thursday 9:00am-6:00pm and Friday 9:00am-1:00pm, walk-ins are welcome. The CDC staff help students with searching for open positions on the Handshake database, curating resumes, and preparing for interviews.
The CDC Staff at the Fall 2024 Career Fair, from left to right: Abriel Simmons, Joe Reaves, Valarie Thomas Bedenfield (Photo Credit: Emma Marrison)
If you are unable to visit the CDC, Mr. Reaves shared a concise guide for job seeking from start to finish. The first step is known as “Assessment”; it involves taking career and self assessments that highlight your values and strengths as a worker. The second step is “Research”; Mr. Reaves highly encourages job seekers to research the companies that they are interested in working for.
Then, look into the salaries offered by these companies, their values, and whether that field is growing. The third step is “Preparation”; this involves putting together a resume and going through potential interview questions in preparation for a job interview. After your interview, the final step of “Placement” begins. This is where you learn how to negotiate, accept, or reject job offerings. That is the job seeking process at a glance.
For those in need of further guidance with regards to resumes and job interviews, Mr. Reaves has developed the golden acronym, “SEE” skills, education, and experience are the most important topics that should be covered in resumes and interviews. These three subjects are what potential employers are most interested in. As Mr. Reaves says, “If you stick to the ‘SEE’, you can’t go wrong”.
Mr. Reaves also offered a quick-fire round of both green and red flags that potential employers look out for in resumes:
Green Flags:
Skills
Single page resume
Straight to the point, no “fluffing”
Simple layout and style
Red Flags:
Poor grammar, punctuation, and spelling
Too many bullet points or words
Graphics and images
For more helpful advice, the staff of the CDC are available daily in room A100 or virtually over zoom. They can be reached via email at wrightcareercenter@ccc.edu or over the phone on 773-481-8527. A visit to the CDC is highly recommended and the staff are always happy to see you.
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