Students Swarm the Career Fair
by Kelly Frederick
posted on June 7, 2009
Students lined up to meet prospective employers at this year’s IFT Career Fair, held Saturday, June 6, in the Anaheim Convention Center. Although there were only a handful of companies in attendance, they represented some of major players in the food/beverage industry, including PepsiCo/Frito Lay, Gorton’s, Leprino Foods, etc. Monique Boyer, from exhibiting company Valley Fine Foods, saw this as a positive aspect of the event, stating that the big companies draw in lots of job seekers. Despite the lagging economy, Valley Fine Foods is experiencing growth, which is why Boyer was there seeking to fill two top positions in the company. And she wasn’t the only one. Leprino Foods is also witnessing a time of growth and looking for the right staff to grow with the company.
And judging from this year’s swarm of bodies at the Career Fair, there are plenty of people waiting in the wings to snatch up the open jobs. “There is definitely more traffic here this year than last year,” said Stacie Lovan, from the Iowa Dept. of Economic Development. Boyer was also surprised at the number of people flooding the Fair, and was especially amazed by the number of students present. In fact, examining the crowd, most of the people standing in lines to visit with the companies were students. Some, like Theresia Leung had just graduated and were there to scope out job opportunities. While Leung disappointedly expressed that many of the companies were looking for a candidate with a Masters degree, she had already secured one job interview and eagerly waited in line to speak to a representative from Leprino Foods in hopes of getting another. Meanwhile, waiting in line at PepsiCo was Marianne Rice, a Masters student at the Univ. of Arkansas. “I don’t graduate until December but I wanted to see what’s out there and get some practice interviewing,” said Rice. She will certainly get the practice she needs as she had already arranged for three job interviews. With students getting ready to enter an unstable economy, this year’s Career Fair offered many a competitive edge in the tough job market.