Demand for Auburn Engineering students high as career fairs approach

Dust off those resumes. It’s time for fall career fairs.

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is hosting a two-day career fair on Tuesday and Wednesday and a Civil & Environmental + Biosystems Engineering Career Fair on Sept. 28. According the Apryl Mullins, assistant director of corporate relations in the college’s Office of Career Development and Corporate Relations (CDCR), demand for the fair is high and has prompted the office to open an additional fair, which will take place at the end of October.

“The demand for Auburn Engineering student talent is strong,” Mullins said. “There are so many co-op, internship and full-time opportunities for students to work with incredible companies.”

More than 150 companies are attending the career fair this week and 64 companies are attending the Civil & Environmental +Biosystems Engineering Career Fair next week. CDCR has partnered with student organizations, the Center for Inclusive Engineering Excellence and 100+ Women Strong to host a Networking Night for companies and students prior to the career fair, attended by nearly 50 companies and 200 students.

“Goals for our office include preparing students for their search and providing connections for more high impact practices such as internships and cooperative education,” Mullins said. “Data from our first destination surveys correlate the importance of participating in a high impact practice to positive career outcomes upon graduation.”

In the lead up to the career fair, CDCR has held several employer-in-residence sessions where students could have their resumes reviewed by professionals. These resume review sessions were held in conjunction with Accenture, ExxonMobil, Milliken, Brasfield & Gorrie and Procter & Gamble. Last week, Engineering Young Alumni also provided resume reviews while conducting both technical and industry mock interviews. Finally, the Army Corps of Engineers hosted a resume review focused on federal resumes.

Additional CDCR activities in the lead up to the fair included company-hosted table talks for informal conversations with students about internships, co-ops and full-time positions.

“Through the Career Fair Plus app we are utilizing for the fair, almost 1,300 resumes have been dropped with companies for them to have access to prior to the fair,” Mullins said.

Students can sign up for a meeting on Career Fair Plus at CareerFairPlus.com or by downloading the app in the App Store or Google Play Store. Students can launch their account and search for employer information in a browser on their laptop, desktop or on mobile app.

Students are encouraged to utilize the app during the fair experience. Before the fair, students are also encouraged to:

• Research each company and prepare questions based on the research.
• Attach an updated resume to their career fair profile in a pdf format.
• Prepare and practice a 1-minute personal introduction
• Plan to dress for success. Access the AU Campus Career Closet in Mary Martin Hall by scheduling an appointment in Handshake.

Students can access any company's page on the Career Fair Plus website under the "resume drop" option. By doing this, students’ resumes will be shared with the selected company. Students can add it to their profile before the fair if they do not have their current resume uploaded.

More information about career fairs can be found at eng.auburn.edu/cdcr.