Expo draws praise, flak
Northern Kentucky University students poured into Regents Hall for the opportunity to sell themselves to representatives from 70 companies at the Job Expo 2003 on April 8.
Eager NKU students supplied resumes to featured employers such as Procter ‘ Gamble, Pepsi Co., Fifth Third Bank, Citibank and New York Life.
Randy Ormes, a recruiter from Fidelity Investments, said the lead time companies were given for the expo was helpful. Ormes also said the Job Expo was organized well.
Heather Hoffman, a senior marketing student, agreed that the expo was organized.
However, Hoffman added that overall, the Expo failed to meet her expectations overall.
“There was lots of summer work internships, and I was looking more for full-time and after-graduation jobs,” Hoffman said.
Leah Saalfeld, a customer service representative recruiter for Fifth Third Bank, said she had a line the entire day of great candidates. She is happy with the students and their resumes.
“One thing I have had is students coming up to me and saying, ‘I don’t care. I want any job I can have right now,'” Saalfeld said.
Saalfeld said it is hard on a recruiter to have prospective employees who are so unsure.
However, Ormes did not have the same experience with uncertain students at NKU’s Job Expo.
“I have not had students tell me they don’t care what kind of jobs are available,” Ormes said.
“Most of them know exactly what they are looking for. They come up to me and say, ‘I am looking for a job in IT,'” Ormes said.
However, some students just want to know more about the company in general,”Ormes said.
Despite talk of a struggling job market, many employers were eager to meet some prospective employees and are letting students know the jobs are out there.
Job expos such as this one are intended to bring those employers and job seekers together.
“Job fairs are always a surprise,” said Ormes. “The market is not that great, but there was still a great turnout from employers.”