To link students with prospective employers, five businesses participated in the Management and General Business Career Days Oct. 18 and other businesses will meet with students today and tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first floor of the Dillard College of Business Administration.

Stephanie Sullivan, assistant director of the Career Management Center, said, “This is an opportunity for students to visit with employers about potential employment opportunities and internship opportunities.”

Students will have the ability to visit employer exhibits and attend informational sessions to get more information about what things employers look for in potential employees.

“The exhibit booths will be in the area around Einstein Bros. Bagels in Dillard and then the informational sessions will be in Dillard 189,” Sullivan said.

Yesterday, five employers set up tables to meet with students, including Enterprise Holdings, Grand Prairie Police Department, The Marine Corps, City of Wichita Falls, and KAUZ Channel 6.

There are a lot of reasons that the employers decided to come to this event to speak with students. Marie Hazelton, talent and acquisition specialist with Enterprise Holdings was there because of the company’s tie to the city.

Hazleton said, “We have several offices here in Wichita Falls and we love recruiting locally from the university since we are looking for students with bachelor’s degrees for our management training program.”

Thai Nguyen, Grand Prairie police officer, agreed.

“Part of the requirement [for becoming a police officer] is a four year bachelor’s degree, that’s why we’re here recruiting. We’re hoping to get the next candidate for the upcoming civil exam test.”

Chase Sims, gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps, said that this type of event allows them to give out more information about their various job offerings when you join the Marines.

“One of the major misconceptions about the Marine Corps officer program is that they are very limited on jobs,” Sims said. “If you can think of any particular occupation in the civil sector, we will probably have something equal if not comparable as a Marine officer.”

Students can explore options with many companies that have jobs available that directly relate to their majors, and have the opportunity to learn skills that will make them successful in finding a job after graduation.

Alissa Penney, HR generalist for the city of Wichita Falls, said that they attend all available job fairs and offer jobs for current students as well.

“We have a couple of clerical positions that are temporary, which would be really good for a student looking to get some business experience or clerical experience to pad their resume,” Penney said. “What I’m hoping to find while I’m here is students who are interested in potentially interning with the city for a semester who are passionate, who are really looking to just learn and absorb as much as possible about a variety of our departments.”

The students who visited the tables said they learned a lot about the businesses represented and had a lot of great take a ways from speaking to the employers.

Tanner Conley, general business sophomore, said, “I’ve learned about commissioning, that it’s different from enlisting. It’s pretty much the opposite so you get a commission while you’re going to school at the same time.”

Blanché Baron, accounting and finance senior, learned that there is a place for her with Enterprise should she be interested.

“I found out that it’s not just rentals [Enterprise], but there are many fields in my major that I can choose from,” Baron said. “There are positions in accounting and finance so if I want, I could probably look for something within that field.”

So, why should the students visit this event and utilize the resources available?

Students can learn about a career they might want to try.

Lane Weldon, history sophomore, said “It could help them by finding things to do while they’re in school like jobs and help them also to figure out stuff that they might want to do later on that they like.”

Nguyen agreed.

Nguyen said, “It’s a great opportunity for them to pick the career of their choice.”

Students should be interested in the resources offered to them.

Andre Tyrell, economics senior, said, “You should be interested in whatever this college has to offer.”

It’s an opportunity for students to meet and learn from employers.

“It’s a really cool opportunity with all the tables set up,” Conley said. “Employers are coming to you so you don’t necessarily have to go to their office. As they [students] as passing through, they should stop by.”

Hazleton said that students should take advantage of resources available to them.

“You don’t have to go look outside, you have everything right here,” Hazleton said. “Take advantage of your resources. You have some people who are willing to come on campus. They want to hire you, so why not go and check them out and see what they have to offer?”

Upcoming events

Oct. 19

Exhibits: First floor Dillard College near Einstein Bros. Bagels

TX Department of Criminal Justice, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

KAUZ, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 pm

Informational session: Dillard 189

KAUZ, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 20

Exhibits: First floor Dillard College near Einstein Bros. Bagels

TX Department of Criminal Justice, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.