WMU schedules back-to-back career fairs in February

The 2015 Career Fair is scheduled for Feb. 12, with a new Government and Nonprofit Fair set for Feb. 13.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University will hold two career fairs next month, its 37th annual Career Fair and its first Government and Nonprofit Career Fair.

Although open to the public, both events are tailored to students and alumni of Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and WMU. They will take place in the Bernhard Center Ballrooms on the University's main campus.

The annual Career Fair is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, and is expected to attract about 180 employers and 2,000 job seekers. It is being sponsored by Career and Student Employment Services at WMU and Dimplex Thermal Solutions in Kalamazoo.

The participating employers represent such diverse areas as engineering, technology, the environmental sciences, health care, government, retail and consumer products, transportation, insurance and construction.

The Government and Nonprofit Career Fair, which is planned to be an annual event, is set for 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, and is expected to attract about 70 employers from government and nonprofit organizations. Those participating employers also represent diverse areas, from government, health care, the environmental sciences, and education to recreation, law, community action and the social services.

This inaugural fair is a partnership between Career and Student Employment Services and WMU's College of Arts and Sciences. Additional support is being provided by Kalamazoo College's Center for Career and Professional Development and its Mary Jane Underwood Stryker Center for Civic Engagement.

What to expect, how to prepare

Employers will be recruiting for interns and college graduates during both fairs. For the Career Fair only, some employers may conduct first-round interviews with selected candidates Feb. 13.

WMU students are asked to bring their Bronco IDs with them to the events. All attendees should:

• Research employers in advance.
• Dress professionally.
• Bring copies of an updated resume.

Many employers will ask qualified candidates to complete an online employment application in lieu of submitting a paper resume.

WMU students are encouraged to attend fair preparation week sessions that will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 3-5, on the West Campus as well as Friday, Feb. 6, on the Parkview Campus. For help preparing for the upcoming fairs, students also can visit WMU's Career Zone, located on the first floor of Ellsworth Hall. Pre-registration is requested for the preparation week sessions. 

Additional information

For more information about the fairs and student preparation week, employers and job seekers can visit wmich.edu/career/events.

Click either fair to find links for employers to register to participate as well as a list of employers that have registered to date. The student preparation week website explains the type of assistance available, how to preregister for sessions, what items to bring to sessions and more.

Questions should be directed to fair Co-chairs Buffy Nespodzany or Amanda Jeppesen in WMU's Career and Student Employment Services at career-fair@wmich.edu or (269) 387-2745.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news.