Internship Fair allows students to explore careers

Cheng Fan, a first-year graduate student, waited patiently to talk to a company representative regarding an internship position at the 2009 Internship Fair on Wednesday, in hopes of gaining experience in the informatics field.

The event, held in Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union, included 30 companies looking to hire IU students for summer internships.

“I’m looking for solid material to put on my future resume and experience in the field. And also to earn some money,” Fan said. “But I didn’t find a lot of relevant positions here.”

The annual fair, held at the beginning of the spring semester, is hosted by the Career Development Center and Arts and Sciences Career Services. The event is sponsored by platinum sponsor Macy’s and gold sponsor Dilt’s Financial Group-Northwestern Mutual Financing Network.

More than 1,000 students attended last year’s event and the number has only risen in recent years, said Wes Erwin, senior assistant director of employer relations at the Career Development Center.

“We put on a number of fairs, but this one is usually our best attendance,” he said.

The mixture of employers at the event included non-profit organizations, retail, restaurants and leisure-activity companies. And while the number of companies in attendance has declined, the participating companies are specifically looking to hire IU students.

“IU has great students for interns,” said Lisa Robinson, director and talent manager for Finish Line. “We’ve always come to this event. It’s a great partnership.”

INPIRG, a non-profit advocacy group, has 15 to 25 internship positions for IU students.

“We usually have a large program each year,” said Peter Schanz, campus organizer at INPIRG.

With America’s economy slumping, students say it’s more important to start internships early in their college careers in order to build relationships with possible future employers.

“Internships are a more expected thing for students to do,” Erwin said. “Students are understanding that internships are more necessary.”

Carissa Atkins, manager of college relations for Macy’s, said internships are less of an investment than full-time positions. “IU students have a great success rate as interns,” she said. “We try to convert them to full-time employees.”

In addition to making personal contacts for careers following graduation, students also gain experience through internships in the field of their choice.

“I want to gain real-world experience and find out what I want to do with a business degree,” said sophomore Curt Ogborn.

And despite the challenges, students expressed hope in finding a job, even while hiring freezes currently grip many companies around the nation.

“A good company will always be getting people into their company,” said sophomore Christina Byrne. “Companies that build up their staff during the decline are the ones that are going to last when the economy is doing better.”

Finish Line has five internships available, which is about the same number as previous years.

“We’re sure to continue operating a strong company,” Robinson said. “By having internships, there is potential for employment down the road. We have to position ourselves for the future.”