Students gathered in the Wilkinson Center Thursday, September 29, 2016, to meet recruiters from nearly 200 companies at the BYU STEM Fair.
The Garden Court and Ballroom buzzed with dialogue as STEM majors introduced themselves and asked questions. Students had six hours to talk to representatives and make good first impressions.
Computer science major Calvin McMurray, junior, said it was his fifth or sixth time attending the STEM Fair.
“It’s a good experience, even if you don’t get hired,” McMurray said. “The recruiters are usually very friendly and excited to talk to you [and] are interested in what you’ve done, what you’re looking for, and how you can fit into their company.”
Students who attended information sessions beat the crowd and met the recruiters before the fair. Computer science sophomore McKay Kerksiek went to Microsoft’s and the LDS Church’s information sessions.
When Kerksiek visited with them later at the fair, she said that, “Both the lady from Microsoft and the church were like, ‘Oh, you came to the session.’ They noticed I went.”
Mechanical engineering sophomore Chris Ludlow said he felt more prepared for the fair after attending the information sessions.
“At sessions, they give you what positions are open and where,” Ludlow said. “Just talking to people and finding out how they got to where they are—it’s helpful and very encouraging.”
The event was not just beneficial for the students; recruiters John Jensen from Family Search and Chris Bissender from FM Global said career fairs are invaluable for the companies.
“We hire almost exclusively from career fairs,” Bissender said. “We like this college because we find what we’re looking for here more than other colleges. At least, that’s how it’s been in the last five years.”
Jensen said BYU prepares students with a skillset that Family Search needs in employees.
Students left with handfuls of brochures, company nick-knacks, and high hopes.