Santa Clara University Holds Career Fair, Encourages Students to “Think Beyond Their Major.”
Santa Clara, Calif., Sept. 30, 2014-- Dozens of Silicon Valley employers will visit with students on Santa Clara University’s campus tomorrow in hopes of attracting some of the Bay Area’s brightest talent. The Fall Career Fair will feature more than 150 companies including Gap Inc., Cisco, Kaiser Permanente, The Walt Disney Company, Stryker, the Tech Museum, and Tesla, which will have a Model S on display. The SCU Career Center encourages students to keep an open mind when looking for career opportunities.
“We always tell students to think beyond their major. You don’t have to be an engineer to work for Apple or Google, and healthcare companies are in need of computer science and human resources staffing. They shouldn’t limit themselves when thinking about their future,” says Career Center Director Elspeth Rossetti.
One hiring trend SCU’s Career Center points out is more companies hiring freshmen and sophomores as interns in hopes of transitioning them into full-time employees at graduation. This may also work to the student’s advantage. They not only gain valuable experience in an internship, but they have the opportunity to test if a career path will work for them.
“This is about more than just finding a job that matches your skills. We want students to see the importance of exploration and experience in determining their interests, declaring a major, and finding a fit at work. The earlier they engage, the more time and chances they have to align their interests and skills with available jobs,” says Rossetti.
The last SCU survey of recent graduates found 78 percent of the respondents in the Class of 2013 were either employed full-time, attending graduate school, or participating in a service program such as the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Santa Clara University also recently ranked among the highest paid alumni in the country, according to a PayScale survey.
The Fall Career Fair will happen Wednesday, Oct. 1 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Malley Fitness Center on Santa Clara University’s campus.
Media RSVP: Marika E. Krause 408-829-4836 mekrause@scu.edu