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The Daily Tar Heel

Diversity job fair aims to attract students after poor turnout last year

After student turnout that disappointed employers last year, a renewed effort has been made to get the word out about this year’s Diversity Job and Internship Fair.

“Last year’s student attendance was somewhat disappointing to employers, which may explain why some employers chose not to return this year,” Director of University Career Services Ray Angle said in an email.

“That is why it is important for students to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with employers interested in meeting them.”
Forty-nine employers have registered for the event, down from 57 last year, Angle said, and all students are invited to attend.

Career Services will host the fair today from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Student Union.

Angle said in the email that the national economy might have negatively impacted the number of participating employers.

Last spring, only 243 students attended the Diversity Job Fair, a low number compared to the approximately 700 who attended the part-time job fair.

No registration is necessary but Career Services encourages students to update their profiles on Careerolina and bring a current, non-industry-specific resume to the event.

The emphasis for both employers and students at the fair is on appreciation and promotion of workforce diversity.

He added that Career Services met with students from several campus organizations, including Sangam, the University’s South Asian awareness organization, and Black Student Movement, in the spring to get an idea of what people want to see in a job fair.

“We gave suggestions on how to market this event to appeal to the targeted community,” said Binita Raval, president of Sangam.

“Being a senior, I hope to attend this event and to network with several companies and businesses that support the same initiative that I do, one of accepting diversity,” said Raval.

Both Sangam and BSM volunteered to help promote the fair this year.
Outreach chairwoman for BSM Camile Jones said the group has made a point of promoting the fair at its last two meetings.

Jones also said the fair is a useful resource for students seeking non-business-related jobs because so many different industries will be represented.

Despite a decline in representation from last year’s 57 employers, this year’s fair maintains a wide range of available job opportunities.

Some of the industries will include fashion, agriculture, investment banking, mechanical engineering, retail, education and insurance.

Well-known organizations including Abercrombie & Fitch, General Electric, Capital One, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and BB&T will be at the fair. Non-profit organizations such as the Episcopal Service Corps and Green Corps will also be in attendance.

Angle suggested that students do background research on the companies they are interested in before coming to the event.

He said Career Services used different marketing techniques and social media sites to advertise for the event and generate more student interest.

Contact the University Editor at university@dailytarheel.com.

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