Michigan Technological University's Spring Career Fair will draw hundreds of employers to the Student Development Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 13, from noon to 5 p.m. Recruiters have high expectations and advice for students looking for jobs, and often career advice. Fun memories from the students.
More than 200 companies have registered to participate in the Spring 2024 Career Fair at Michigan Technological University, one of the largest campus job fairs in the United States. The University hosts two career fairs each year, each with a Companies from multiple industry sectors recruiting for internships, co-ops, full-time positions, and more come together for -time jobs. As many as 7,000 students are interviewed at each career fair, and each event is preceded by CareerFEST, a series of casual networking events and career development workshops to help students prepare.
Many of the recruiters who attend the biannual fair are long-time participants and will also be attending Tuesday's event. At last fall's career fair, they shared their reasons for hiring Huskies, their favorite memories from their own career fair experiences, tips for students seeking interviews, and more.
Katie Amar-Fox, a 2019 materials science and engineering graduate, was recruiting for Nucor, a major sponsor of the career fair. “We come to Michigan Tech for the Huskies,” she said. “There's a lot of great talent here.'' The uplifting atmosphere provided by the Huskies Pep Band and the Michigan Technological University mascot is one of her favorite things about the fair. “We love seeing Blizzard and all the talent. A lot of us (recruiters) are alumni, so we're really excited to be back.”
Her advice for Huskies attending career fairs: “Talk to as many employees as possible. There are plenty of options for everyone. I can't wait to see what full-time offers, internships, and co-ops this will lead to.”
Kevin Nelson, a recruiter at Polaris Industries, graduated in 2000 with a degree in electrical engineering. “We feel that the culture at Michigan Technological University is a good fit with the culture at Polaris,” he said. “We are an outdoor company. Our slogan is 'Think Outside.' And, of course, we value Michigan Technological University just for the quality of its students. ”
His favorite memory of the Michigan Tech Career Fair was “seeing all the different opportunities that were available. I didn't know there were so many.”
His advice to Huskies attending career fairs is to “visit as many companies as possible.” He said it's a good strategy to prioritize the companies that are high on your list of companies you want to work for, “but don't be afraid to explore other companies you've never heard of.”
Andrea Udovich, who is also part of the Polaris Industries recruitment team (all alumni team), graduated in 2021 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Her favorite memory of the career fair was getting her first interview and job offer. “I had an employer who took a chance on me and interviewed me right outside of SDC, which was a great experience,” she said.
While a student, Udovich served as a program manager for the Strategic Education Enterprise Team for Naval Systems Experience, known as SENSE. “Michigan Technological University really produces great students who have the same capabilities and skill sets for different companies, especially SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) teams, and also different hobbies for people,” she said. Told. “We take our work at Polaris seriously and we enjoy our products, so having people who have that passion from the beginning is very inspiring for our students.”
Her advice for Huskies attending career fairs: Seize the opportunity. You won't know until you try it. Just try it. ”
Oshkosh Corporation recruiting alumnus Regan May's fondest memory of career fairs is “going to career fairs and seeing how many graduates come back to recruiting.'' .I saw them reaching out and trying to get me and other students involved in the organization.” Now, she is one of them.
May, a 2016 mechanical engineering graduate, said the reason companies flock to the Michigan Tech Career Fair is simple. “Because obviously it's the best school! Seriously, Michigan Tech produces some really good students.”
“It’s really great that all the practical experience I get here at school can be easily applied to the workplace.”
Her advice for Huskies attending career fairs: Tell us about a specific project you've worked on. It's a good time to be selfish and talk about what you're good at and what you bring to the table. ”
Morgan Dury, a 2021 electrical engineering graduate currently pursuing an MBA at Tech University, was hired by Georgia-Pacific at a career fair. The company she works for is an integral part of her career and her favorite memories of the fair.
“I had no intention of discussing it with Georgia-Pacific,” she said. “I was walking with a friend at the end of a career fair and she said, 'Are you free tomorrow?' So I interviewed with that company – this was five years before her.”
“We love the engineers at Michigan Technological University. They know tenacity. They know how to problem solve, communicate effectively, and solve problems.”
Her advice for Huskies attending career fairs: Don't sell yourself short, talk about yourself long. Get ready and look great. If necessary, tuck your shirt in and tie your tie. ”
Ellen Bauman, who graduated in electrical engineering in 1990 and earned a master's degree in the same field in 1993, was hired by IBM Power Systems in Rochester, Minnesota.
“We came to Michigan Technological University for several reasons,” she said. “We attract computer engineering majors and computer science majors who have a strong understanding of the applications of what they are learning and learning in their classes at Michigan Technological University. We're in Rochester, Minnesota. It's cold there. We're the type of students who are coming to Rochester who are at Tech, and we're hoping they can survive and thrive in this climate. I know I’m deaf.”
What is Bauman's favorite MTU Career Fair memory? “I loved picking up swag.”
Her advice for Huskies attending career fairs: Ask, “What do I need to do to be the best candidate for the company?” Ask the recruiter what they do, what the internship will be like for the company, and what a day will be like when you're there. ”
Another tip from Bauman: If you're a non-engineering major looking for a job in marketing, communications, or another aspect of your company, and there aren't any specific recruiters for those roles. Ask the recruiter if they can give you a referral. Submit your resume to the appropriate department. Bauman happily accepted a resume from marketing giant Nathaniel Vogler '25, who contacted several companies at the fall career fair and secured a summer 2024 internship at Stellantis.
Although Quahar Islam, talent acquisition specialist at Precision Edge Surgical Products, is not a Michigan Technological University graduate, he teamed up with current biomedical engineering student Emma Hayhurst ’24 at the fall career fair.
“We want the best of the best. We want great engineering students, and we have Emma as proof of that. Emma joined Precision as an engineering intern last summer. He came to Edge and left with a very rich career,” Islam said. One of the traits he likes to see in intern candidates and employees is doing their homework on the companies they visit. “Do your research and get to know the company,” he advised.
Hayhurst encouraged the Huskies to start attending career fairs as soon as they enroll at Tech. “Gaining experience talking to companies is a great starting point,” she said. “There are so many different opportunities here. So many companies are interested in Michigan Tech students. This gives Michigan Tech students great hope for their future careers. Ta.”
Founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, Michigan Technological University is a public research university with more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the nation's best universities for return on investment, Michigan's flagship polytechnic offers 120 schools in science, technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social studies. We offer undergraduate and graduate degree programs such as: science and art. This rural campus is located just a few miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, allowing you to enjoy your outdoor adventures year-round.
