Despite our ability to search online for jobs, it can be quite difficult to find employers while in college, no matter how close you are to earning your degree. In an effort to provide students of all ages and grade levels with the opportunity to network with more than 230 employers, Grand Valley State University is hosting its fall career fair Thursday, Oct. 19. 

The fair will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the DeVos Place Convention Center in downtown Grand Rapids. It will be open to both current students and alumni. There will also be prep sessions Tuesday, Oct. 10, and Wednesday, Oct. 11, to help students prepare to network with employers at the career fair. 

Tuesday’s prep session is titled “So You Think You Can Network” and will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the L. William Seidman Center, Room 1008. Wednesday’s prep session, “How to Talk to Employers,” will run from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, Room 2215/2216. 

For students who aren’t able to make it to the prep sessions or who still have last-minute questions, there will be an “ask me” table at the career fair as well. 

“There are resources available, including lists of employers,” said Susan Proctor, employer development manager at the GVSU Career Center. “There are campus partners that are there to kind of provide preparation and guidance as well.” 

Rosalie Gagnon, GVSU freshman and volunteer career ambassador for the Career Fair, recommends attending the fair because it’s a great way to get in contact with employers that you might want to know.

“It’s an amazing opportunity not only to get in touch with an employer from your field but also to talk with employers in another field that you might be interested in,” she said. “It could change your mind about what you want to do.” 

Students who are unsure of their major or what jobs are available within a major can still attend the career fair. In fact, according to Proctor, “This is a great way to start kind of testing the waters, regardless of what your age is. So, if you’re a freshman and you’re not exactly sure—maybe you know what you’re studying, but you also want to see what you can do with this later on—this is a great place to start.” 

There are reasons to attend the career fair beyond seeking job opportunities, too. 

“Even if you already have a job or you will be looking for a job in the future, it’s nice to be in contact with people who work in your field or people you will want to interview for projects,” Gagnon said. “It’s a really good opportunity for anyone to go.”