Students question variety of job opportunities at annual Career Fair

As seniors prepare for the world outside of Princeton, finding a job is among most students' top priorities. To help seniors to find jobs and recruiters to find prospective employees, Career Services is hosting its annual Career Fair today from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Dillon Gym.

Career Services director Beverly Hamilton-Chandler said yesterday that approximately 70 organizations will attend this year's fair, ranging from consumer products companies such as General Mills to non-profit organizations like Teach for America.

Although some seniors have complained that the majority of the companies represented at the fair are investment banking and consulting companies, Hamilton-Chandler said the fair will have a variety of companies in attendance.

"We have sent out information to a number of companies," she explained. "The fair is based on . . . who can come."

Hamilton-Chandler further explained that financial and consulting companies attract many students because the students believe that such companies offer high salaries for little work. "We don't advocate that you should just do investment banking and consulting, [but] sometimes students don't look as broadly [as they should]," she said.

"We're working as hard as we can to bring as many organizations to campus [as possible]," she continued. But Hamilton-Chandler also said that if students do not show an interest in the other types of companies, those organizations usually lose interest in recruiting at the University. She said many recruiters believe that "if you're not going to come, then you obviously don't care."

Nevertheless, many seniors not interested in consulting or investment banking are hesitant to attend the fair, which welcomed 1,400 job-seeking students last year.

When asked if she was going to the Career Fair this year, Vanessa Wong '02 replied, "No, because I'm not going into I-banking or consulting."

Wong also noted that most job applications are due very soon after senior year begins, so "seniors generally already have a good idea of what they're doing."

Sarah Cross '02 agreed. "It's kind of helpful . . . but [not] if you already know what field you're going into," she said.

Wong said the fair is generally more helpful to juniors, and some seniors who have yet to find a job.

Heather Fleming '02 said she is "pretty sure" she will attend the fair, as she did last year. "I'm interested in both investment banking and consulting," she explained.

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For those seniors who have not found jobs yet, the market is looking precarious. Hamilton-Chandler said the job search for this year's seniors will be more difficult than in past years because of the nation's slowing economy.

"People need to be as open as possible . . . and really make sure they get out there," she advised. Though many seniors are reluctant to attend the fair, "we've done as much as we can do to get seniors to come," she added.

The number of organizations in attendance this year also shows an overall decline for the fair, which usually hosts approximately 120 companies. Hamilton-Chandler attributed this to both the events of Sept. 11, as well as the general economic downturn that has been occurring since last spring.

"As companies are beginning to downsize, they obviously . . . rethink their recruiting strategies," she said.

Hamilton-Chandler also noted that because some of the 500 companies invited to attend the fair are not located close to the University, those companies might have had a hard time finding recruiters willing to travel so soon after the terrorist attacks.

"Schools across the country . . . are having a difficult time [getting recruiters]," she said.

She also noted that though many of the recruiting companies are downsizing, "just because it's bleak in one area, doesn't mean it's bleak across the board." She predicted that pharmaceutical companies will continue to do well, and government positions will continue to be available.

Hamilton-Chandler also advised students still looking for work to be as flexible as possible. "We encourage students to stay active. They need to look broadly, not just this year but every year," she explained. "You have to find the job that works for you. It takes some time. It takes some effort."