North Columbus News

Each semester, students at The Ohio State University face the challenge of securing internships or positions upon graduation. To assist in these efforts, Buckeye Careers, a part of the Office of Student Life, offers various resources aimed at easing the process of job searching. Among these resources are job fairs and tools like Handshake, a platform that helps students find part-time jobs, internships, co-ops, and full-time career opportunities.

The team at Buckeye Careers collaborates with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) to inform students about the skills employers seek. Jennifer Chilman, the assistant director of Buckeye Careers, emphasized the importance of being a bridge between students and employers. "We really try to be the ear and the voice for the students and what they’re looking for from the employers," Chilman stated.

Last year, to further support students, Buckeye Careers introduced resume reviews. Chilman explained, "We had a couple of employers who were participating in the career fair, available for students to meet ahead of time to have their resume reviewed." The feedback from these sessions is valuable, as employers ultimately recruit and offer jobs.

In 2023, Buckeye Careers also added a Ready Room at the career fair to help students prepare for interactions with employers. "We have some of the basic needs like mirrors and lint rollers and breath mints and pens," said Chilman. "If they want to run through their introductory speech … we have career coaches there that can talk to them."

Chilman also addressed the misconception that career fairs are solely for upperclassmen. "Students sometimes miss the idea of the learning aspect of the career fair," she explained. "I always encourage students to go before they need to go, just to kind of experience it a little bit first before you’re in a high-pressure setting."

For students like Gideon Alabi, a third-year accounting major, attending the job fair proved beneficial. Reflecting on his experiences, he said, "It helped to build connections with professionals and get a feel for the companies I was interested in."

Additionally, Buckeye Careers provides walking tours of the career fair venue ahead of its opening. Chilman remarked that this helps students understand the layout and flow of the fair, allowing them to set expectations in advance. She advised students to do prior research on potential employers, saying, "Look at Handshake and look at the employers that will be there ahead of time, so you can kind of get a strategy together for, here’s my top five."

Despite the stress that can accompany the job search process, Chilman emphasized the value of the experience: "It is a learning experience, it’s always going to be a little nerve-wracking, and we understand that, but it’s also exciting."