Knock, Knock? Who's there? Career. Career Who? Exactly.

Career hopefuls filled the Student Center at Texas A&M International University on Thursday March 6,2014 from 1-4 p.m. The Office of Career Services hosted one of their many career fairs: The Business and Hospitality Career Fair. The main purpose of The Business & Hospitality Career Fair is to allow students to visit with graduate, business, hospitality, medical, law and other program representatives. This event gives students the opportunity to inquire about potential careers after college graduation.

Mrs. Celina Manice, Director of Employee Relations from the Office of Career Services at TAMIU gave me the inside scoop on this particular event and the details surrounding its preparation. Manice stated, "For this particular career fair I would say it took about maybe four weeks. I did a lot of networking and outreached to a lot of various employers. I actually also reached out to a lot of the organizations like an Enactus, sororities as well as some fraternities as well to try to help them engage with some of the employers here at university." The turnout for a career fair usually depends on what industry the event is hosting. "Sometimes we get a turnout of about maybe 200 students, right now we're actually doing pretty good so I'm not sure what our total number is but we are hoping that we get 300 to 400 to turn out this time."

The fair was free to students, alumni, and the community. Registration was not mandatory, but an RSVP was certainly appreciated. Recruiters at the event had to pay a registration fee of $120.00 before the deadline and $150.00 after. The Office of Career Service website states that, The registration fee includes: (2) meal tickets, (1) skirted 6 ft. table, (2) chairs and wireless internet access for the career fair on March 6th from 1 p.m. - 4p.m. Additional meal tickets for attending recruiters are $ 25.00 each.
A total of 30 employers were at this particular career fair. Some of the recruiters in attendance included: Social Security Administration, La Posada Hotel, Laredo Police Department, HEB, McDonald's, IBC, LISD, Texas A&M International University, Becker, Sherman Williams, and many more!

The STEM Professional Development and Internship Fair will be the following career fair hosted by the Office of Career Services on Thursday, March 27, 2014. Manice stated, " Each semester we can host anywhere to three to six career fairs persae its annually. Each year and each semester comes around we're always having something almost every month or about once a month."

(For additional information please contact Louie at luiscanela@dusty.tamiu.edu)