Sacred Heart University students from all majors will have the exclusive opportunity to meet and interview with more than 100 employers in the William H. Pitt Center from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

The Office of Career Development is hosting the Spring 2008 Internship and Career Fair, open to Sacred Heart students and alumnus.

For the past three years, the fair has been "sold out" to employers, and over 400 students are expected to attend.

But for many students, this chance to meet with potential employers will be their first venture into the business world. What if you have no idea what to expect from the Career Fair? What kinds of companies will be there? What do you need to bring with you? What should you wear? What should you say?

Heather Marchand, Assistant Director of Career Placement, had a few pieces of advice to offer on behalf of the Office of Career Development in order to make the most out of the experience.

A crucial suggestion is researching the companies that will be in attendance.

Some of the companies that will attend the career fair are Brenda Lynn, GE, Terex Corporation, Target, Cox Communications, Sikorsky Aircraft, Speech & Language Consultants, FBI, Beiersdorf Inc, News 12 Networks, and Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine.

The employers range from Fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations and are looking for students to fill positions that apply to all majors offered at Sacred Heart. A full list of the employers can be found at Sacred Heart's eRecruiting Web site, http://shu.erecruiting.com.

"It's important to go online and look up what you're interested in," said senior Jamie Paulsen. "There are so many students there-- if you're well informed, you'll make a bigger impact on the recruiter and stand out from the crowd."

The Office of Career Development advises that students look up the companies that interest them on the eRecruiting Web site and prepare some questions in advance.

"Before you go, make a list of top five companies, just in case you don't have enough time to visit every company," said Paulsen.

Paulsen attended the career fair as a junior and found a summer internship at Ryan Partnership, a marketing firm. She took part in creating this year's Mastercard holiday promotion, "Joy of Giving." As a graduating senior, she hopes this career fair will lead to more job opportunities-she is pursuing a career in marketing.

According to Marchand, the career fair should be a number one priority for seniors like Paulsen, even if they are considering graduate school.

"It's not often that you will have the convenient opportunity of having over 100 employers on your own campus at one time," said the Office of Career Development.

The career fair is a good opportunity for seniors to collect information about potential employers. It is also a chance to develop contacts and get interview experience.

According to Marchand, many employers use the fair as an "initial screening of the applicant and to inform candidates about their organizations."

The fair is a chance for juniors and seniors to search for internships as well-there will be a variety of internship opportunities ranging from healthcare to finance. Attending the fair will show sophomores what it takes to be marketable, give them experience in speaking to employers, and a chance to get advice from recruiters.

Juniors can find internships for the school year or summer, or take advantage and begin pursuing a full-time job for next year.

"Either way it will leave you with a competitive edge for the internship/job search process," said Marchand.

"After the career fair, the last and most important step is following up," said Marchand on behalf of the Office of Career Development.

Sending a thank you letter to the interviewer will leave a more permanent image in the interviewer's mind about the student. The note should thank the interviewer for their time, mention some of the things learned in the interview, and include any requested information.

Students can send their resumes and send requests for additional assistance to careerdev@sacredheart.edu.

"Watch your email for information about the fair and tips on how to handle it," said Marchand.

"It's important to go online and look up what you're interested in," said senior Jamie Paulsen. "There are so many students there-- if you're well informed, you'll make a bigger impact on the recruiter and stand out from the crowd."

The Office of Career Development advises that students look up the companies that interest them on the eRecruiting Web site and prepare some questions in advance.

"Before you go, make a list of top five companies, just in case you don't have enough time to visit every company," said Paulsen.

Paulsen attended the career fair as a junior and found a summer internship at Ryan Partnership, a marketing firm. She took part in creating this year's Mastercard holiday promotion, "Joy of Giving."

As a graduating senior, she hopes this career fair will lead to more job opportunities-she is pursuing a career in marketing.

According to Marchand, the career fair should be a number one priority for seniors like Paulsen, even if they are considering graduate school.

"It's not often that you will have the convenient opportunity of having over 100 employers on your own campus at one time," said the Office of Career Development.

The career fair is a good opportunity for seniors to collect information about potential employers. It is also a chance to develop contacts and get interview experience.

According to Marchand, many employers use the fair as an "initial screening of the applicant and to inform candidates about their organizations."

The fair is a chance for juniors and seniors to search for internships as well-there will be a variety of internship opportunities ranging from healthcare to finance. Attending the fair will show sophomores what it takes to be marketable, give them experience in speaking to employers, and a chance to get advice from recruiters.