Each year, the Career Center welcomes hundreds of employers to campus with the goal of recruiting students to their organizations. This semester’s Career & Internship Fair takes place Feb. 19 from 2-5 p.m. in Hagan Arena, coinciding with Mission Week — the perfect time to welcome ALL to this valuable event! As a veteran of the Career Center, I have encountered several common misconceptions among students throughout the years regarding the event: 

1. Students presume the Career Fair is only for business majors: NOT TRUE! 
2. Students don’t realize the value of connecting individually with potential employers. 
3. Students assume they only “need” to go when they are seeking an internship or a job: NOT TRUE AGAIN! 

My goal is to bust these myths to support every student in their quest to gain information about their professional future: 

1. Employers allocate precious financial and recruiting resources specifically to St. Joe’s to meet our outstanding students. Most roles do not require a specific major but instead a set of competencies, which are developed over time and are transferable from role to role. These include communication, teamwork, critical thinking, leadership, etc. Each student at St. Joe’s is developing these qualities through college coursework, club and athletic participation, part-time jobs, etc. 
2. Recruiters are people just like you! Many students are uneasy about meeting them in person, but after they attend the Career Fair, they frequently say, “It was so much easier to speak to employers than I expected!” Challenge yourself to come and meet some alumni and employer representatives to learn from them about what your future opportunities could look like.
3. I have never met a student who walks out of the event with an internship or job offer. The event is simply an opportunity to learn about an organization, what types of positions they offer and see if you have an interest in either. The experience will pay back dividends when you do begin a formal search. 

Bottom line: Just like our Jesuit principles, the Career & Internship Fair is a place where ALL STUDENTS will find a sense of belonging and purpose.

Lisa Hansinger is the associate director of counseling and career education at St. Joe’s.