Students may have noticed advertising about the upcoming career fair from the large banner outside of Bidgood Hall, the home of the Culverhouse College of Business, but the general Interest and Business Career Fair is open to all.

“If they are a student who is looking for a full-time job because they’re getting ready to graduate, or if they’re a student who is looking for an internship, this is an opportunity for them to connect with potential employers,” said Melinda King, assistant vice president in the Division of Student Life and executive director for the Career Center.

Registration is located on Handshake, which can be accessed by using myBama.

“Even if they’re a freshman, it’s an opportunity for them to get a walk-through [of] what a career fair is like,” King said. “Because it is a lot of employers, and for a lot of students, the first time they come it’s overwhelming, when perhaps they aren’t looking for an internship or a full-time job. It would be a nice practice run for them.”

Who: The Career Center is hosting the event

What: General Interest and Business Career Fair

When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20

Where: Coleman Coliseum

Why:

All undergraduate students are encouraged to attend, as well as specialty Master’s and MBA students. The fair will have 99 employers for full-time jobs and internships available.

“We are going to have representatives from all over the country, a lot of Fortune 200 companies,” King said. “If students want to really target specific employers, they can go to our website, and they can see a program which will give them some insight regarding the employers that are going to be there and where they are going to be stationed at the career fair so they can decide who they want to focus on, who they want to talk to with so many employers there.”

Students should bring their resume and ACT card. Business professional attire is recommended.

“We recommend students wear business attire to the career fair, but what we don’t want [is] someone to not come because they don’t feel like they have the proper attire,” King said. “An option for them is to come by Crimson Career Closet and borrow some business attire, but if that’s not an option, we still want them to come and just recognize that whatever they have on that that’s their opportunity to make a first impression, so they really want to make sure its a good interaction.”

The Crimson Career Closet, a resource of The Career Center, is located in The Ferguson Center and is open to all UA students. Students should also practice their “elevator speech/pitch,” a short summary of why someone should hire you.

“They should start to prepare an elevator speech so when they make contact with an employer and they can introduce themselves and talk a little bit about what they’re interested in doing and what their skills are, and then hopefully they’ll have some opportunities to get asked back for some interviews,” King said. “We have a number of employers who will be staying through the week and will be doing on-campus interviews at the Career Center.”