Each year students get decked out in their best attire to market themselves at the university-wide career fair.

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The career fair is an annual event that helps students get in contact with high-end companies and get some facetime with actual representatives from corporations in the Greater New Haven area and the country.

Nearly 200 companies signed up to seek out new hires from Quinnipiac students this year. Big name companies like Verizon, Amazon and BMW were in attendance while smaller companies such as the Housing Authority Insurance (HAI) Group, and the accounting firm BlumShapiro were in attendance as well.

Jill Ferrall, associate dean for career development for the school of business and engineering, has been running the career fair for the past nine years, and this year the fair had a great turn out from both students and companies.

“The numbers have always been pretty good,” Ferrall said. “This year we have 200 companies, last year we had 175. Which is good, it is showing that more employers want our students.”

Approximately 800 to 1,000 students attended the career fair this year, according to Ferrall.

“I was pretty pleased with the turnout that we even had a line out the door. That made me really happy, and it makes the employers feel really good it makes them want to come back if they feel wanted,” Ferrall said.

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According to Ferrall, it is best to come to the career fair as a freshman and get a feel for the environment.

“The main thing is when you show up, even as a freshman feeling it out, is to be professionally dressed. You don’t have a second chance to make a first impression.”

Senior media studies major Annie Noordsy has been coming to the career fair since she was a freshman and has learned since then how to prepare for the career fair.

“Freshman year I didn’t print out a resume; I didn’t really have a resume freshman year,” Noordsy said. “But every year since I’ve printed out resumes and dressed in a business appropriate outfit.”

Noordsy also sympathized with first-year students attending the career fair.

“I know it’s really hard to go up and start talking to people you don’t know, but the companies will appreciate the effort that you are putting in, even so early,” she said.  

There can be huge benefits for those who attend to career fair, according to Noordsy.

“I know people who have interned at certain places and those internships have turned into jobs, so the career fair definitely helps,” Noordsy said.  

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Brain Zaletta, a representative from BMW of North Haven as well as a Quinnipiac alumni, stated that there are currently two Quinnipiac students interning at BMW of North Haven and Quinnipiac alumni in their sales department.

When it comes down to it, your resume is the deciding factor on whether you get your dream job or not. Noel Turano, a representative from Edible Arrangements, said it is important that your resume is laid out professionally.

“As far as students, I look at a lot for volunteer work, after-school activities and clubs, because a lot of students don’t realize that that will make a big difference,” Turano said.