Students looking for any type of job can explore their options at the upcoming UD Career Fair being held at the PAC next Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

'It's a great way to connect students with organizations,' said Lisa Warren, assistant director of Career Advising and Recruitment Programs.

Warren emphasized the diversity of the 84 companies who will be participating in this fall's Career Fair, noting many students have the misconception the fair is only for business or engineering majors.

There are not only Dayton-area businesses, but also nationwide organizations who participate as well. Students can pick up a brochure about the fair and the different companies who will be participating, as well as information on preparing for the fair, at the Career Services Center.

'We try to prepare the students way in advance,' Warren said.

The Career Services Center offers training for the Career Fair at two workshops, but the center's career advisors are also willing to set up individual meetings with students to prepare them for the fair.

Warren said the advisors will work with students until they feel comfortable attending the fair and meeting with employers from the various companies. She said this individual attention and the experience of the fair prepares students to attend future career fairs as well.

'They can go and after ours, they'll never feel intimidated,' Warren said. '[They] are prepared for any career fair nationwide.'

Around 600-700 students attend the Career Fair each year with a variety of goals in mind. Some are looking for internships, others for part-time jobs and still others are thinking about starting their careers after graduation. Warren said she encourages first-year students and older to attend, even if they are still unsure of their career path.

'It's also career exploration,' she explained. 'It's a great way just to kind of develop yourself.'

Warren said the Career Services Center works to build relationships between students and companies. The center takes suggestions from students about which businesses they would like to see at future Career Fairs and then contacts every single business. Many of the employers at the fair are UD alumni, and they wear 'Alumni' stickers to encourage students to feel more comfortable talking with them.

Students must dress professionally and should bring twenty to thirty copies of their resumes.

Students wishing to have their resumes reviewed before the fair can do so at the Career Services Center between 1-4 p.m. on Sept. 19 and 20.

For more information about the Career Fair, including participating companies or setting up an appointment to prepare for the fair, visit the Career Services Center's website at http://careers.udayton.edu.