By Nick Kaufmann, 2018-2019 SCS Student Advising Leader:
A chemical sciences degree can be a stressful four years for anyone. The late nights studying for your midterms, the grueling three-hour labs, and the constant drawing of hexagons in your organic chemistry classes are enough to turn anyone’s hair gray. You might think that the classes and labs would be enough hassle, but as you enter your junior and senior year you realize that on top of all the stressful classwork, you have another pressing responsibility; finding a job. Luckily UIUC does a great job of bringing companies that want engineers, chemistry, and other chemical science disciplines. Not only do the career fairs give the student and company an opportunity to find employment, but they give the student an excellent opportunity to practice their interview skills. You will learn as a chemical science professional, one of your most important skills that need to be developed are your communication skills. Interviews and elevator pitches are a great opportunity to find out what kind of communication skills you possess and how much you need to develop them. The hundreds of booths all lined up may seem intimidating, but in many ways, the companies want to sell themselves to you as much as you want to sell yourself to them. Outside of college, companies are not brought to you, but you have to seek out the companies. UIUC gives the student the advantage by bringing the companies to you. It is an incredible tool that should be taken advantage of whether you are searching for an internship or full-time employment.
If you have not attended the Career Fairs during the fall semester, I encourage you to take advantage of this excellent opportunity. If you have already attended Career Fairs in the past, it is wise to continue to participate and use this fair as an opportunity to improve your networking skills.