CAREER REFLECTIONS
	GLADYS HERNANDEZ "Job Fair Success: Internship from attending Job Fair" Criminal Justice major Psychology minor Sophomore, Pre-Law Expected graduation, 2010

(04/11/08) Last month I attended St. Edward’s annual Job and Internship Fair. I was searching for an internship in the summer. I honestly thought that Job Fairs were just for graduating seniors. I found out that is not true.  Many employers were offering full-time jobs, but many were also offering internships. I’m glad I went, because I made some good contacts and was even offered interviews after the event.

I’m a first year student, sophomore classification, with plans to go to Law School and specialize in Family Law or Immigration Law. Before going to the Job Fair, I checked out Hilltop Careers on the St. Edward’s web site to research which companies would be attending. I selected my top choices, browsed their web sites, made copies of my resume, and read the Career Planning guidelines on Successful Networking at a Job Fair. Some of the recruiters I networked with at the Job Fair ranged from: Girl Scouts, the Governor’s Office, Latin Works, Hyatt, Primerica, Immigration Counseling and Outreach Services, Make-A-Wish, AmeriCorps, to the FBI.

After the Job Fair, I was contacted by Girl Scouts, AmeriCorps, Primerica, and Immigration Counseling and Outreach Services. Primerica and Immigration Counseling invited me to interview. I prepared for the interviews by talking to counselors in Career Planning and rehearsing answers to questions. I also made sure that I learned as much as possible about each of the companies as well as list a few questions I had myself about their company. I must have done well on my interviews, because both companies offered me an internship. I was interested in both opportunities: Primerica would help me improve my communication and interpersonal skills and Immigration Counseling would expose me to working with economically disadvantaged Hispanic families. I considered both offers, but I accepted the one from Immigration Counseling, because it seemed to be more closely related to my future career.  I will be placed at El Buen Samaritano in Austin, TX and will provide outreach to their population as well as provide Spanish/English translation services.