Students looking for a job or wishing to gain interview experience can attend the Golden Triangle Employment Expo in downtown Columbus Wednesday.
The event is free and open to the public, as part of a partnership of several Mississippi organizations, including the Governor’s Job Fair Network, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women, East Mississippi Community College, Mississippi Employment Security Commission and some independent groups within the Golden Triangle.
Some companies that will be at the job fair include Ace Training, Outdoor Technologies, Military Times, Service Zone, Science and Engineering Associates, The Centech Group, WCBI-TV and Victory Marketing. There will also be representatives from law enforcement agencies, insurance agencies, banks and hospitals.
The event will be held in the Trotter Center on Second Avenue from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
“This is the seventh year this group has gotten together to have the event. There is no money made from it because we do it as a service to the community,” MSU veterans administrative supervisor Lorene Cox said.
The event was developed to attract a diverse group of people looking for jobs, not just college students who will soon graduate, said Joe Buckner, who is director of the Governor’s Job Fair Network.
“Employers from across the South will be there, looking to fill a wide range of positions, from highly skilled professionals to entry level work,” Buckner said. “Most of the employers are there because they have immediate job openings, so a lot of people who attend get job offers the day of the event.”
Many of the organizers agree that the job fair is ideal for students, though, because it puts several potential employers in one place at the same time.
“It’s a great opportunity for students. Even if they are not ready to graduate it provides experience to become comfortable with the interviewing process and gives them a chance to talk to companies and have their rsum looked at,” Cox said.
“This event provides an opportunity to pass out rsums to a lot of employers at one time. Several companies even hold their interviews there. It’s definitely a good opportunity for students, who don’t necessarily have a lot of free time anyway, to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time,” Skip McLaughlin of the Mississippi Employment Security Commission said.
Another feature that could attract students is that the Columbus Rotary Club sponsors a booth at the entrance to give free advice, before people actually go in to talk to the employers, Cox said.
Because employers sometimes interview and offer jobs on the day of the event, Buckner said students should be as professional as possible and arrive early.
“Students should dress like they would for an interview. They should bring plenty of copies of their rsum, and bring something to write with,” Buckner said. “Most importantly they should come early. Try to be there when the doors open at 9 o’clock because as the day goes on and employers see more and more people they become tired.”