Prep for Success at the MOV Career Fair

by Brooke Buchanan

WVU Parkersburg will present The MOV Career Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the College Activities Center (Multi-purpose Room) on WVU Parkersburg’s Main Campus.

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and WVU Parkersburg will present the MOV Career Fair in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of the MOV, Results Radio, WV Department of Veterans Assistance, Workforce Development Board of the MOV and the WorkforceWV.

“Senator Manchin has cohosted several job and resource fairs in cities throughout the state already such as Morgantown, Wheeling and Huntington in an effort to get West Virginians back to work,” Director of Career Services Jennifer Randolph said. “We are happy that Parkersburg is the next location. Our students, alumni and jobseekers in the community are ready and deserving of this opportunity.”

By attending the career fair, jobseekers will be taking essential steps in order to find a job. “The career fair is a way for company recruiters to meet with several job seekers at once to find potential candidates to fill their open positions. It is also a way for jobseekers and students to meet with a large number of employers in one day to gather information on different companies and make a great first impression that may lead to a job offer,” Randolph continued.

Those jobseekers who plan on attending the career fair should dress professionally, as well as bring many copies of resumes to distribute to employers.

“Many students think that since they aren’t ready to start working immediately they don’t need to go,” Randolph said. “You do not want your first job fair to be the one where you need to land that job. That is why students should go to get the experience, so they will be prepared and confident at the fair that matters most.”

Fifty-two companies are signed up to set up at the career fair. “We will also have several military branches recruiting along with some veteran resources,” Randolph said. “ Other community organizations such as Workforce WV and the Workforce Development Board will be present as well.”

Anyone wishing to attend the career fair can go to www.wvup.edu/career to view a full list of employers who are participating in the fair. “I encourage job seekers to review that list and really research the specific companies that are in the fields they are pursuing prior to the fair. I also encourage speaking to other companies as well to learn more about the positions they are hiring. You might be surprised what you learn,” Randolph said.