Career Conversations to come to WVU Parkersburg

by Corey Frazier

West Virginia University at Parkersburg’s Career Services office will begin holding monthly events called Career Conversations beginning Jan. 28. The event will look to bring local employers seeking employees to detail open positions within their company.

Career Services experimented with similar events in the fall semester of 2018. According to the director of Career Services, Jennifer Randolph, local employers show great interest in Career Conversations. Career Conversations will be held monthly starting Jan. 28, and will feature five employers. The employers present will be Fastenal, Highmark Health, WV Department of Transportation/Division of Highways, Noble Correctional Institution and WV Children’s Home Society. All employers will have tables set up outside of the career services office along with career services itself.

Career Services hosts a large job fair every fall at WVU Parkersburg’s campus in the multipurpose room which features a much larger number of employers; last year’s job fair featured nearly 125 employers. According to Jennifer Randolph, WVU Parkersburg isn’t able to sponsor two job fairs. So, Career Conversations is meant to take place of the much larger job fair which takes place annually. Career Conversations gives employers a chance to talk to possible employees throughout the year.

At the event, the five featured employers will have their tables set up around 11:30 a.m. Employers usually have promotional offers available at their respective tables such as pens, notebooks, stress relief items and similar offers. The event will be held for a total of two hours. Career Services will also be present with a table and will more than likely have popcorn available for students according to Randolph. Randolph said that she is hoping enough people will promote the event and students will make a point to have a discussion with the employers.

According to Randolph, employers generally will not be looking for specific jobs to be filled or specific job talent, and employers being invited to the event will need to fill numerous areas within their company; meaning they have various positions available. However, Randolph stated that she hopes to have a few employers looking for specific positions tailored to specific job fields for students currently pursuing a major such as nursing students or soon-to-be graduates.  

The overall purpose of Career Conversations is to facilitate a relationship between the campus community and employers. “Students have a fear of employers and employers don’t know how to reach students,” Randolph said, “so by bringing employers into a more comfortable setting it offers a simpler form of job networking to students.” Career Conversations will take place outside of room 1407 in the student lounge on Jan. 28.