Fall Career Days will be held in a hybrid format from Sept. 21-23.
HAZLETON, Pa. — With Fall Career Days coming up from Sept. 21-23, Penn State Hazleton is reminding students and recent alumni of the resources and support services available to help them prepare for interviews, obtain professional attire, and get started on their overall career path.
Fall Career Days, the University’s annual career fair, is designed to provide experience and opportunity by connecting participants with hundreds of employers from around the country. The career fair is split over three days, with options to attend in-person and virtually:
- Tuesday, Sept. 21: In-person full-time recruitment, Bryce Jordan Center, University Park.
- Wednesday, Sept. 22: Virtual full-time, internship and co-op recruitment.
- Thursday, Sept. 23: Virtual internship and co-op recruitment.
Whether preparing for Fall Career Days or job searching in general, students and recent alumni are encouraged to consider the newly developed Interview Coach program, said Career Services Coordinator Kaity Krasucki.
Launched in spring 2021, the program helps students fine-tune their professional interviewing and communication skills through mock interviews with volunteers from a variety of professional backgrounds.
Students can request the interviews be general in nature or specific to a particular program or major. After the interview, coaches provide students with constructive feedback and suggestions, said Krasucki, co-coordinator of the program.
“Job interviews can often be a source of anxiety or stress, especially for those just getting started on their career paths,” Krasucki said. “The Interview Coach program gives participants a chance to practice without the worry of losing out on a potential job or internship opportunity.”
Ellen Raineri, assisting teaching professor of business and co-coordinator of the Interview Coach program, noted the program has yielded encouraging results in just a short time.
“Students got to experience different interview styles and interview questions in a safe environment with the opportunity to ask interviewers for tips if unsure how to respond,” she said. “These practice interviews can result in increased confidence and more strategic responses for students’ actual employer interviews.”
To ensure job seekers look the part, the Career Closet, recently relocated to a larger space in the newly renovated Mary M. and Bertil E. Lofstrom Library, offers no-cost professional attire that students and recent alumni can borrow for job and internship interviews, career fairs and networking events, as well as on-campus presentations and events.
The Career Closet, located in the lower level of the Mary M. and Bertil E. Lofstrom Library, offers new and gently used professional clothing for students and recent alumni to borrow for job interviews, networking events, presentations, and more.
Made possible by a $10,000 grant from Barnes & Noble, the Career Closet has added updated clothing and accessories in a wide variety of sizes and current styles, shelving units, dressers, a full-length mirror and other features to make the space fully functional. Also available are "interview emergency kits” containing sewing kits, stain remover, and other items, and books about career planning, interview techniques, professional development and more.
Additional Career Services programs and services include career coaching and assessments, networking advice, assistance with resumes and cover letters, internship and job search strategies, tips for negotiating salaries and more. Individual appointments are available.
Krasucki said students and recent alumni can also explore Nittany Lion Careers, featuring thousands of available jobs and internships around the world, and the Career Guide for Undergraduate and Graduate Students, which provides helpful information on career planning, goal development and other important topics.
Alumni Career Services, Krasucki added, is catered specifically for Penn State alumni in all stages of their careers.
“Our mission is to prepare students and recent alumni for meaningful and rewarding careers,” Krasucki said. “We’re here to help make sure they are on a path that is right for them and have the tools they need to get there.”
Visit the Career Services website, email Krasucki at [email protected] or call 570-450-3566 to learn more.
