Undergraduate students should take advantage of upcoming job and internship fairs.

Tuesday marks the beginning of the Graduate and Professional School Fair. More than 100 programs have been organized and recruiters were invited to the fair, as well as upcoming recruitment fairs. At the fairs, companies talk to students about the opportunities their careers offer. Students will talk to the recruiters and learn about their fields.

“It’s an awesome option for [students] if they’re thinking about their career plans and they’re thinking about their life after NIU … the earlier you begin planning the better prepared you are,” said Brandon Lagana, director of Career Services strategic planning and analysis. “When you go for a job interview, you don’t want that to be the first time you’ve met an employer … and if you’re a freshman, sophomore or even a junior and you’re not looking for an internship or you’re not looking for a job right now, then the benefit to you is to be prepared so that when you are engaged in a job search that you’ve had the practice.”

All this effort is for every student’s benefit. We should also not forget that our faculty and university personnel have put in effort, time and money for arranging these fairs. Some professors delay or cancel their classes so students can attend the fairs.

Students who attend will get the opportunities to speak with company employees and will learn how, where and when to apply to jobs. If undergraduate students plan to take graduate courses, this fair will help them pick the correct majors and minors for the careers they want.

All students are encouraged to attend the upcoming fairs, regardless of class status.

“If you are a college student, it’s never too early to like look at what you’re going to do post-college,” said Francine St. Clair, director of Academic Advising in the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.