Douglas Davis

Director of Career Services

Students who wait until their senior year will find getting a job very difficult. The job market is extremely competitive, and the student who has the best opportunity to land a job after graduation is the one who had prior work experience related to the individual’s major field of study or career path.

Many graduates have difficulty getting that first job because they lack necessary experience. It’s true a significant number of students work at a variety of jobs while at NIU, and that is to be commended, but employers are looking for those who have had relevant work experience in the fields they intend to pursue as careers.

Freshmen, sophomores and juniors should attend the Internship Fair Feb. 15 at the Convocation Center. The Fair is an opportunity to plan for a career after school by seeking cooperative education positions (co-ops) and internships.

A free shuttle will run continuously to and from the Holmes Student Center and the Convo from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Candidates should dress professionally and bring extra resumes to give to employer representatives.

A Job Fair for seniors, graduate students and alumni also will take place Feb. 22 at the Convo.

The internship experience enhances students’ ability to decide or finalize career choices and find meaning in their majors and the courses in which they are enrolled.

The evidence of the value of career-related work experiences is that students’ grade point averages are improved, there is less likelihood of dropping out and more than 60 percent of those who have had internship experience are offered full-time positions with their participating employers prior to graduation.

Applicants with internship experience will usually begin work at higher levels of responsibility and salary than those without.

One of the rumors circulated on campus about cooperative education positions and internships is that the employers attending the Internship Fair are interested only in business and technical majors.

Students should not be misled into accepting this erroneous information.

Liberal arts, health and human sciences, visual and performing arts and education majors, in addition to business, engineering and engineering majors can acquire work-related experience by way of co-ops and internships whether or not their disciplines require clinical experiences, practicum or student teaching.