UNM's Career Services Department played host to businesses and organizations from around the world during Career Expo 2004 Tuesday, an annual event designed to help students learn the intricacies of the job market.
The expo, now in its 28th year, provided community members a rare opportunity to feel out the current job market and talk to potential employers about the career paths they are hoping to pursue, said Leslye Ellison, director of Career Services.
"These expos really increase a student's chances of success after graduation because they already have their name out there and employers remember their faces," Ellison said. "Besides, where else can you go and see virtually every business and corporation in the nation?"
Close to 80 employers from across the map converged in the SUB for the all-day event to help UNM students with the employment decisions everyone inevitably has to face.
Ellison said while attendance figures were still being tallied, she estimated more than 1,000 UNM students attended the event, which organizers were forced to hold in Johnson Gym in recent years during the SUB's renovation.
"Having the SUB back makes all the difference in the world for events like these," Ellison said. "Not only does it give us more room to work with, more businesses are willing to participate when we have such a nice venue to welcome them in."
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Some of the more recognizable corporations on hand this year included Intel, AT&T, Verizon Wireless Communications and the FBI.
"When planning these events, we take into consideration all the different tastes and preferences of the UNM community," said Career Services Placement Manager Mary Montano.
Montano said many students opt not to participate in the career expos or the other career fairs at UNM every year because they don't think possible employers would be interested in them.
She said that couldn't be farther from the truth.
The organizations, regardless of size or popularity, are constantly scouring the country in search of promising recruits that mesh well with the company and can lead it into the future, she said.
"These events aren't just for college seniors either," Montano said. "Anyone interested in jumpstarting their careers are welcome. There are some amazing success stories that began in expos like this."
Montano said while this year's event was a success, they had hoped for a better turnout, by both employers and students. She attributed the stagnancy of the situation to a staggering economy.
Still, she said the slow job market is not something that should deter students from participating in UNM's career fairs.
"The economy is bound to take a turn for the better," Montano said. "When that happens, the students who have put in the effort to get in the right position are the ones who stand to benefit the most."
