Cornerstone University students attended Careerfest at the Grand Valley State University DeVos Center.

Sponsored by the West Michigan Collegiate Career Services (WMCCS), Careerfest is a gathering of over 150 employers offering openings for internships and full-time employment.   Students of all majors attend to give various employees their resumes and discuss career and internship opportunities face to face with employers.

“I found it beneficial to just learn more about different organizations and what they do.  I was also able to get a better idea of what positions are available,” said Alena Grieser, a senior majoring in Psychology and Family Studies. “It was also great that they had organizations/companies that were going to be there listed online so you could go in with more of an idea of who you were interested in talking to.”

A packet with company names and descriptions was given to each student when they registered. 

Companies varied from banks, government agencies, hospitals and churches.  Many companies, such as the Madison, Wisc. Police Department and New Horizons Youth Ministries of Marion, Ind. attended from out of state to recruit employees.

Many companies were new to Careerfest this year. The National Resources Conservation Services, a government business in existence to conserve natural resources of land owners, attended for the first time.

“It has been a pretty good experience so far. There is a lot of variety of students, both current and graduated,” said Heather Medina, an employee of the NRCS.

Other companies, like the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, registers for Careerfest every year.

“In the past, the experience here has really been great. Interns are so important to us. They are a part of the team. Our departments only consist of about one person, so interns play a big part,” said Jan Stone, an employee of the Children’s Museum. “They are given a job, and run with it. The portfolio they walk out with are hands on things that they really did, not just job shadowing. It’s a fast pace, because it’s not just one thing you are doing. It’s a wide variety of opportunities.”

Careerfest brings students and employers together. Some students find exactly what they were looking for in a career, and others find an internship or career they never expected to find.

“I went [to Careerfest] last winter and ended up finding my summer internship there,” said Kayleigh Putnam, a senior in the business management program.

Over the summer, Putnam worked at the marketing department at the Meijer Corporate Office. She worked specifically with local event scholarships that Meijer sponsors across the Midwest.

“It was an awesome experience. If it weren’t for the career fair, I don’t think I would have even looked into working at Meijer,” Putnam said.

Putnam is graduating next month, so she attended the career fair on Nov. 4 to look for potential careers. She was able to speak with four employers, and plans to keep updated with their job openings posted on their web sites.

“After I graduate, I hope to find a job related to marketing or event planning. I’m very open to different possibilities and excited to gain real-world experience,” Putnam said.

Putnam found Careerfest beneficial not only to gain internships, but for simply practicing interaction with employers, even if an employment opportunity does not become a reality.

“The opportunity to prepare your resume, dress professionally and communicate in a professional manner is worth the trip. You may even be fortunate enough to find a job or internship that fits your area of passion,” Putnam said.  “You never know what you’ll find. There are many careers out there that students aren’t even aware of. The Careerfest helps open your eyes to the possibilities and gain potential leads in your job or internship search.”