As the semester sets in, Marshall University’s Office of Career Education organized the annual Job-A-Palooza – an event where students can look for part-time jobs and internships and gain experience. 

Jennifer Brown, program manager for internships and experiential learning at the Office of Career Education, said this semester, Job-A-Palooza welcomed more than 20 vendors who were interested in seeking employees from various fields.

“We’ve got 22 companies today and they’re looking for a wide range of majors from business, engineering to IT,” Brown said. “It’s a good opportunity for students to come and learn about different opportunities, whether part-time jobs or internships, that they can gain valuable experiences and add to their resumes.”

The event  is repeated every semester to allow anyone regardless of year, to participate. 

“Networking is important, and I also want to get to know more people,” Hope Savasta, a first-year marketing major who attended Job-a-Palooza, said. “This event is a good opportunity to find opportunities. It may be not the job that you’re looking for, but you can always find an opportunity here that will lead you to another”. 

The Job-A-Palooza event has received good feedback from both vendors and students over the past years, Brown said. She said the vendors like this casual event as they have a chance to speak informally with students and students do not need to worry about having to dress up or being too professional. 

Norman Loving, a graduate student health informatics major, said he was able to find interesting internships.

“I’m looking for jobs in computer science or information technology and I found an interesting internship at ALDI,” Loving said. “We all need experience and I feel like this is the only chance you can have it before getting a professional job.” 

The Job-A-Palooza can also be beneficial to employers, according to one vendor. Rod Jackson, news director at WOWK-TV, said he thinks the event is a good time for exposure to talk to students who are interested in this career.

“I think everybody benefits from a thing like this,” Jackson said. “Whether it’s the vendors trying to find employees or whether the students are looking for a career. The thing about an internship is it’s a good chance to find out is it really what you want to do with your career, or do you need to start thinking about changing?” 

Employers said they expect students to bring their resumes with them and be open to having a conversation about what the job involves. 

Upcoming events include the Career Expo from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Marshall University Recreation Center, where students can apply for full-time jobs, and a Suit-Up event Nov. 3 at J.C. Penney, an event to provide students with professional ties and business suits at a discounted price. 

Students and faculty interested in learning more about services and events at Marshall University’s Office of Career Education may visit their website.

Phuong Anh Do can be contacted at [email protected].