On-campus Interview Program aids graduates in finding jobs

By Chloe Tatro

Most graduating seniors face the anxiety of an uncertain future once they’ve finally grasped that coveted piece of paper saying that they are well prepared for their chosen profession.

As their hands cramp from circling possibilities in the want ads and they maneuver through the mountain-high piles of résumés they still need to send to potential employers, they probably wish there was an easier way to find a job. What if they had employers coming to them instead?

In reality, this is already happening at Fresno State and campuses across the nation. It’s called the On-Campus Interview Program and is a free service provided to Fresno State students through the Career Center. Fresno State alumni are also able to participate in the program for a nominal fee.

“ [The On-Campus Interview Program] provides students with the most bang for their buck,” career counselor Daryl Fitzgerald said. “Students are so busy and have so many other things to worry about. It’s a great thing to know where you’re going after you finish school.”

The On-Campus Interview Program works online through MonsterTRAK, where students register and create a profile, and are then able to upload up to 10 different versions of their résumé into the system.

After students have registered with MonsterTRAK, they can access InterviewTRAK, which allows them to research jobs, submit their résumés and schedule interviews with employers coming to campus on a particular day.

“ We recruit local and national companies to come to Fresno State and interview students and alumni,” said Alicia Andrade-Owen, the Career Center’s recruiting coordinator and a career services counselor.

“ And these aren’t just any companies,” Andrade-Owen said. “Many are Fortune 500 companies, wanting to meet our students.”

Andrade-Owen said that employers are recruited via telephone and job conventions and that 50-60 companies come to Fresno State each semester to interview students for full-time and part-time jobs and internships.

“ For the students to say there are no jobs, wrong. They just need to know where to look, and we are the office that can help them,” Andrade-Owen said.

The Career Center also offers services such as résumé workshops and mock interviews to help students prepare for a job.

“ The majority of students who participate in our program find a job when they graduate because they are better prepared,” Fitzgerald said. “We are able to coach students on how to communicate. It’s the résumé that creates interest and the interview that gets the job.”

For more information about the On-Campus Interview Program, visit the Career Center in the Joyal Administration building, Room 256.