Nursing Students and Recruiters Meet at Job Fair

An annual career expo designed to connect nursing students with health care recruiters attracted more than 100 students and nearly 20 employers at the USF College of Nursing on Feb. 27.

Many nursing students  — many of whom are set to graduate in May and are looking for employment — came ready with resumes and prepared questions for recruiters. The job fair featured 19 hospitals and health care systems in the Tampa Bay area, as well as organizations from Jacksonville, Orlando, and Sarasota.

Organizers said the networking event, coordinated by the College of Nursing and USF Career Services, was a success.

Amanda Marshall, the signature events coordinator with the USF Office of Employer Relations, was checking students in at the registration table and giving them last-minute tips on how to make a good first impression.

Marshall said students should take advantage of the job fair, because it is an opportunity to make a personal connection. She said resumes and experience matter, but networking at events like a career expo can make the difference.

“We find that the face-to-face connection between the employer and the student and between the candidates and the hiring manager is very important,” she said. “We recommend students not only submit that application online, but also make themselves known and be able to have that personal touch.”

To help students prepare, the College of Nursing hosted two workshops in which career consultants and recruiters from area hospitals offered strategies on how to navigate a career fair. They also talked about the dos and don’ts of a networking event, how to prepare resumes, how to talk to recruiters, and how to make yourself stand out at a job fair.

Nursing student Lori Alvarado said she prepared for the job fair not only by having plenty of resumes, but by researching each health care company, its organization, and mission and vision statement. She is graduating in May and is looking for either a nursing position or residency in emergency medicine.

“I think that it’s outstanding that all these hospitals are here. So far it’s been a really great experience,” Alvarado said.

Fellow nursing student Marielle Briones, who is set to graduate in May from the accelerated second degree program, said she came to talk to the different area hospitals to see what they had to offer and hopefully find a good match.

“My goals are to ask the different hospitals about any residency programs and see if these places are somewhere that I want to work,” she said.

Story by Elizabeth L. Brown, USF College of Nursing