Mercyhurst College students seeking jobs and internships will have the opportunity to distribute resumes and meet with representatives from approximately 80 companies at the annual Career Fair.

This year’s Career Fair will take place Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

The fair, which typically takes place during fall term, was moved to the spring term for the first time this year in order to coincide with companies’ hiring cycles.

The fair gives many seniors a chance to find post-graduation jobs and provides a great opportunity for sophomores and juniors to get internships, Executive Director of Experiential Learning Kyle Foust, Ph.D., said.

Some of the top companies that will be present at the fair include Lord Corporation, Erie Insurance Group, UPMC, Barber National Institute, Citadel Broadcasting, and Waddell and Reed Financial Advisors.

The complete list of these many companies may be found online on the My Mercyhurst Portal.

“Students get a chance to meet several employers, and it’s a great time to talk to professionals because networking is so important,” Foust said.

About 600 students attend the Career Fair each year, and Foust encourages more to participate.

“It’s an important event for anyone on a job search, and students should be received well by the employers,” he said.

Students are advised to bring approximately 20 resumes to the fair to give to the various companies. Students should check the company listings online to give themselves a better idea of how many copies they will need, Foust said.

The Career Development Office on campus can help students compose resumes and print several copies for the event.

Dolores Griswold, administrative assistant and Career Fair coordinator at the Career Development Center, led the event’s organization.