Nearly 70 percent of students graduate from college without a job lined up, according to an online poll CollegeGrad.com published in July.

Fortunately, Mercyhurst College students have tools to help them become part of the 30 percent of college graduates who are hired upon commencement.

One of these tools available is Mercyhurst’s annual Career and Job Fair.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, representatives from 85 to 100 organizations will visit Mercyhurst to discuss possible career opportunities with students.

Students and representatives will meet from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, between 2007 and 2009, the number of unemployed college graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher rose 136 percent, which totals 2.2 million people. In September 2009, the nation lost 263,000 jobs, which increased the unemployment rate to 9.8 percent.

These statistics should prompt students to take an active role in job-seeking during their senior year.

The Career and Job Fair encourages this active approach to job-seeking by providing students with exposure to career roles and hiring businesses.

“It’s one of the biggest and best career fairs in the area,” Director of Career Services Robert J. Hvezda said.

Hvezda explained that the career fair can benefit all students.

“It’s great for freshmen to experience their first career fair and to market themselves,” Hvezda said.

Sophomores and juniors should also market themselves, and seniors should focus on networking, Hvezda said.

Hvezda encourages all students to bring résumés and dress professionally for the event because organizations may set up a job interview on the spot.

The Career and Job Fair benefits students because it is “a great chance for us to explore various job opportunities available through our majors,” freshman Alyssa Ross said.

Student admission is free to the Career and Job Fair. Organizations pay a registration fee to be in the fair, which supports the Kelly Salvo Morey Career Services Scholarship Fund, devoted to helping students affected by cancer.

For more information, check out one of the posters around campus or visit careerfair.mercyhurst.edu.