For one, there's Job Fairs of Milwaukee, a newly formed branch of a national firm that will hold career fairs exclusively in the Milwaukee area.,”

With graduation looming, students feeling the pressure to find a job have several local options to find anxiety relief.

For one, there's Job Fairs of Milwaukee, a newly formed branch of a national firm that will hold career fairs exclusively in the Milwaukee area. The local branch will hold its first job fair March 6 at Brookfield Suites Hotel, 1200 S. Moorland Rd.

Marquette students of all academic concentrations are encouraged to attend, according to Bob Cramer, owner and president of Job Fairs of Milwaukee. Companies such as Northwestern Mutual, MetLife and MilwaukeeJobs.com will be present, with representatives available for one-on-one interviews. Cramer said he believes job fairs are the best way for students to connect with potential employers.

"The job fair will consist of a wide cross-section of professional opportunities with localized companies," Cramer said. "Instead of sending your resume and cover letter to a job board, at a job fair you actually have to meet somebody. Our motto is 'It's people, not paper, that make the difference.'"

Cramer, a Mequon native, also noted that now is a great time for students to enter the workforce, thanks to a strong economy, low unemployment rates and an expanding market for information technology, engineering, banking, sales and retail workers.

"Students have greater opportunities now than ever before," Cramer said. "When you go to a job fair, you're a walking, talking, breathing resume."

When students start their quest toward employment, one tool they can utilize is Marquette's Career Services Center. In addition to an extensive list of job fairs occurring nationwide, the center's Web site, www.mu.edu/csc, includes resources such as resume and cover letter guidelines, interviewing tips and advice about networking – and that's just online.

Students can also make appointments with professional career counselors, according to Laura Kestner, CSC director.

"We help students to determine their career goals, interests, values and skills so they can say, 'This is what I want to do next,'" Kestner said. "Employers are impressed by that – knowing what you're looking for."

Kestner cited responding to job boards, developing a list of potential employers and networking as important steps for students. Students should start mapping out their careers with the help of CSC, either second semester of their freshman year or early in their sophomore year, according to Kestner.

With so many job search engines on the internet today – Hotjobs.com, Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, just to name a few – it's hard to know where to start looking.

One option is MilwaukeeJobs.com, a job listing site geared toward people hoping to find employment in Wisconsin. George Blomgren, director of marketing for MilwaukeeJobs.com, said students should try his company's services because it has a high success rate for job seekers.

"There's a lot of good information about resumes, cover letters and networking," Blomgren said about the Web site.

Job hunters should remember that although students might not have relevant experience, everyone has some experience – whether a student was a resident assistant or on a sports team, any leadership experience is attractive to employers, Blomgren said.

"Everybody has some good skills in their background, it all comes down to recognizing how they're relevant to employers," he said.

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