Hot diggity damn was that something of a joke. There were a bunch of civil companies there that weren't hiring at all. I overheard other folks in my major mentioning the companies that weren't hiring or that said stuff like "Our goal for this year is to not lay anybody off" and found that to be rather true with the handful of companies I talked to before I left.

Also, there were a shit ton of indians at this event.

Your thoughts/feelings/opinions/experiences?

2/5/2009 5:29:03 PM

i don't waste my time there

you're better off finding someone you know who knows someone who knows someone....

2/5/2009 5:30:07 PM

what i dont get is this

if you're not hiring, why take the expenditure to send reps to the career fair

if you're hurting enough to not have jobs, you should be trying to cut cost at every external spend point

there's an unnecessary one

sure you want to keep your name fresh for recruiting on the bounce back, but if you're not around for the bounce....

2/5/2009 5:33:04 PM

Quote :

"Our goal for this year is to not lay anybody off"

that's at least respectable. I feel as if it is still just as important to make great impressions and follow up with people just as much, even though the short term goal of finding a job with that company isn't possible. Our company hardly has any work, but at least not yet, no consideration of laying anybody off that is performing to their abilities.

What companies were there? look into the DOT Mindstorm, i know you love it there . I don't even know if they are in a freeze, but at least they pay around 42k out of school with good benefits.

Also, think about having to relocate. It seems as if that's the trend now. It's too bad that the career fair sucked, but look at it from this angle... it costs the companies that were there money, so they are probably still looking for talent, even if they are in a freeze. If the right person comes along, rules can be broken.

However, I got my job at the perfect time, right before the economy hit the shitter. Got the interview at the career fair, so i think i'm a little biased toward career fairs.

2/5/2009 5:36:10 PM

DOT is in a freeze and is managed poorly.

I'd rather work a fed job, which I'm looking at right now. Background investigation, here I come!

2/5/2009 6:08:24 PM

The UNCW job fair was canceled altogether.

2/5/2009 6:21:09 PM

got my job at the ecf last year, my company didn't go back though. Hiring freeze

2/5/2009 6:47:09 PM

I think it was amazing that the lines for Intel, IBM, nd just about any company having to do with graphics or electronics were very long. At one point some of the lines were out the door!

2/5/2009 7:01:28 PM

the DOT is a great job, but not someplace you wanna make a career

[Edited on February 5, 2009 at 7:03 PM. Reason : when they're not in a freeze]

2/5/2009 7:02:52 PM

move. you will enjoy anywhere more than Raleigh unless you already are married with a shitload of kids, then its ok

2/5/2009 7:57:18 PM

There will be moving unless I land the job I have a second interview for tomorrow. I'm filling out security clearance forms as we speak to work for teh gubmint.

I'm just trying not to move as I have some medical stuff here I'll have to start over if I move (i.e. I'll have wasted a few hundred bucks on immunotherapy that i'll have to start over from scratch somewhere else). Moving would suck for that reason. :/

2/5/2009 8:18:37 PM

^^ I'm neither married or have a bunch of kids but enjoy Raleigh a lot.

2/5/2009 8:27:18 PM

There's no such thing as a 100% hiring freeze. If you're a good enough candidate any company you would really want to work for will find a way to get you on board.

2/5/2009 9:01:18 PM

"welcome to the engineering career fair. Here's a link where you can submit your resume online."



wasteeeee of my time

2/5/2009 10:41:11 PM