As spring and summer months crawl closer, positions in restaurants and hospitality-related jobs are on the horizon for students at Cal State Long Beach.
For the first time in university history, the Career Development Center will be hosting an independent Hospitality Expo in partnership with the Hospitality Management Department March 7 from noon to 3 p.m. in the University Student Union ballrooms.
The Hospitality Career Expo will feature over 20 employers including Hyatt Hotels, The Queen Mary, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Catalina Island Company and Wedgewood Weddings. The majority of employers are looking to hire students for full-time and part-time positions, some paid and unpaid.
“We’d love to see at least 500 students,” said Daniel Carlos, an employer and job development specialist for the Career Development Center on campus. “Even though this is an industry-specific fair, students of all majors are welcome to attend and learn about the diverse career opportunities in hospitality.”
According to the center’s website, only two of the 31 confirmed employers at the expo are seeking students majoring in hospitality.
“As a soon-to-be CSULB graduate, I’m hoping to find a potential post-graduate job at the expo,” said Dana Braverman, a senior majoring in hospitality management. “I definitely think that each year the expo has grown and gotten even better, so this year I expect great things.”
According to Carlos, the event is now being held at the ballrooms rather than its previous location at The Pointe. Renee Morris, a senior majoring in hospitality management, spoke of her experience last year.
“The room is filled with companies, so it’s a little overwhelming in the beginning, but once I start talking to the recruiters, I got more confident in my answers,” Morris said. “It helped me gain experience in conversations about myself for a potential job.”
This job fair will provide students with exposure to possible future jobs and internships thanks to the collaboration between the Hospitality Management Department and Career Development Center.
Participating students are expected to dress nicely and bring copies of their resumes.