After two years of anticipation, the Career Development Center (CDC) has returned to host their first in-person Career Fair since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Sept. 15, students anxiously gathered in the Beckerman Recreation Center to meet with businesses and organizations regarding available internships, and both part and full-time job opportunities in the New Haven area.

Organizations in attendance included the New Haven Police Department, Drug Reinforcement Administration, Rape Crisis Center of Connecticut, Yale Conference and Events, York Analytical Laboratories, All About Kids Pediatric Dentistry and the Whitney Rehabilitation Care Center.

Baki Izzat, the CDC’s employer relations manager, said her primary goal is to help students on campus navigate their way in the world. “My advice for students looking for careers is to ask questions. Be open, don’t be afraid to ask questions, there are always resources around you. You never know who you’re going to meet.” Izzat said that the students who are bold enough to ask her questions are almost always the ones who are hired for the job.

Izzat encourages students to stay connected using online resources. “I’ve even encouraged our campus departments to go digital,” she said, emphasizing the impact that digital media has had on university resources since the start of COVID-19.

Tammy Leno, human resources manager of Vista Life Innovations, is looking for students who are interested in applying for leadership positions such as life skills instructors, program instructors and job coaches. She said, “We focus on providing programs and services to adults who have disabilities. The goal of our programming is for our population to be able to live an independent life.”

Leno encourages students to participate in internships and part-time jobs during the school year to gain more experience. “Don’t be afraid to network and talk to people in different industries just to ask questions and learn a little bit more,” she said, “It’s the perfect exploration period.”

Dominique Kunz, advocate and community educator for the Rape Crisis Center of Milford, encourages students to get involved with the organization. “We have advocates who speak different languages, backgrounds in trauma influence or previous education in psychology or criminal justice, even those who want to work in social services,” she said. “We’re open to almost any discipline of study. We serve a wide population of students, so we do best if we have a very diverse application of advocates.”

Megan Palluzzi, program director for Yale Conference and Events, provided a wide range of available opportunities for university students to plug into this semester. She said, “We usually hire about eight to 10 assistants who work with a program director one-on-one during all of their events to figure out all of the logistics.”

Palluzzi also discussed their programs that run part-time during the spring semester and full-time during the summer. Available positions include operation and hospitality coordinators, and office managers and assistants. “We’re just looking for people who are looking and willing to do and try everything. You can be the friendly face that people see when they get to campus.”

Palluzi advises students to regularly check their email and update their resumes as often as possible when applying for a job position at Yale. “You never know when the opportunity might arise.”