On Wednesday, Sept. 26, the Simon Recreation Center was filled with people who were looking for more then just exercise.

Groups of students and business representatives covered the gymnasium, floor taking the opportunity to network, turn in resumes and simply browse the job market, thanks to the efforts of Saint Louis University’s Career Services.

Career Services sponsored its annual Job Fair, which brings companies, both local and national, together with students looking for internships, summer jobs or post-graduate work.

Career Services host two multipurpose job fairs during the months of September and January along with numerous small fairs geared to specific fields such as nursing and business.

“The job fair is a great chance for students to connect with employers and discover prospectives for the future,” said Dee Kauffman, internship and job fair Coordinator for Career Services.

Students attending the fair have the opportunity to visit with recruiters at their respective booths. They are able to meet with the companies and learn more about positions being offered.

A majority of the students who attended were already looking for summer jobs or internship opportunities.

Pete Geisen, a junior majoring in Biomedical Engineering, attended the Job Fair for his second time and said, “This is helpful for students because it is a good source of information. It is a mutual search by both the companies and the students so everyone benefits.”

Brandon Middleton, a junior and International Business/Economics major, agreed, “There is a good group of companies here. It feels good to actually turn my resume in to a person rather then just through the Internet.”

The companies represented at the fair, ranging from Boeing to A.G. Edwards, are looking for a variety of applicants to fill positions.

Steve Waha, a representative from the utility company, Ameren, encourages students to submit their resumes early, “We look for students early in their college career who are interested in internships and hands-on experience. We, as a company, always receive a good turnout at these job fairs.”

Boeing, one of the largest employers in the St. Louis area, regularly attends the Saint Louis University Job Fair.

“Boeing always comes to SLU because Parks College and the Business School supplies a large group of applicants for us. Despite recent reports of lay-offs occurring in the aviation business, Boeing is still actively hiring for the non-commercial sector,” reported recruiter Mark Guenther.

For those who missed the Job Fair yesterday, Career Services offers another opportunity to attend in January.

However, students need not wait until then. Kauffman encourages every SLU student to stop by Career Services, “Come in and see us. It is never too early to use Career Services. The earlier a student starts in a job search, the better prepared he or she will be when the time comes.”