Taylor Southern is a junior at Wichita State studying Health Management with a concentration
in Health Administration. She's also cracked the code on career fairs.
Southern attended the Shocker Career Accelerator's Health Professions Career Fair
on March 23, 2022. However, it was her preparation that set her up for success. Before
the fair, she attended the Shocker Career Accelerator's Career Fair Prep Workshop
and Resume Clinic.
"I revamped my resume, researched each company's website, and made a list of all the
companies I wanted to talk to," Southern says.
Southern encourages other students to attend the workshops because they helped her
prepare and research. She said developing her elevator speech helped calm her nerves,
tell employers her major and network at the career fair.
"I didn't think I would find a lot of positions available for my specific degree,"
Southern says. "Many did, but if they didn't, I was still able to work on my networking
and communication skills."
Southern said her experience at the career fair made her feel better about what's
to come after college. She said she made great networking connections and that a few
employers eagerly asked for one of the resumes she had on hand.
"I didn't realize how impactful career fairs can be," Southern says. "Professors help
you learn the knowledge to obtain your degree, but no one hands you a paper with a
specific job description and application."
Networking is a vital skill, and career fairs are a great way to practice and make
connections.
For more information, contact theShocker Career Acceleratorat (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visitwichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita
State campus.
