The 2013 Recruitment Fair at the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts will be held Thursday, February 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Lawrence Hall on the UO campus. The event enables employers, current students, and recent graduates to engage first-hand with one another about career opportunities. Friday, March 1, is set aside for candidate interviews.

Event coordinators hope to attract more than two dozen potential employers for students across A&AA departments and programs. Employers represented include private firms, small entrepreneurs, nonprofits, government agencies, corporations, and arts and culture organizations.

At least one employer is looking to fill a position in its Hawaii office. Other returning employers note that while they may not come to the fair with current openings to fill, they do come with future positions in mind.

“Our work load changes frequently, and sometimes rapidly,” says Bill Seider of PIVOT Architecture in Eugene. “We do collect resumes and will contact people we meet at the job fair for interviews when positions open up. Seventeen of our 26 current employees, including three of the six partners and three of the four associates, went to the UO School of Architecture.”

Several architectural firms will be present, and event organizers also expect organizations from the arts and culture sectors to further represent the diversity within A&AA programs, says Kassia Dellabough, director, Office of Professional Outreach & Development for Students (PODS).

Firms are looking for a mix of skills. Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) in Emeryville, California, likes UO graduates because they can fill more than one niche in the firm’s areas of expertise. “The first time I went up for the fair I found out that there is also a minor in historic preservation, which made the program an even better fit for our company,” says Andy Weber, associate principal of WJE, which includes a historic preservation specialty.

While employers from outside Oregon are participating in the fair, local firms such as Seider’s also will be present.

“Many graduating students believe they have to go to other cities to take the next step in their professional career. We want them to know they can remain in Eugene and work at a firm that will challenge and support them on the path to becoming a licensed architect,” Seider says.

The fair also provides convenient “one-stop shopping” for employers seeking job candidates.

“Employers have a unique opportunity to engage with A&AA’s 1,700 students right where they work and study,” says Dellabough of PODS. “They can connect with students who will be graduating and looking for work, as well as those who just declared a major and are exploring options in their field.”

Several students wound up with jobs from last year’s event, Dellabough said.

“Students have a chance to meet with potential employers and learn more about the wide range of career opportunities available. They’ll be surprised at the diversity even within a single organization,” she said. “Last year's event produced several paid internship positions for student as well as several hires after graduation in June, not to mention impromptu reviews and feedback of work in process.”

Employers know that forging a long-term partnership can cultivate stronger ties with new emerging talent, Dellabough said. “Early relationship building creates internship and future job opportunities, as well as mentors to help guide you while in school. Sometimes, unique opportunities spring out of just impromptu meetings at the fair.”

Participating employers this year include Mulvanny G2 Architecture, Group MacKenzie, HEROweb, Adidas, ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects), PIVOT Architecture, and Ankrom Moisen Architects, among many others.

Potential recruiters can register here to participate.