Editors’ Note: A previous version of this story misspelled the name of Ashelea Okayasu. The new version of this story has been updated to correct this, we apologize for the error.
At the Fall 2024 Job & Internship Fair on Oct. 1-2, Sacramento State students and alumni gathered to explore full and part time jobs, internship opportunities and develop their professional identities.
The fair was open to students of all majors and class levels and it connected attendees with over 100 companies present both days.
Caltrans had one of the busiest booths at the event, with a large crowd regularly surrounding the table.
Sac State alumna and Caltrans hiring manager Lisa Franco gave attendees guidance on applying for California state jobs, which often require candidates to submit assessments with their application.
“A lot of students do not know you have to take the state exam, and they wonder why we didn’t call them,” Franco said.
Franco, who majored in communications in college, said she wanted to debunk the misconception that Caltrans is only for engineering majors. She said there are opportunities at Caltrans for positions in IT, accounting, transportation planning and more.
Junior business major Ximena Ramirez said she attended to see what jobs employers were offering and work on her confidence when speaking to them.
“I really wanted to use this as a way to get more comfortable talking to employers and adults,” Ramirez said. “Get through that social anxiety a little bit and use it as exposure therapy.”
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Ashelea Okayasu, a graduate student and intern at Sac State’s Career Center agreed and said that there’s value in meeting employers in person.
“I think the most important thing is the personal interaction that you have with the employers,” Okayasu said. “You actually get to talk with them one-on-one, get to know them, get to know the company.”
Okayasu said that the Career Center offers workshops on resume writing and interview coaching to help students prepare for job opportunities.
“Our motto at the career center is ‘Making dreams a reality,’” she said.
Tristan Vink, who graduated from Sac State in May 2024 with a degree in marketing, saw the event as an opportunity to network professionally and make up for lost time. Vink said that the COVID-19 pandemic interfered with his undergraduate career and made it hard for him to concentrate on networking or internships while in school.
“I had the mindset of, like, ‘Take my classes, go home,’” Vink said. “That was kind of unfortunately the mentality that I had while I was in college.”
Vink currently works at The Home Depot and recommended that students take advantage of career-building opportunities early, and not wait until after graduation.
“If you can get an internship, do it,” Vink said. “I just wish I’d done it while I was in school.”
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Karen Carrillo, a master’s candidate in higher education and policy studies, attended the fair ready to jump-start her career.
“I made sure to come prepared, dressed professionally with my resume in hand, because I know first impressions are important,” Carrillo said.
Despite her preparation, Carrillo expressed some disappointment with the event, noting that she had hoped to see more public service organizations and political employers in attendance.
Still, she said she appreciated the chance to connect with potential employers, recognizing the challenges of finding meaningful work.
“It’s been a bit difficult to get my foot in the door,” Carrillo said. “I’m open to branching out, even if it’s not directly related to my degree.”
The next Sac State career fair will be in spring 2025. No specific date has been set yet, but the career center events page will have more details once announced.
