Over 100 representatives from well-known franchises and local businesses could be seen tabling in front of Salazar Hall and in the Seawolf plaza on Wednesday Sept. 12. The employers were engaged in animated conversation, the students seemed eager and professional; to any passerby, the scene might have seemed like an average job fair.

However, this was, in fact, Sonoma State’s first part-time job fair. Students interested in part-time employment and gaining manageable work experiences were encouraged to show up in professional attire with their student ID card and their resume. According to many, the much-awaited event was a success. 

These employers came from all sorts of fields: Health, Food Services, Education, and Sales. Additionally, they all came with the intent of hiring and making connections with Sonoma State students. Some tables even conducted on-site interviews to hire students that day.

Tawny Lee, Sonoma State’s Student Center Operations Manager, explained how she had worked as a part-time employee at Sonoma State herself before graduating and working as a full-time employee. “I think I grew a lot while working here,” she said. “I can attribute it to my job and the people I worked with, and the responsibilities that come with it.”

On who she was looking to hire, Lee specified that she’s looking for a self-starter who’s going to show up and work hard for the whole shift—someone whose hand you don’t have to hold throughout the whole experience. 

Anne Van Roekel, a recruiter for Nugget Markets, could also be seen among the crowd at a table covered in informational forms and complementary sporks. Nugget Markets, she explained, has been a local family-owned chain of grocery stores for 92 years. 

The kinds of students they’re looking for, she said, should be “open to trying something new or expanding their retail experience… It’s not really about your experience as much as what you want to learn and how you interact with people.” What she really looks for in an interview, Van Roekel concluded, is a positive attitude.

Kathy Tringali, another representative and employee for Big 5 Sporting Goods, said she would be looking for similar things in students as well. Specifically, she noted that she’d pay attention to eye-contact, hand-shaking, and resumes during her interactions with students that day. 

Tringali said that she really likes to come to Sonoma, because “there’s a great bunch of students here. I like the event—it’s very well organized.”

Dressed in her professional attire, Hailey Unger, first year business and wine major, offered a student’s perspective of the event.

“I’m glad to see that there’s a big turnout, that there’s going to be—hopefully—a lot of job opportunities and a nice variety. I’m looking for someone who’s able to understand that classes come first,” she said. In this respect, Unger is not alone. Sonoma State students often find themselves with either too little hours to financially support themselves or are overwhelmed with too many hours due to a lack of supporting staff. 

For example, Mikaela King—a second year Kinesiology major—sided with Unger on this issue. On the fair providing a solution to this issue, she said, “it shows students that there’s more opportunities for work than they think. If people don’t want to work on campus, I think this is a great way to involved in the community.” 

Considering the turnout, the diversity of opportunities, and the student reviews, it’s safe to say that this event should be something to look forward to in the future.