Dozens of Penn College students took advantage of the Center for Career Design’s “Get Prepped” event in advance of next week’s Fall Career Fair. The center’s staff provided resume reviews, interviewing tips and advice for navigating the Career Fair, and facilitated head shots and business cards. They also encouraged students to “fill a bag” with professional attire from the Career Gear Clothes Closet.
Nathan M. Buettner, a welding & fabrication engineering technology student from Cranberry Township, checks out a shirt from the ample selection provided by the Career Gear Clothes Closet.
“The event offers an opportunity for students to prepare themselves for a successful Career Fair,” said Stacey L. Girven, career events manager. “Of course, we encourage students to visit the Center for Career Design as much as they wish because we offer these services year-round. But we find it helpful to promote all our resources as an event prior to every Career Fair to entice additional students to use the services.”
James L. Anthony Jr., of Montoursville, majoring in software development & information management, visited Get Prepped to pick up his own business cards. “They give me a very nice tangible object with my contact information that I can hand out. They are well-designed,” he said.
According to Girven, “fill a bag” and resume review were most popular among students.
“Combined, professional attire and a clean resume set students up to make that good first impression with prospective employers,” she said.
Logan J. Statler, of Northampton, studying network administration & engineering technology, used the Career Gear Clothes Closet last spring to pick up six free pairs of pants and four shirts for his internship. He returned on Wednesday to outfit a wardrobe for next week’s Career Fair.
“I appreciate not having to spend money on nice clothes,” he said while clutching brown dress pants. “This provides different clothing options for me that I normally wouldn’t see myself wearing.”
Hanah J. Miller, a pre-nursing student from Etters, expressed appreciation for the college housing all career resources in one location and providing staff who offer “concrete answers” to questions. On this day, though, she focused on clothing options. “I need at least one outfit for the Career Fair,” she said with a smile.
For resume reviews, Center for Career Design staff were joined by Jill Lavallee, HR manager for Montoursville-based Auto Trakk LLC. It’s the third time she’s provided her expertise for Get Prepped.
“It’s my way of giving back to the emerging workforce,” Lavallee said. “Most of the students have been well-prepared and very receptive to feedback. They tend to be very professional in their presentation.”
Over 360 employers are registered for the two-day Career Fair, scheduled for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. Girven expects Get Prepped will return prior to the 2026 Spring Career Fair.