“Making it in the Media” Job Fair Gives Students an Edge in Tight Job Market

Admission is free, and the fair will be held in UA’s Ferguson Center Ballroom from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Most of Alabama’s large newspapers, television stations and public relations firms will be in attendance, which makes this an important event for students who hope to enter those job fields.

The registration deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 9. Students from any college can register by e-mail to mullins@jn.ua.edu by sending their name, school name, year in school and major/minor.

They can also register by filling out a registration form on the bottom of the green fliers posted around the UA campus and return them by mail to the journalism department in the College of Communication and Information Science (PO Box 870172, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487) or they can return them to the journalism office, 490 Phifer Hall.

To date, about 30 recruiters who represent the full range of mass communication fields will be in attendance, according to Dr. Ed Mullins, professor, chairperson of the journalism department and job fair coordinator.

“In seven years our fair has emerged as one that students and recruiters alike look forward to,” Mullins said.

“We will have more than 200 students from several colleges and universities in attendance and should have about 30 recruiters from radio, TV, newspapers, magazine, online, advertising and public relations companies or departments. Our student organizations get behind this and help make it happen.”

Recruiters can register by mail, though e-mail is preferred mullins@jn.ua.edu, by sending in the name(s) of the recruiter, company name, address, phone and e-mail address by Oct. 9 and whether they want 15 minute or 20 minute interviews. They should bring brochures and signage.

Students should bring half a dozen copies of their resumes and work samples they are prepared to leave with recruiters. Roundtable discussions on resume and portfolio preparation, media ethics and freedom of information will be held throughout the day.

The cooperating student organizations for the job fair are the Capstone Association of Black Journalists, who came up with the idea for the fair seven years ago, Advertising Federation, Public Relations Student Society of American, Public Relations Council of Alabama, Alabama Student Society for the Communication Arts, Radio and Television News Directors Association, Society of Professional Journalists, the Student Executive Council and Society of News Design.

The College of Communication & Information Sciences is among the largest and most prestigious communication colleges in the nation. Graduating more than 12,000 students, C&IS is consistently ranked among the top 10 in number of doctoral degrees awarded and in many of its research programs. C&IS graduates have won four of the six Pulitzer Prizes awarded to University of Alabama alumni, and the forensics and debate squad, housed within the College, has garnered 14 national championships.