With 186 employers ranging from the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States Army Corps of Engineers to Merck and Boeing, the Engineering Career Fair offered prospective employees and interns numerous possibilities, and it was no secret to area job-seekers.

Thousands stood in lines outside the McKimmon Center in the drizzle Tuesday morning, anxious to explore the opportunities available at the Career Fair.

Owing to the economic climate, throngs of people filled the center and crowded in front of the recruiters’ displays

Harsimabir Singh, a graduate student with a degree in engineering management from Duke University, said the crowds resulted from the large number of job-seekers.

“A lot of crowding, I would say, [because] of a lot of people looking for jobs.”  

Al Bryant, a senior in electrical engineering, said he felt happy about how companies were taking interest in his accomplishments.

“It’s kind of good to see people actually interested in the things that I’ve done for four years of college; it’s kind of interesting to see that it’s kind of paying off now and they’re actually happy to see the classes I’ve taken and so [the classes] have done me some good.”

From freshmen searching for internships to seniors searching for employment, most attendees were able to get something out of the fair.

Katherine Thompson, a freshman in biomedical engineering, said she found the career fair to be less stressful than she anticipated.

“It’s less nerve-wracking than I thought it would be, to be perfectly honest,” Thompson said.

Thompson found her desired internship at the fair.

“I was able to get my resume in to Oak Ridge Labs for the possibility of a summer internship, which is good because they come very highly recommended,” Thompson said.

Thompson also said a good way to be considered for a position at the fair was to have some initiative. “A lot of people are being won over by introducing yourself first, I’ve noticed,” Thompson said. “Most of [the recruiters] just say, ‘Hi’ and look at your nametag and then they start talking to you. If you go forward and say ‘Hi, Katherine Thompson, biomedical, un-matriculated ‘ … like give some information, it makes an impression, a good impression.”

Despite the poor economic situation, several international students and University alumni said that they were encouraged by the opportunities available to them.

Kevin Braswell, an alumnus, said that he liked how the fair was organized.

“It seems like a pretty nice setup, lot of companies here, it’s a good selection,” Braswell said. Although Braswell said that the job market is poor right now and companies are tending to look more at students and recent graduates, he was encouraged by the offers that he had gotten at the fair.

“I got a few names of some local people, that was pretty much all I hoped to get, so [it’s] pretty encouraging.”

Ye Cao, a graduate student in civil and environmental engineering from China, said she has been lucky to find job opportunities at two environmental engineering consulting firms at the fair.

“The people here are very nice,” Cao said, “even if you can’t find a job or if they don’t have openings, it’s a good way for people to get to know each other. I’ve been seeing the [opportunities] for international students; you know, the economic situation is not very good so not a lot of companies will take international students, so I don’t have many choices. I’m still positive and I think that the economy’s getting better and better.”

In the end, Bryant said having any job or position is about growing and developing while enjoying yourself.

“I’m just looking for a job that gives me the opportunity to grow so I won’t be stuck in [one] position, something that’s not monotonous, something I enjoy doing.”