Despite Monday's stock market crash and the marked absence of several large investment firms, students packed into the top of the Hopkins Center for the Arts and Alumni Hall Wednesday for the first day of the 2008 Employee Connections Fair. But a full-page ad for the now-bankrupt Lehman Brothers, printed in the event's directory brochure, served as a bleak reminder of the current state of the credit crisis.
Representatives from Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Accenture and Deutsche Bank -- which have all been hit by the financial meltdown -- will not return to campus for this year's fair. Visa and American International Group had planned to send representatives, but later canceled.
The fair, which traditionally kicks off the corporate recruiting season, has been seen in the past as an opportunity for students to reach out to some of the powerhouse companies of international finance. This year the event, hosted by Dartmouth Career Services, will bring over 100 employers over the course of two days.
"At the fair, we actually have quite a mix of employees," Monica Wilson, associate director of employer relations at Career Services, said. "There's a really amazing lineup of not-for-profit organizations we're going to see this year, some really national names. There's something for everybody."
A number of new companies have sent representatives in the wake of larger, departing firms, Wilson said. Several major corporations, such as Google, NBC Universal and JPMorgan, will still appear at the fair, but Wilson said she encourages students to look at smaller regional companies they might not otherwise consider.
"Students have always looked at big names, regardless of the industry," she said. "A big name is prestigious, and safe and attractive. While there have been big names in the investment business, there are still big names in finance, and there are going to be rising stars across the board."
Wilson said she expects companies in the health-care, science and technology industries, as well as branches of the government and regulatory agencies, to hire in greater numbers this year. The presence of different types of companies can be beneficial to students unsure of what career they will pursue, she said.
"Every year, we see a number of students who go into organizations to pay off their loans. There are a lot of options that could allow you to do that, that may be a better fit," she said. "[Students] should be looking at opportunities based on skills and organization lifestyle before they look at the name. In the last few years, it's the other way around."
Evan Sparks '07, said he found that students were interested in the companies represented and eager to find out more about them. Sparks represented MDT Advisers, a Boston-based investment management firm that he discovered at a career fair he attended while at Dartmouth. Sparks said his firm hoped to find and hire capable students.
