Representatives from a wide range of companies including hedge fund corporations, software companies, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Peace Corps attended the event, crowded into the Hop to speak with potential applicants.
Jennifer Stone '10 said she exited the fair disappointed and frustrated.
"I'm stressed," she said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "Generally speaking, I don't have any specific ideas [for jobs], and even if I did, there aren't many opportunities."
Many fellow seniors said they shared Stone's anxiety, while others said they chose to avoid thoughts of the current fiscal situation entirely.
"At this point, I'm trying not to think about [the economy] to limit the stress," David Peterson '10 said.
Despite students' feelings of unease, many employers emphasized their willingness to hire students directly out of college.
Kelly Hogan, recruiting manager for the financial software company Eze Castle Integration, described her interest in undergraduates as "a long-term investment."
Hogan described her ideal applicant as "personable" and "quick on their feet," adding that Eze Castle Integration does not discriminate based on students' majors or prior job experience. While at the fair, she noted that many Dartmouth students fit this criteria and had already piqued her interest as potential employees.
"The students here are very open-minded with their job search, and we're open in our job search," she said.
Hogan was not the only recruiting representative who said she was impressed by Dartmouth undergraduates, as several employers described students as "well-spoken" and "willing to take chances."
Dave Leis, a representative from the specialist consulting company Lippincott, noted that the students he interacted with appeared to be very prepared.
"We're looking for hires with creative thinking [abilities], problem solving skills and professionalism," he said. "This is one of the schools where I've found the best balance of those three characteristics."
Prior to attending the fair, many students said they researched potential employers and arrived with questions. Their efforts did not go unnoticed.
"I'm impressed with the coaching of students, research and types of questions they came with," said Lynda Bugg, a representative from A.T. Kearney, a global management consulting firm.
While students appeared qualified and business savvy to potential employers at the fair, several undergraduates discussed the pressure of the job application process and recalled horror stories of past interviews gone wrong in interviews with The Dartmouth.
A female member of the Class of 2010, who wished to remain anonymous to preserve her future employment chances, recalled when a potential employer asked her how she had built her resume, referring to community service and other extracurricular activities.
"I was like, Well, my boyfriend and my sister helped me on it,'" she said. "I felt like such an idiot."
