New Business Career Fair Expected to Enhance Orfalea College's Already-High Post-graduation Success Rate
Handshakes, elevator pitches and a few nervous glances at name tags filled the Cal Poly Recreation Center on Sept. 18, as 1,550 students turned out for Cal Poly’s first Business Career Fair. As the sound of chatter rose from the growing line of students, 67 employers put the finishing touches on their booths inside.
The idea for the fair began when a club within the Orfalea College of Business approached Dean Damon Fleming for help planning career fairs and recruiting events. The timing, organizers said, had a lot to do with changes happening across the hiring landscape. Pulling it off required active collaboration between staff and students, from numerous departments and clubs.
“With many employers narrowing their partner universities as hiring slows, the timing felt right to lean into a more coordinated effort to engage our industry partners,” said Mallory Stoffel, coordinator of Cal Poly’s Career Readiness Center.
Staff from across Cal Poly, namely Career Services and the Orfalea College of Business’s Career Readiness Center, planned for over six months while actively engaging with student leaders to create what became the Business Career Fair. Before outreach even began, staff members created a group composed of student leaders, called the Business Career Fair Council. The goal of this council was to include students and clubs in the planning process, especially with employer outreach. Undertaking a brand-new project meant building employer relationships, logistics and student promotion from the ground up.
The most pressing challenge was finding one day that worked for all the employers and their tight recruiting schedules. Even after finding a workable date, organizers still had to ask employers to spend time and money on an event that had never been held before.
“For a first-time event, there is the added step of asking employers to take a chance on something new,” Stoffel said.
Once the doors opened, the work shifted to students, who had the opportunity to find employment with companies such as Deloitte and Qualcomm.
As the ever-growing line of well-dressed students began to move, they reminded themselves why they were attending. Whether for an internship, a full-time job or just practice talking to recruiters, students entered the Recreation Center ready to pitch themselves to employers, including Gallo and Amgen, in their desired field.
Many arrived dressed in suits and blazers, folders of freshly printed resumes tucked under their arms. Some snapped photos on their way in, while recruiters stood in front of booths decked out with company banners and signage, ready to introduce themselves. Students moved through the rows in all sorts of different moods: some walked with purpose, searching for a specific company, others struck up animated conversations and still others simply extended a hand and introduced themselves. For employers, the day offered more than a pipeline of talent. It was also a chance to put their name in front of hundreds of Orfalea students.
“The first conversation is always just getting the nerves out, but after that, talking to recruiters is intuitive,” said Isaiah Castro, a fourth-year business administration student concentrating in real estate finance. “You could be as nervous as you make yourself.”
Jacquelin Ayala, a fourth-year business administration student, had a similar experience.
“Three of my conversations led to follow-up emails and interviews,” Ayala said. “That made the career fair feel worthwhile because it led me to real career opportunities.”
For some, the conversation went beyond the hardwood floors and led to an interview offer. Castro was one of them.
“The first conversation is always just getting the nerves out, but after that, talking to recruiters is intuitive. You could be as nervous as you make yourself.”
-- Isaiah Castro, real estate finance student
“I got an offer for an interview with a company after I visited the wrong booth,” Castro said. “I guess the recruiter felt like he had a lot in common with me.”
Throughout the fair, many students found themselves discussing specific roles, including internships and full-time positions with employers. Those occurrences were not by coincidence. Cal Poly and the Orfalea College of Business place substantial emphasis on getting students in front of employers and making sure they are prepared. This strategy is in part why the college reports strong graduate outcomes, with 84% of 2024-25 graduates working, attending graduate school or otherwise positively engaged within nine months of graduating, according to Cal Poly Career Services.
Looking ahead, organizers have specific goals in mind.
“I hope the Business Career Fair keeps growing until students in all Orfalea majors and concentrations can walk in and see opportunities for themselves, because this event is ultimately about connecting students to jobs and internships,” Stoffel said.
As the afternoon wore on, the noise inside the Recreation Center only grew. Students maneuvered between the booths, visibly more confident as they spoke to each new recruiter. For organizers, the first Business Career Fair was just the beginning.
“I also hope it becomes a starting point for something bigger: strong, lasting employer relationships for Cal Poly and the Orfalea College of Business, so that students find opportunities well beyond a single event,” Stoffel said.
