With the U.S. government headed toward another recession, jobs can be harder for WKU students to find.

The Career Services Center’s Fall Career Expo that happened today in the Preston Center hopes to give students an edge. The event gave students the opportunity to rub elbows with local, regional and national employers.

Robert Unseld, Associate Director of the Career Services Center, said the expo would allow companies to put a face to the name of an online applicant.

“If you apply online, you are an anonymous applicant among millions,” Unseld said. “If you come to an event like this you get to actually meet somebody, look them in the eye, shake their hand and create a rapport that will help you get a job.”

Unseld said that because of the weakened economy students have less time to plan their careers.

“We want students to be thinking about their career more than one week before they graduate,” Unseld said.

Alicia Bell represented Bluegrass Cellular for the expo. Bell said that because Bluegrass is local, it tries to find local employees.

“I am a Western graduate so it means a lot to me to come back and help out my future alumni,” Bell said.

Bell said she thought the job expo was very important for students looking for opportunities.

“Right after I graduated Western, from the job fair I got my very first job,” Bell said.

Bowling Green Graduate Student Amber Hobgood said she came to the expo on a whim but knew what she would gain from it.

“Pretty much for the practice,” Hobgood said. “Practice talking to people, interviewing on the spot. I’m about to graduate from my graduate program with a MPA and I need to start my career.”

While Hobgood and others were at the event for their careers, some students such as Carmel, Ind., sophomore Aaron Burnell were just looking for jobs.

“I thought it was a part-time job fair but it ended up being a career thing,” Burnell said.

Burnell said he wasn’t ready to think about his career.

“I just need a job right now,” Burnell said. “I don’t need a career opportunity yet.”