Former Golden State Warrior star Al Attles kicked off N.C. A&T State University’s two-day career fair by telling students they can never stop striving toward their goals.Attles is a 1960 A&T graduate who later played professional basketball, coached and now works in the front office for the Golden State Warriors. Attles explained that A&T gave him the opportunity to excel in life. “I was able to go to a school where the people really cared about me. I was fortunate enough to have good people around me who let me know when I was headed in the wrong direction.”Attles stressed the importance of a good education. He knows that staying in school is the best way to open door and achieve goals.”You’re living in a competitive world. You can never be satisfied. Always continue to strive for goal after goal because if you don’t achieve it, somebody else will,” he said. Striving for their goals is exactly what A&T students were trying to accomplish on Sept. 13 in Corbett Sports Arena. Between 9 a.m.-4 p.m., an estimated 6,000 students entered the building with the hopes of finding future employment. Companies were present from all over the nation, with 598 booths registered, and all majors were welcome to attend. “We added more booths this year to accommodate an increase of recruiters,” said Associate Vice Chancellor of Career Services Leon Warren.Warren added, “Today’s job market is geared toward students, so they need to take full advantage of the opportunities offered here because some schools don’t even offer the kind of program that we have.” Preparation is the key. Those who have it easily stand out, according to J.T. Henry of Verizon Communications, who was eager and ready to converse with students to see what their ambitions were.”It’s nice for them to be friendly and ask questions about the company. It’s noticeable when the student is prepared and has done some research about the company beforehand,” she said.Henry later added, “It’s good to have a real conversation about the student’s interest so both parties can decide if the company is right for them.” James Bullock, a senior accounting major, spent his entire summer polishing his resume in hopes of landing that special job. Bullock was not alone: Many students spent time getting themselves ready to participate in the fair. “I researched companies on the school web site, prepared questions to ask the recruiters, and had my resume edited by my professors in the Business Department,” said senior business management major Lianna Fooks. The students were not just evaluating the recruiters to determine which company was right for them. The recruiters were examining the students to evaluate their appearance and professionalism. Adrian Myles and Joe Robertson, representing SunTrust Bank in Atlanta, commented on how some A&T students did not appear to be taking the program seriously. Myles said, “The majority of the people are not dressed appropriately. Open-toed shoes, tattoos, short skirts and facial piercing are unacceptable. The lack of dress is what separates A&T from other schools.”Robertson explained that a student should approach a potential employer by “introducing yourself, followed by a firm handshake — effective communication skills that every student needs.” The Career Awareness Program was designed to connect students with potential employers to prepare them for the real world.Robertson said, “If we don’t help our own, then who will? A&T has some of the best minds anywhere, but it’s the little things that can keep them from achieving their goals.”