In a room full of job-hungry college students, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd, but now University Career Services has a solution that can get students noticed by employers.

Mason’s Career Services are launching a new pin program to help prospective students catch the eye of possible employers at Mason’s career fairs, the next one being on October 1 and 2 in Dewberry Hall. Students receive a pin if they attend three “pin approved” programs held by Career Services. There are nine programs, ranging from Practice Interview Day to Take a Patriot to Work Day, all before the first career fair. Once three programs have been attended, the student receives a lapel pin to wear to upcoming career fairs.

Career Services created the pin program in hopes of readying new graduates for futures in their career fields. Jen Pollard, Assistant Director for Trends, Assessment, and Communication at Career Services hopes the pin will become an incentive for students to become more career-ready.

“[The pins] will prove to employers that [the students have] engaged with our office and can earn those professionalism skills that they really need to succeed,” Pollard said.

Career Services wanted to make sure that the students who were looking to earn their pin attended programs that would benefit them in the long run.

“We kind of went through all our events and programs and services and picked those event that we really felt were substantial enough that a student participating in that was really going to improve their skill set,” Pollard said.

The employers will know about the pin program before the career fair and receive notifications telling them how many students are working toward the pin and what it means. Announcements will also be made at the fair to remind employers to look out for students wearing the pin.

“The pin is a good incentive to come to more career fairs just to give me that extra leg up after school to get a career, even in school to get a career,” said sophomore Nicki Rampino, who thinks the program is worth taking part in.

Numerous event fliers have also been put up around campus to attract students to the new pin program.

“If students are looking at the fliers in their residence hall or on our website, there will always be that circle with the M and the quill and it will say next to it ‘Pin Qualifying Event’,” Pollard said.