More than 2,000 students swarmed at last Friday's Career Forum in the Gordon Indoor Track and Tennis Center in search of business cards, free giveaways and, in some cases, jobs.

Investment banks and consulting companies dominated the forum, passing out T-shirts, frisbees, stuffed animals, mugs and pens bearing corporate logos to attract students to their tables.

"There were great toys," said Chris C. Rollins '00.

According to Bill Wright-Swadel, director of the Office of Career Services, 144 companies from across the country spoke to students at the fair.

This year's fair was unique, Wright-Swadel said, because of the large number of young alumni representing the companies.

"Not only do students have the opportunity to talk to a representative, but very often that person has gone through Harvard as well," Wright-Swadel said. "They have a perspective on what students have done, and students can relate in a very clear way."

Elizabeth Hren '97 attended the forum as a representative of Capital One, an information-based marketing company, to speak with students.

While a few students brought resumes, she said most were just trying to learn about the types of opportunities at the fair.