Tag: Baruch 2013 undergraduate career fair

Make the Most of Attending the Career Fairs (CPA – 9/27, Fall Career Day – 10/4)

By: Alina Nesterenko

 

The fall career fairs are around the corner! The CPA fair will take on place September 27th on the fourteenth floor. Career Day will take place October 4th at the VC gymnasium. What’s the best way to stay calm in what can appear to be an overwhelming environment? Be prepared and be confident! Knowing what to do before, during, and after these events will help you succeed.

 

Employers at the CPA Fair are seeking out accounting majors, while the Fall Career Day is geared towards all professions and majors. Visit StarrSearch and look under the Events tab to find out which employers will be coming to these fairs. With the information at your disposal ahead of time, you can plan which employers with whom you would like to speak. Not only that, but you can demonstrate your enthusiasm, passion, or curiosity about the company to the recruiter if you have done proper research. Some companies have released information about the positions they are looking to fill. Applying online before the fair is a good idea. You can ask thoughtful questions about the position to show your interest. Remember to bring with you a list of the employers and their summaries because you will not be given a packet when you arrive.

 

Aside from being knowledgeable, you must look presentable. Your appearance is one of the most important steps in preparing for the fairs because it will be the first impression you will give a recruiter. You should not aim to stand out for your unique choice of attire. The dress code is business professional. In short, wear a dark suit. For some, the term “professional” may include removing eye-catching piercings, cutting long nails, and straying away from flashy jewelry. You should bring at least 20 copies of your most up-to-date resume in a nice business portfolio or a neat folder. Plan according what you will bring with you, so you do not leave your stuff unattended.

 

Now that your company research and appearance are taken care of, think about your behavior. The first thing you will have to do when it is your turn to speak to the recruiter is shake his or her hand. This means you must practice giving a firm handshake. After, you will likely give your personal pitch. A personal pitch is a short (1-2 minute) summary of yourself, which may include your current major, year, school involvement, and your reasons why you are interested in the company. A good pitch is more thoughtful than just a list of facts the recruiters can read on your resume. It is should be a good segue to mention what you are looking for in a company or a job function. More times than not, this personal pitch will spark a brief conversation between you and the recruiter. The recruiter will give you a better feel for the company’s culture and will answer questions you may have.

 

Be mindful of the recruiter’s time. If the line behind you is long or you are running out of things to say, you can always reiterate your interest in the company, thank the recruiter, and see whether the recruiter is collecting resumes. For more tips, visit SCDC’s website to view media videos such as How To Tie a Tie, Career Fair Tips, and Don’t Fabricate Your Resume.

 

It is crucial that you thank the recruiter not only at the conclusion of the dialogue, but also in an email after the event is over. Therefore, do not forget to politely ask for a business card or e-mail and follow up. It will be easier to write the e-mail if you have taken notes throughout the fair on the people with whom you’ve spoke and the things you have discussed. A personalized email, where you refer to something mentioned in a conversation, is always better than a generic thank you.

 

Whether this is your first or fifth go at the career fair, walk in with an open mind. Visit employers that have shorter lines than some of the bigger names. Not only can you make a new connection and be exposed to a new role, but you can also practice saying personal pitch and thinking on your feet. This can be your warm-up before you speak to your top choices.

 

The career fairs give students access to new opportunities within many successful firms. It is a chance for them to show recruiters why they are ideal candidates for positions looking to be filled and have meaningful conversations that discuss their future career paths, display interest in the company, and demonstrate their strengths. Be prepared as best as you can be and have fun with it! Be genuine. If you have any questions, the Starr Career Development is here to help. Be sure to check out our workshops such as Job Fair Prep, Resume Rush, and Building Your Brand: The Personal Pitch.

 

Review of Spring 2013 Undergraduate Career Fair

By: Jason Ioffe

On April 12th the Starr Career Development Center hosted its annual Spring Undergraduate Career Fair. Over 350 students donned business attire and brought freshly polished resumes to meet with over 30 recruiters in the Newman Vertical Campus’s gymnasium.

Senior students made up the largest turnout at the event – no doubt, taking advantage of the term’s last career fair to explore options for post-graduation. But surprisingly Baruch freshmen also made up almost a quarter of the fair’s attendees. Whether these freshmen aimed to learn the ropes of career development or wanted to hit the ground running with an internship, they were confident enough to stand toe with upperclassmen.

Freshman Jason Wu was very optimistic about meeting employers and standing out from the crowd. “As a freshman, I expected to be at a disadvantage, but it wasn’t really a problem at all,” he said.

Last February’s undergraduate internship fair may have had a larger turnout of nearly 600 students, but the attendance during April’s career fair ensured that all students had an equal chance to speak to recruiters over the course of four hours.

Safayet Kajol a sophomore at Baruch said, “The career fair is a wonderful opportunity for students to interact with recruiters and learn about opportunities that they can apply to for in the future.”

Representatives from American International Group (AIG) maintained a steady line of students throughout the event as they, for the first time in history, recruited for internal auditing directly on-campus at Baruch.

AIG Technology Audit Manager, Sumukh Shah, said he met with many sophomores and Computer Information System majors that day compared to the students he spoke with during last February’s internship fair. He and his colleagues also mentioned they were happy with how engaging and friendly the students were.

A similar sentiment was shared by Kim Wong, a recruiter from the CUNY IT Specialists Internship program. “We love Baruch students because they are very responsible and hard-working. We love working with the SCDC,” she said.

SCDC Introduces New Career Fair Resources

  • Earlier this year, the SCDC began using iPods to give students attending the day an easy and simple experience when sharing their feedback. Both the staff and Baruch students recognize the sleek, simple design of the iPods as not only an easy way of offering feedback but an attractive way of engaging students in commenting on the resources.
  • In addition to the iPod feedback forms, a new coat check system was introduced on April 12th thanks to efforts from the Peers for Careers and SCDC senior staff members. While coat checks came with a $1 fee from students, a portion of the proceeds were donated directly to Relay for Life, to help fund cancer research. Within just a few hours, this new system raised over $70 for the cause.
  • With introductions to new resources at the fair, the SCDC also continued to lend ties and suit jackets to students in need to help Baruch students make the best first impression.

Career fairs are powerful networking mediums available to Baruch students. The SCDC is committed to making the experience for students a valuable and productive one. If you missed this semester’s career fair, there will be a chance to attend other career fairs this fall. All it costs is the time spent putting the finishing touches on your resume and attending the fair polished and ready–a small price to pay for the potential opportunities to discover.
Jason is a sophomore at Baruch majoring in Computer Information Systems. He is currently a Peer for Career at the Starr Career Development Center and the Webmaster of Starrlights.