Annual Career Fair will be hosted in RCC
By Kayla Lemay
Editor-in-Chief
With another school year in full swing, comes another Internship and Job Fair, which will be held on Thursday, October 2nd, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Rondileau Campus Center (RCC) Large Ballroom.
The Internship and Job Fair, hosted by the Career Services office, is an event held once a semester. The one next week will have 62 companies confirmed to attend, and there are still 30 more doing resume collections due to limited space.
It’s recommended that students research which companies will attend, and because of this, information on every company, including which internships and jobs are being hired for and the names of the recruiters who will be there, can be found on CareerLink, via the Career Services website on the intranet.
However, this is not any old event – students are expected to attend as though they were ready for an interview with a high-profile company. Business casual is the minimum standard, and clothes aren’t the only important part.
John Paganelli, Director of Career Services, said that “most recruiters will say that women with long hair [should] put it back in a bun, and [they] want to see your whole face.”
Women aren’t the only ones expected to manage their hair, either. For men, “It’s okay for guys to have mustaches, goatees, and beards, but you have to trim the neck,” said Paganelli. “That’s a big pet peeve with employers – you have to trim your facial hair, and you can’t have a hairy neck.”
It’s key to consider the competition as well. Many other students will attend the event, talk to the same recruiter, and hand in their resume for the same position as others. It’s important to be remembered, according to Paganelli.
He suggests that students wear something flashy and unique, whether it be a flashy tie, a unique hair accessory, or a pin that will help you stand out from the crowd.
An elevator speech is suggested for all students that will talk to recruiters. “Usually it’s a very quick, who I am, what my major is, what my focus is, if I have experience, and then talking about that internship or job that gives you ammunition,” said Paganelli.
Students may not be required to attend this event, but all that do will be graded – by the companies they hand their resume to.
“When a student hands the recruiter their resume, the recruiter will either put a check-plus, a check, or a check-minus. The check-plus means ‘I was really impressed with this individual, and I want to call him/her back for an interview,’” said Paganelli. “The check means ‘The individual meets all the requirements, but they didn’t really impress me enough.’”
The check-minus is obvious – it means the student won’t be receiving a call.
The event is not limited to upperclassmen, either. Even freshmen are interested in attending. Treina Santos, a freshman Biology major, said, “I’m just going to look at different career options for my major.”
On that note, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) career fields will be underrepresented at this event, but Paganelli says not to worry. On March 18th, 2015, Career Services, partnered with the College of Science and Mathematics, will be hosting a STEM Career Fair.
Students should also check out the event going on in the Crimson and White room that same day, just down the hall from the Large Ballroom in the RCC. From 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., free professional headshots will be offered.
“Of the students who have LinkedIn, some students still have a very casual photo,” said Paganelli. “I’ll say ‘this photo is nice, but it just looks like you’re outside, having a good time.’ It is a headshot, but it’s not a professional headshot. So we’re doing a headshot, that day, for free.”
Finally, seniors are recommended to make a Senior Recruiting Appointment with Career Services, which opens them up to opportunities such as on-campus interviews, and to be entered into a drawing for $450 to buy a professional suit.
Paganelli expressed a few wishes prior to the event next week. “I want students to remember to do their homework, research the companies, target which ones they want to meet with, and know who the representative is,” in addition to looking well-groomed and professional.
Kayla Lemay is the Editor-in-Chief of The Comment. Follow her on Twitter @klemay123 or email her at klemay@student.bridgew.edu.
