By Atene DiLuca
Staff Reporter
College students can be very competitive when it comes to obtaining a job after they graduate. Luckily, for the students of Sacred Heart University, they have the opportunity to get in contact with potential employers and make connections before they graduate.
The university hosts an annual career fair program each year in the fall. This event is not mandatory, but the entire student body is invited to attend. Over 650 students attend the fair each year and approximately 100 companies come to recruit possible new employees or interns from Sacred Heart.
“The primary objective of a college career fair is to connect students with internship and full-time employment opportunities. However, of equal importance, is student interaction with employers and the opportunity to refine networking skills. This event is one of the best activities in preparation for life after college,” said Patricia Aquila, Executive Director of Career Development and Placement.
The multitude of businesses at this event not only gives students a glance at some of the jobs offered in their own major, but also the ability to be one step ahead by meeting the companies that they could potentially work for some day.
“A face to face meeting with an employer is a terrific opportunity. Students may find a temporary job or paid internship in a targeted industry that helps them decide what they would like to do after graduation,” said Aquila.
The Career Fair lasts about four hours and depending on student’s schedules on that specific day, they may come and go as they please. Most companies at the event have offices within the surrounding area of Sacred Heart. That way, students have the chance to take on possible jobs during the school year or throughout the summer.
“It is important to know now what employers want to see on a resume and what they are looking for. Also, taking business cards can help you make connections when you do start looking for jobs after graduation. For example, at the Career Fair we had the opportunity to create a LinkedIn account and this is a great tool to use for future employers,” said senior Sarah Zoldy.
From learning about job interview skills to writing resumes, the Career Development Office is open year-round to help students with anything that they may need to handle in the real world.
“I think what we do as a Career Center is very unique in comparison to a lot of our competitors. The reason being, we take the Sacred Heart mantra of ‘giving personal attention to personal achievement’ and we bring it to a whole different level,” said Director of Career Placement Rob Coloney.
Students who attend the fair understand that physically interacting with companies can be useful to them in the long run and want to get ahead during their college career. Although job networking in many fields may seem competitive to some individuals, many students like to make it easier for themselves and take advantage of the programs Sacred Heart has to offer.
“This event really serves as a benefit to me because businesses not only look at academics, but they like to interact with you on a personal level to see what you can offer to their company,” said junior Ron Kemperle.
