For many college students, a university internship and job fair is their first foray into the professional world, one that can feel intimidating if not properly prepared. That’s why the Office of Career Preparation and Professional Development at St. Joseph’s University, New York (SJNY) helped students ready themselves before employers arrive on campus on Oct. 23 for SJNY’s Fall Internship and Job Fair.
Last week, the University hosted a “Prepare for the Fair” workshop during common hour. Open to all majors, the workshop was led by Assistant Director of Career Preparation and Professional Development Matt Skolnick, LMSW.
A key point that Skolnick emphasized was that the fair is beneficial to all students, not just for those who are graduating soon.
“Students often attend to explore future career opportunities and learn about internship application deadlines even if they aren’t looking for an immediate position,” Skolnick told students.
“More times than not, practical experience is going to take you further when looking for a job than only having good grades,” he continued. “You’re more likely to stand out with an internship on your resume, especially if you interned at the company you’re now applying to. These are the kind of opportunities you can find at the career fair, but it’s important to be prepared.”
During the course of his presentation, he walked students through the dos and don’ts to follow before, during and after the internship and job fair.
He advised students to adequately research the companies and businesses that will be in attendance to avoid asking questions such as “what does your company do?” — often a red flag for recruiters.
Skolnick also cited the importance of having a resume while assuring students that due to the fast-paced nature of the fair and the number of businesses present, it would not be required to have them tailor made for each company.
Employer expectations were also a topic of discussion. Most recruiters would be expecting candidates to be professionally dressed, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, asserted Skolnick.
Due to the fair’s limited time, Skolnick counseled his audience to come prepared with an “elevator pitch” — a 30-60 second summary of who they are, their major and why they would be an ideal candidate for an internship or job.
Other tidbits of advice included bringing pens or pencils and not to judge a company solely by their name or positions students think might be available.
“When people think about the Secret Service, they think about their agents, but did you know that the Secret Service needs nurses as well? The same goes for hospitals looking for IT or accounting students,” Skolnick said to the audience of students.
Lastly, he advised the students to write a “thank you” email to each recruiter they speak with at the fair, citing that its quality could leave a lasting impression when considering a candidate.
The SJNY Internship and Job Fair will be held on Thursday, October 23 from noon to 1:45 p.m. in the McGann Conference Center in O’Connor Hall on the Long Island campus. All SJNY undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni are welcome to attend.
