Tag Archives: career fair

Employers Beware: Saints Prepare for the Fair

By: Kiera Mitru

Spring has sprung and along with it are budding opportunities for your future. Join the Career Education and Professional Development office at their annual Spring, the Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair. While offered in a virtual format this year, the Fair still presents promising employer turnout and ample opportunity to make your mark!

I sat down with Ashley Dwyer, CEPD’s Assistant Director of employer relations to chat about the importance of the Career Fair and how it can prove to be beneficial for both employers and students. If you don’t know Ashley as a fellow Saint from the class of 2008, you may be more familiar with her infamous email blasts, speaking to the masses via adwyer@siena.edu, being sure to keep Siena’s student body informed on all things career preparation. During our conversation, Ashley noted that, more than anything, the Fair is the perfect opportunity to work on networking skills. 

“While nobody wants to deal with networking, it’s the elephant in the room that never goes away.” Ashley shares that while networking can sometimes feel tedious, it’s crucial to “get comfortable with the uncomfortable.” After speaking with an employer’s representative, it’s a great idea to connect with them on LinkedIn and reinforce the initial conversation you have with them. In this case, it is important to reintroduce yourself and discuss how you would like the connection to benefit you. Ashley advises against using the generic “fill-in” examples provided by LinkedIn, as those are less personal. Instead, she encourages students to be specific and personable, tying in connections from the conversation you shared. An example being:

“Hello Sheila, my name is Kiera Mitru and I enjoyed having the opportunity to speak with you about Bard College’s graduate course offerings surrounding sustainability. As I look to continue my grad school research, I will be sure to reach out with any questions!”

A message like this communicates your interest in the conversation with a nod to the topics you discussed. This form of communication will also provide your new connection with insight on how you visualize your level of contact going forward. 

The Fair has something for everyone! Photo courtesy of Siena College CEPD.

While it may be easy to go into the Fair with low expectations, Ashley Dwyer shares that companies participate in Siena’s Career Fair specifically to hire Siena students. This is because they have done so in the past and are pleased with the products of the “Education for a Lifetime.” It is rare that a company will participate in a Career Fair if they don’t have open positions, and if they do, it’s likely that they will have positions open for the following fall or spring. 

This fair is just as important for underclassmen to check out, since it’s wise to start making connections early. In this case, students can maintain their network and have a strong list of references to utilize when it comes to seeking internships. Even if you don’t hear about the position of your dreams opening up right after graduation, you enter the Fair with an open mind and leave with contacts and information that could prove to be helpful in time. 

Don’t forget to check out this week’s CEPD events to Prepare for the Fair! Photo courtesy of Siena College School of Liberal Arts.

Many students know that the Fair typically leans toward having more opportunities for business majors than any other major, but this does not mean that it won’t be helpful for students of all fields of study. As an English major in her undergraduate career at Siena, Ashley Dwyer understands the flexibility of a Liberal Arts degree. She recognizes that many Liberal Arts degrees like English, philosophy, and history are ambiguous and don’t have the same linear tracks that an accounting major may have. While this sounds daunting, it can also be seen as liberating. As Liberal Arts students, we have options. Dwyer shares that “Companies want someone with strong communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills. This is what Liberal Arts majors excel in.” Additionally, experience in Liberal Arts internships and research settings is impressive in the job market. It is important to communicate the value of your experiences in and out of the classroom. For example, maintaining a personal blog online, growing a social media following, writing for a small student publication, or developing your hobby into a small business is crucial to mention in an interview. This showcases ambition and leadership which are necessary to project in a professional setting.

Since the Fair is in a virtual format this year, I would like to share some tips for those that may be a bit apprehensive about interviewing online. While the job search via Zoom may feel awkward, the following tips are sure to make your interviews successful:

  • Look into the camera when you speak. This will feel more personal to the interviewer, making it seem as if you’re making direct eye contact with them while answering their questions. 
  • Pick a well-lit space with a professional background. The study rooms in the library are great for this. There is plenty of light, lots of quiet, and few distractions. If you book a study room for the time that you plan to attend the fair, you can give yourself the space to focus and nail your interviews!
  • Since it’s likely that you’ll be speaking with a number of potential employers, the safe way to go is to avoid clothing that may be revealing. Choosing a top that you feel comfortable and confident in will translate well to the people you interview with. If you are wearing a dress shirt, the Fair is a great opportunity to break out those ties you got as a gift for some past holiday or birthday or graduation long ago. Not to mention, this will tie your outfit together and present a polished look to the employers.
  • Be yourself when you meet potential employers or network connections! Your individuality is what makes you stand out, and in a virtual format it is important to foster a strong connection with the person or people you talk to. Your skills and experience are something to be proud of! In the job search, conveying confidence is about 50% of the work. If you can promote your personality in a positive way, odds are that this optimism will be contagious. You will come across as motivated and driven toward success – who wouldn’t want to work with that?

As you look forward to this Friday’s Spring Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair, feel confident in yourself and your passions. With support from campus resources like the CEPD office, the Office of Internship Programs, the SASE office, and countless others, your unique story will lead you toward success and countless opportunities to live a life driven by the desire to never stop learning. Looking into the future calls you to stand up and stand out as you seek to forge a path for yourself. As Friday’s fair approaches, know that you are capable, accomplished, and prepared to get your career on.

Spring 2020 Career Fair: Let’s Prep!

We are only three weeks out from Siena’s Spring 2020 Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair. Whether you are a first-year student exploring career options, a sophomore or junior hoping to land an internship, or a senior applying to jobs and grad school, get excited for all of the opportunities the fair has to offer! If you are at all nervous about attending, check out these pre-career fair events. These events are designed to help diminish any nerves and to get you career fair ready.

Before you do anything else, let’s register! Don’t worry, it only takes a minute. Log into Career Saint, click on the “Events” tab located on the left-hand side of the screen and select “Spring Career Fair”. Proceed by clicking on “ 17th Annual Spring Career, Internship & Graduate School Fair 2020” and then hit “RSVP”. Now you are good to go! If you forget to register by the deadline, Wednesday, Feb. 19th, don’t worry! You can still partake as a walk-in. Ok, now onto the pre-fair prep events. 

Resume Critique 

Have your resume critiqued by professionals before handing it out to potential employers! On Feb. 19th from 12-2 pm, the Foy Hall Lobby is the spot to gain outside perspective on your current resume. The Resume Critique Hour also gives students the opportunity to make a good first impression with employers before the career fair even begins. If you can’t make it to the Resume Critique Hour, be sure to check out the CEPD’s office’s weekly drop-in schedule so that you can get your resume reviewed in time for the fair!

Dress for Success

As an underclassman, I did not own a single article of clothing that would pass as business professional attire. I didn’t even know what a business professional outfit really looked like. If you can at all relate, attend the Dress for Success Fashion Show on Feb. 19th at 9 pm in the SSU conference room. At the show, watch students and faculty model business-appropriate attire and get inspiration for your own career fair look. Can’t attend the fashion show? Check out this Siena Her Campus article where Emily Roehl ‘15 provides some helpful tips on how to dress to impress employers. 

Stand Out!

Stand out from your peers by brushing up on your career search knowledge on Feb. 24th in the Standish Library, room L26. During free period, employers will be present to provide resume, job search, and general professional advice that has helped them in their own careers. Not only will you improve your own professional abilities, but this event also serves as a great way to become more comfortable speaking with business professionals.

In addition to attending these events, don’t forget to check out the official Spring 2020 Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair list of attending organizations prior to the fair. The career fair is on Wednesday, February 26th from 12 pm-4 pm in the MAC and after polishing up on your professional skills at the prep-events, you will be ready to meet your future employer. We hope to see you there, Saints! 

Making the Most Out of the Career Fair

The Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair is one of the biggest annual events of the spring semester, expecting over 125 employers to be in attendance. Regardless of your class year, it’s a valuable event to attend because it gives you an opportunity to spruce up your resume, dress professionally, and engage with prospective career interests.

The weeks leading up to the fair provide a lot of useful resources and information regarding how to best prepare yourself for the fair. Each year, Dress for Success Albany hosts an annual clothing sale open to students, faculty, and staff. The sale offers gently used business, professional clothing at a discounted price. It’s a great opportunity to buy discounted business pants, blazers, shirts, shoes, and purses. I have attended the Dress for Success sale since my freshman year at Siena and every year, I am able to find high quality business wear for less than retail price. The sale will be happening March 8th from 12-2pm (open to students, faculty, and staff only) and on March 9th 10am-2pm (open to the public) in Foy Hall. I would definitely recommend stopping by the sale to find some business clothing to wear to the Career Fair! 

The Carer Center is also sponsoring a Resume Critique Hour on Monday, March 11th from 12-2pm in Foy Hall Lobby. Students will be able to receive feedback on their resumes and connect with employers prior to the fair. Another great and entertaining event is the Dress for Success Fashion show, taking place on Wednesday, March 13th at 9pm in the SSU. The fashion show highlights what to wear and, more specifically, what not to wear in the professional world. If you’ve never been to the Career Fair and are nervous about what to expect, consider attending the “Make Yourself Stand Out at the Career Fair Employer Presentation” on Monday, March 18th from 12:30-1:30pm in the library, room L-26. This event will provide some helpful tips on professionalism and networking, as well as help alleviate any nerves about attending the fair.

The 2019 Career Fair is a great opportunity to network with employers, polish your resume, and practice professionalism. The best piece of advice I can give is to go into the fair with an open mind – don’t limit yourself to speak to employers only in your field. It can be nerve-wracking to approach people you’ve never spoken to before, especially in a professional setting, but part of entering the job market is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. No matter what class year or major you are, all students can find some sort of value in the event.

RSVP for the Carer Fair online at saintsconnect.edu! The 2019 Spring Career, Internship, and Graduate School Fair will be taking place on Tuesday March 19th from 3-6pm in the MAC.