The University hosted nearly 400 students and more than 100 employers at the annual Fall Career Day on Oct. 31 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the second floor of the OceanFirst Bank Center.
Open to all Monmouth students and alumni, the event was held to provide insight into potential career opportunities. According to William Hill, Assistant Dean of Career Services, government, business, non-profits, small, regional, and national employers were present at the fair. Employers from organizations such as Hackensack Meridian Health, the United States Secret Service, and the New Jersey State Police were present.
“These job fair style events provide an excellent opportunity for employers and potential employees to connect,” said Jeffrey Mass, Assistant Director of Career Services. “Career Days typically attract hundreds of Monmouth students and alumni, as well as dozens of business, government, and non-profit employers. A career fair is a great chance to meet potential employers and to acquire more about career related options in your field of study,” he continued.
Mass confirms that along with the 109 employers present at the event, 26 of the employers were present at Monmouth for the first time. “Career Day provides Monmouth University students and graduates the opportunity to obtain that much needed face time with recruiters to network and set themselves apart from the rest of the pack,” he said, emphasizing how unique the venue was.
“Months of planning go into the coordination of Career Day,” said Hill. “We start planning at the end of the summer and although some work is done on the phone, we send several hundred emails concerning invitations, confirmations, logistics, and more. Plans must be put in place for parking, food, table set-up, room reservations, staffing, transportation to and from the venue, campus banners and signs, etc.,” he continued.
Hill also noted that hundreds of emails are sent to students advertising the event.
Career Services also designed a career fair packet for students and alumni and offered a survey to the students in order to gain valuable feedback.
“It’s a good idea to go to the career fair because you can learn more about potential jobs and internships in your area,” commented Julie Emmett, a junior psychology student. Emmett attended the fair as an assignment for her industrial/organizational psychology class this semester and was able to earn credit for learning about various careers all while brushing up on her networking skills.
“I was extremely impressed by the career fair overall,” said senior business administration student, Dana Pizzuti. “It’s an incredible opportunity to have so many well-known and established employers on campus all at once,” Pizzuti further elaborated.
Samantha Smith, a senior psychology student, spoke candidly on the benefits of attending the fair. “The career fair was a very important experience,” explained Smith. “Getting a feel for different companies, practicing talking to future employers and networking are all benefits.”
Smith attended the career last spring for her industrial/organizational psychology class and is grateful to the fair for opening the door to new career options. “Through the Career fair I have broadened my contacts and opened my eyes to new possible career paths,” noted Smith
Pizzuti was most enticed by media company HMP Global because “project management and event coordination is what I’m looking to do professionally upon graduation in May.” She continued, “I was impressed by the table and recruiter willingness to help me understand what exactly their company does and more specifically what role I would play if granted a job there.”
“Overall, this was a very successful career day both in terms of employer attendance and student turnout,” said Mass, “So many people across campus contributed to the success of the day.”
PHOTOS COURTESY of Monmouth University
