MU Career Fair 2018
News

132 Employers Featured at Annual Career Fair

132 Different Organizations Represented at 2018 Career Fair


MU Career Fair 2018The annual spring career fair hosted a record 132 organizations in the OceanFirst Bank Center.

Students and alumni were both in attendence at the April 4 event, which was open to all years and majors and included businesses from a range of career fields.

The Career Services Department hosted a wide array of organizations and businesses including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Freedom Mortgage Corporation, Sunrise Senior Living, and many other companies. 

Students were able to peruse different tables and displays for each organization and speak with their corresponding representatives about a potential future with their company. Many students in attendance wore business professional clothing and distributed resumes and business cards.

Michael Thomas, Associate Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Director of the Visiting Writer Series, said, “This event is always successful, especially when the students who come in have a specific idea of who they are and what their goals are.”    

Hayley Bray, a senior health studies student, said, “I really enjoyed the event. It is something I planned on attending and didn’t really know what I was going into. I’ve heard of and have seen the event before, but, I ended up walking out with a number of employers I got to connect and network with.”

“I walked away with a lot more than I thought I would have. I got to meet companies I genuinely don’t think I would have met otherwise, or even if I had, I wouldn’t have been as prepared as I was when I walked into the event,” Bray continued.

Several employers expressed a particular interest in hiring University students. Karina Pedragón, an employer from local business, Coffee Corral located in Red Bank, NJ said, “I could say that we’ve had the most success with employees that have been Monmouth University students. Monmouth students are very responsible, at this point, our team is solely focusing on hiring Monmouth students and alumni.”

Going into the Career Fair, students may feel a little intimidated and may experience some trepidation by the sheer number of representatives they can talk to. But, Thomas said, “The career fair is not just about coming in and seeking for a job, it is about students going in and knowing which companies are actually seeking them.”

Jeffrey Mass, Assistant Director of Career Services said, “The event was a great success this year. We had 132 employers total, a new record for all career days.”

“The remarks from employers were very strong, particularly regarding the fair’s logistics and the high quality of our students,” Mass added.

Ryan Enright, a senior graphic design student said, “Coming to the job fair as a graphic design major, I had to make sure I had plenty of business cards and my resumes with me. This was critical for me, making sure that I had my website listed so I could show off my portfolio online.”

Being prepared to network was a number one thing for many students at the event; at any given moment, it was easy to spot a student toting around a folder of resumes. 

Zack Johnson, a junior finance student said, “Before coming to the job fair, I did some research online about the companies that would be attending. I hope to get a financial internship out of this experience.”

“In looking for a full-time position in the field, I made a portfolio including all of my work. I spoke to some government based organizations who were looking for animators and sketch artists to recreate crime scenes, so I applied to that,” Blake Robinson, a senior fine art and animation student said. 

Knowing exactly what you are coming in to the event for and having a set goal is important in getting the most out of walking around to different tables. Employers feel the same way about having a set goal. 

Natalie Patrillo, a representative for Bayada Home Health Care located in Moorestown, NJ said, “Monmouth has a large nursing program and so we are here in search of nursing students for our nursing and home health aid programs.”

“The students that come in are prepared, they know what they are looking for and we have had great feedback,” Patrillo continued.

Mass said, “We try to invite a wide diversity of employers so that there is a broad range of opportunities for all majors. In fact, we limit the number of employers from any one industry type to about 15 percent of the total, so that there is not an overrepresentation from a single sector of the job market.”

Lindsey Periar, a representative from Clean Water Action, a local non-profit organization based out of Long Branch, NJ said, “We’re looking for community organizers.”

“Clean Water Action is an environmental advocacy group, so we fight for stronger laws that protect our air, water, and overall public health in NJ. We do it all by putting pressure on our lawmakers, so the more community organizers we have, the more outreach and promotion we have within our communities,” Periar explained.

Mass explained, “The central goal of this, or any career day, is to give students the opportunity to meet and network with many employers in person in one location at one time.”

“We think it’s important for students to attend events like this so they can maximize their contacts for internships and full-time career opportunities and learn about what jobs are out in the marketplace. Career days give students the chance to be interviewed on-the-spot, instead of having to apply online and wait days or even weeks for a response from an employer,” he continued.

The Annual Career Fair hosted a number of students with various backgrounds.

Career Services continues to bring together students, alumni, and businesses alike to enrich students’ futures. 

IMAGE TAKEN from monmouth.edu