2017 Annual Career Fair
News

Monmouth University Holds Annual Career Fair

The annual spring career day hosted more than 250 representatives from 130 organizations, as well as a record-breaking 680 jobseekers on Wednesday, April 5 in the OceanFirst Bank Center.

There was a wide variety of employers looking for students majoring in all fields.

 New employers included: American Standard Brands, AvalonBay Communities, Bayada, Customs and Border Protection, Dow Jones, Extensis Group, Hackensack Meridian Health, Horizion Blue Cross Blue shield, Lab Design, NJ Titans Hockey, NY Red Bulls, Two River Times, Shore Digital, Skyline Solar, Wakefern Food Corp., and Wiley Publishing. 

A total of 130 employers attended last spring. “We actually tied last year’s record breaking event, but our focus is always on the quality of our employers,” said Jeff Mass, Assistant Director of Career Services.

Mass explained that there has been a 36 percent increase in attendance from last spring as there were 500 students in attendance last year and 680+ students in attendance this year.

Mass said that employers who attend the event often hire Monmouth students for full time, part time, and internship positions.

Hunter McHugh, a Monmouth alumnus and current marketing representative at Federated Insurance, attended the fair looking for potential employers. “The first of which was to be able give back to the University and give fellow future alumni the chance to learn more about the amazing and life-changing opportunity that Federated offers. In the past, Federated did not recruit very much from Monmouth. With that being said, I know that Monmouth has the resources to help develop students into great candidates for our company,” he said.

McHugh never attended a career fair during his time as an undergraduate at the University.

However, after having attended this year he realized that he should have attended due to the benefits and opportunities available. “Looking back, after attending the career fair and seeing how many opportunities there are for students, I would have attended every single one,” he said.

Janaya Lewinski, a senior political science student, attended the event for the first time looking for a job post-graduation. She explained how she was able to give out résumés and although she has not locked in a job she was able to network and was able to create leads to potential jobs.

Lewinski offered advice for undergraduate students, “Always be persistent and take advantage of the resources the University has to offer.”

Sara Palughi, an employee at iCims, explained how she did not attend the career fair when she was an undergraduate but that the event has grown and offers a great networking opportunity for students. “A large percentage of iCIMS’ employees are MU alumnus and we are always looking for Monmouth students for both our Summer Internship Program as well as entry level full time roles. MU career fairs present the ideal opportunity to engage with potential hires and to share more about our opportunities and organization,” she said.

 Mass said, “Job fairs can be really effective if you plan accordingly. Prior to the event, make a complete list of who you would like to speak to. The list of employers is posted in advance on the Monmouth University Career Services page. You can then visit the attending employers careers section portal on their websites and see what openings they have.”

McHugh discussed what employers look for in potential future employees when conducting interviews. “Among the most important are the following: demonstrated success inside and outside of the classroom, the ability to build lasting relationships, and a competitive nature that motivates one’s self to overcome obstacles and take full advantage of opportunities,” he said.

According to Mass, entering the “real world” after graduation can be tough at times and attending these fairs is just one way to help you post graduation. He said, “Researching an employer on the web, then writing an effective cover letter to that employer asking for a job using the knowledge they’ve researched is one way a student can move their job search forward.”

He also highlighted the importance of LinkedIn and the valuable connections that can be made with alumni.

Networking is also a major key to finding a job, according to Mass. “Whether you have made contacts over the past few years or are just starting, now is the time to share post-graduation goals with as many individuals as possible,” he said. This includes alumni, faculty, friends, family and others.

Mass explained that students are welcome to visit the Career Services office and to obtain tips on interviewing skills, participate in a “mock interview,” job search strategies, resume and cover letter construction, and more. They are located on the lower level of the Rebecca Stafford Student Center.

IMAGE TKAEN from Monmouth CSSE Facebook page