| Career
Fair Inspires Confidence in Graduating Seniors
Alex Madrigal '05 is well on his
way to success. |
November,
2004—With recent talk of a burgeoning job market
for new grads, the Class of 2005 entered Hagan Campus Center Hall
on the night of November 18, 2004 with high hopes. Dressed in sharp
suits and armed with dozens of resumes, seniors met with recruiters
and employees from 38 professional organizations at Assumption’s
10th annual Career Fair.
Several industries and sectors were represented at the fair, giving
students a wide range of opportunities for prospective employment.
Students met with company representatives to learn more about open
positions and to “sell” themselves as great candidates.
Another plus for the attending seniors was the live presence of
alumni success stories. Eighteen recent Assumption graduates, representing
15 different companies, returned to campus to speak to interested
students and share their employment experiences. Co-Director of
Career Services David Kowalczyk believes this recruiting tactic
is extremely beneficial for current students.
“In some cases, these alums are former classmates of theirs,”
Kowalczyk says of the seniors. “It’s great for our students
to see alums all dressed up, successfully representing their new
companies. The students are thinking, ‘Wow, I could do this
too.’”
These alumni were rewarded for their services with Assumption alumni
pins, presented to them by Diane Laska-Nixon ’76,
director of Alumni Relations.
Alex Madrigal ’05 was especially pleased
with his Career Fair experience. He attended the event with an open
mind, looking to explore several options. By the end of the night,
the International Business major had spoken seriously to four different
companies, and scored an interview with American Express for the
very next morning. After passing an extensive employment exam, he
was on his way to a second interview for a financial advisor position
with the credit card company.
“The career fair was an excellent way to gain exposure to
companies that you might not have known about, otherwise,”
said Madrigal, who co-captains Assumption’s championship men’s
tennis team. “Had I not attended this event, I would never
have made these contacts and references.”
At the fair, Colleen Cassidy ’05 met with
a recruiter from JCPenney, who flew in from Dallas, TX. Cassidy,
who has her sights set on becoming a buyer for fashion and apparel,
enjoyed an early start to her job search. The morning after the
fair, Cassidy had her first interview with JCPenney.
“I’m not as anxious about the job-hunting process as
I thought I would be,” said Cassidy. “My first interview
went very smoothly. I know I won’t be as nervous for future
interviews, because now I know what to expect.”
Adam Knight ’05 visited the fair on behalf
of his basketball-player roommates, who were away at a tournament
in West Virginia. He was impressed with the setup of the event,
as well as the accessibility of the company representatives.
“The College Fair was well-organized and easy to navigate,”
said King. “Although I didn’t get to talk at length
with the representatives, they were very cordial and received me
with a great deal of courtesy.”
For students looking to pursue advanced degrees upon graduation,
three graduate programs—Assumption College’s Graduate
School, Northeastern University’s Graduate School of Professional
Accounting, and Springfield College’s School of Social Work—also
occupied tables at the fair.
2005’s graduating seniors are primed to enter one of the best
recruiting seasons since the late 1990s. A survey from the National
Association of Colleges and Employers stated that college hiring
is expected to increase 13 percent over last year, and another report
from Michigan State’s College Employment Research Institute
shows that in some regions, campus hiring might increase as much
as 20 percent.
Accounting, finance, investments, and technology are emerging as
the hottest fields for college recruiting.
Kowalczyk and co-director Carol McGuiggan have seen recruiting seasons
run the gamut from booming to dismal through the decades, so they
are quite pleased to see the job market picking up momentum.
“We’re starting to see more positive activity with recruiting,”
said Kowalczyk. “I think it’s going to be a good year
for these students.”
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