Myths of Career Fairs

There are two kinds of people:

1. Those who go to Career Fairs
2. Those who don't

And in my time at the Career Center I've heard many reasons why students do not attend, but I'm going to focus on the 3 main ones and bust those myths!

1. I can't go, I'm only a first-year student or Sophomore!

Yes, a lot of companies are looking for Juniors or Seniors for various internship and full-time opportunities. But that doesn't mean as a first-year student or Sophomore you're not eligible to attend! Attending career fairs is a skill that can be practiced, especially if you've never attended one before (it can be overwhelming at first!). By attending you can get comfortable with the process, as well as prepare for opportunities in the future. Let's say there is a company you KNOW you want to intern with, but unfortunately, they can only take Juniors. As a first-year student, you'd probably feel out of luck. But by attending the career fair and talking to the recruiter can help you gain insight on the types of experiences they want to see on your resume, so by the time you're a Junior, you will be the ideal candidate!

2. I'm not looking for a full-time job right now!

Yes, recruiters are looking to fill full-time opportunities, but a lot of recruiters are also looking to fill internship and volunteer opportunities as well! Similarly to the situation in the first myth, even if you attend just to get comfortable with the process, it gives you a pretty good idea of what types of opportunities there are and what you can do to prepare to be the ideal candidate when the time is right!

3. There are no companies coming for my major!

Totally a myth. Most companies are looking to fill a diverse number of positions, and the company name is not always a perfect representation of what those positions are. A real estate company is not always looking for real estate agents, they could be looking for an event management intern! The tip here is to be open to different companies and organizations, as well as do some research on the types of positions looking to be filled. When you attend a Hofstra Career Fair, we provide you with a booklet of all the employers and jobs to be filled. I suggest taking some time to review that book and see what companies are hiring for the types of position you want to apply, you might be surprised which company it could be!

In the end, a Career Fair can be a very rewarding experience in more ways than one. So be sure to stop by our Career Fair today, at the Mack Sports Exhibition Complex from 11-2, or to any of our upcoming Career Fairs (all can be found in the 'Events' section in Handshake). And if you feel you want some preparation for the fair, be sure to reach out to all the folks at The Career Center, we're here to help!

Anne Monique Concepcion,
Graduate Assistant

Events for Week of 2/23/15

General On-Campus Recruiting:

On-Campus Recruiting are opportunities brought right to the Hofstra campus! Employers post job and internship opportunities that students are eligible to apply to; and if selected, first-round interviews occur right on campus at the Career Center. All positions are listed on PrideCMS and require resume submission by the respective application deadlines listed below:

OEC Group (New York): Monday, February 23rd at 11:59 PM

OCR Position for Air Import Coordinator, Executive Assistant, Ocean Import Coordinator, and Pricing Coordinator. See each listing for desired majors, class year, and degrees.

BDO LLP: Friday, February 27th at 11:59 PM

OCR Position for Pathway to Success Summer Leadership Program. See listing for desired majors and class year.

FCE Group: Friday, February 27th at 11:59 PM

OCR Position for Junior Operations Analyst. See listing for desired majors and class year.

GEICO: Tuesday, March 3rd at 11:59 PM

OCR Position for Management Development Program. See PrideCMS for details and desired majors, class year, and degrees.

Kohl’s Department Stores: Thursday, March 5th at 11:59 PM

OCR Position for 2015 Store Management Internship and 2015 Store Management Trainee. See each listing for desired majors and class years.

Target Corporation: Friday, March 6th at 11:59 PM

OCR Position for Executive Intern and Executive Team Leader. See each listing for desired majors and class year.

Sound Wealth Financial Group: Friday, March 6th at 11:59 PM

OCR Position for Financial Relationship. See listing for details, and desired class year and major.

LinkedIn Power Hour: Building Your Profile

Wednesday, February 25, 2015, Common Hour (11:15-12:30), Calkins Lab

Start or update your LinkedIn profile to join the World’s Largest Professional Network. The Career Center and Sigma Alpha Mu will be offering tips and help along the way. Dress professionally and get a free LinkedIn profile picture taken. It is highly recommended that you bring an updated resume to use when creating your profile.

Teach For America Information Session

Wednesday, February 25, 2015, 6-7PM, Career Center

Teach For America is a national teacher corps of recent college graduates who work to ensure an excellent education for America’s students. They are recruiting seniors of all majors, backgrounds, and career interests who are interested in teaching and committed to students’ academic success. Attend this information session and hear about this great program straight from a TFA representative!

Deloitte Office Hours

Thursday, February 26, 2015, 11-2PM, The Career Center

“Deloitte” is the brand under which tens of thousands of dedicated professionals in independent firms throughout the world collaborate to provide audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management and tax services to select clients. Candidates seeking an internship in summer 2015 may schedule an appointment to meet with a Deloitte representative on February 26 between the hours of 11-2 in The Career Center.

Criteria for students for Office Hours:

Must be candidate for Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting or Master of Science in Accounting

Minimum GPA of 3.0

Target Graduation dates:

Students who are graduating in 2016 with their 150 hours and seeking an internship for the summer of 2015

Appointments can be scheduled through your PrideCMS account.

Long Island Real Estate Group: Real Estate @ Work Shadowing Program

Application Deadline: Friday, February 27, 2015, 5PM on PrideCMS

The Long Island Real Estate Group and the Career Center are offering juniors, seniors, graduate students, and law students the opportunity to participate in a shadowing program for those curious about the real estate industry. Students will visit employers from multiple segments of the real estate industry including developers, brokers, appraisers, attorneys, insurance professionals, and much more! For more information and to apply, search ‘LIREG’ and look for the Spring 2015 Real Estate @ Work Program on PrideCMS.

Save the Date!

Spring Career Fair

Wednesday, March 11, 2015, 11-2PM, Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex

Looking for a full-time, part-time, summer, or internship position? The Career Center's Spring Career Fair is open to all Hofstra students of any major and class level. Students are encouraged to attend in order to meet with employers from multiple industries who are looking to hire for a variety of positions. Professional dress is required. A professional photographer will be available to take LinkedIn profile pictures. Please bring copies of your resume. Students may attend the Career Center's Quick Question Hours any day prior to the fair for a resume review or for tips on how to make the most our of your fair attendance!

Zarb Alumni Resume Night

Wednesday, March 4, 2015, 6-9PM, The Career Center

Current Zarb students will have the opportunity to have their resumes critiqued by alumni from the Zarb School of Business. You must bring a printed copy of your resume. Professional dress is highly recommended. Pre-registration on Pride-CMS is strongly encouraged. This event is open to undergraduate Zarb students only.

Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Information Session

Wednesday, March 4, 2015, Common Hour (11:15-12:45PM), 101 Davison Hall, South Campus

Join the Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences Department for a fun and informative session about careers in audiology and speech-language pathology. Students can meet and hear from faculty, clinicians, and current students in the program and take a tour of the facilities at the Saltzman Center.

Out-of-State Teacher Fair

Thursday, March 5, 2015, 10-3PM, LIU Brookville

Are you interested in teaching outside of New York state? Then join us for our Teacher Fair to meet with out-of-state recruiters and learn more about available opportunities to take advantage of!

Grant Thornton Information Session for Accounting Majors

Thursday, March 5, 2015, 3PM, The Career Center

Founded in Chicago in 1924, Grant Thornton LLP (Grant Thornton) is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the world’s leading organizations of independent audit, tax, and advisory firms.  Grant Thornton has revenues in excess of $1.3 billion and operates 57 offices across the U.S., with more than 500 partners and 6,000 employees.

This information session will center around ‘Grow with Grant Thornton'. GwGT is Grant Thornton’s Summer Leadership Program for sophomore and junior University candidates.  Our Summer Leadership Program is a great opportunity for you to gain insight into Grant Thornton’s professional service offerings and get exposure to several of our Business Leaders, Senior Executives, Associates, and peers.  ‘Grow with Grant Thornton’ is a 1-3 day interactive program at one of our 55 local or regional offices.  During the Summer Leadership Program you will be exposed to Grant Thornton’s service lines which include audit, tax, and advisory.  You will also have an opportunity to interact with Grant Thornton team members and peers.  The Program is designed to continue building your leadership skills and help you identify your own abilities and goals as you prepare for a successful transition from college into your career. Refreshments will be served.

No Major, No Problem

Friday, March 6, 2015, 12:30-4PM, Library Room 246

Do you need help in finally choosing your major? This event will offer fun and enlightening workshops that will allow you to learn about yourself and in the process learn which majors will be the best fit for you.  This event will also feature a panel of professionals and faculty that will share their stories on picking their majors and how it lead to their future careers. Arrive early at 12:30 to have some pizza and beverages before we start.

Pride Shadowing Program

Application Deadline: Monday, March 16, 2015 on PrideCMS

Shadowing Week: April 6-10, 2015

We are proud to announce that we are now accepting applications for our brand new shadowing program! If you need help choosing a major or exploring careers, this program is for you! Check out Hofstra.edu/shadowing to find out more!

To-Do Lists

To-Do Lists. We’ve all got them. They consist of tasks that need to be completed by tomorrow, next week, in the next few minutes—usually along the lines of doing laundry, stopping at the bank, grocery shopping etc. I have found that the best piece of advice I can give is to write them down!

I very much was a “make a mental list” kind of person, and that only got me into trouble when pieces of that list fell off the grid and goals never got reached. So I’ve began writing things down. And I’ve found the most satisfying feeling is looking at a list all crossed off and completed!

Now, I want you to take a moment and think about what your current career goal is. Do you want to get an internship for the Summer? Are you graduating and hoping to get a job post-graduation? Or maybe a graduate program is in your future? Maybe you want to take steps to deciding on a major? Now that you’ve solidified that goal in your mind, write down your To-Do list!

Here’s a few examples I think should be on your To-Do list in order to help you reach your goal.

• Research different opportunities—Whether you’re looking for a job, internship, or new major, research what opportunities are out there that interest you. This will give you a different list of things you can aspire to.
• Update your resume—A resume is a list in itself! It lists all your accomplishments and great experiences that will help move you forward. Make sure it’s up to date and appropriate, then bring it in to the Career Center for an appointment or go to Quick Question Hours (10-11 AM and 2-4 PM every day) to get it critiqued by myself or a Career Counselor.
• Create a cover letter—A cover letter is one of the first chances an employer gets to know you a little more personally. Draft up a cover letter that is interesting and will help showcase how great of a candidate you are for the position. Then, come in to the Career Center to get it edited!
• Network, network, network!—Talk to your family, friends, faculty, anybody! You won’t believe who knows who or what type of information each person is able to offer. You may just find the solution to your goal through that person.

These are just a few things that can be on your To-Do list in order to achieve the career goal you’ve set for yourself. And as always, we at the Career Center are here to support throughout every step of the way! Call us at (516) 463-6060 or go online to Hofstra.edu/career to make an appointment and start crossing tasks off your To-Do list! 

Anne Monique Concepcion,
Graduate Assistant

Alumni Blogger: My Adventure In The Green Industry

What experiences led you to this position? 

Everything from my senior year of college onwards has led me to the position I am in today. During my senior year at Hofstra, I spent lots of time at the Career Center which really prepared me for scoring interviews and then interviewing well. Right out of school, I worked in the audit department at KPMG for a little over two years. Having a background in audit really provides a great foundation for understanding any type of business. I then worked in private accounting where I was able to gain experience in business management. After my client service work, I spent some time working in internal accounting and then began working as the Financial Controller of DuJour magazine. This was an incredible experience as it was a small company and it allowed me to utilize all of my skills while also learning how to manage a business. Finally, wanting something a little different and closer to home, I came across this role at Gotham Greens. Every single one of my experiences mentioned above has really helped me to prepare for the role I’m in today. If you are an accounting major, I’m sure you’ve heard that “accounting is the language of business.” I’ve learned, it’s so true.

What drew you to working in a sustainable company? 

I’ve always been really healthy and environmentally conscious. I was lucky enough to find the Gotham Greens job posting on Linkedin and even more ecstatic when I was called in for an interview. I had been following Gotham Greens for a while and was a big fan of their products and environmental stewardship. Gotham Greens is a Brooklyn based urban agriculture company founded in 2009 with the mission of growing premium quality, local and pesticide-free produce in cities. They’ve quickly become a worldwide pioneer in the growing urban agriculture industry and are one of New York State’s leading greenhouse growers. Not only does Gotham Greens provide a local and delicious year-round product but they’re also considering the environment while doing so. For example, Gotham Greens’ sustainable farming practices utilize 1/10th the amount of water as traditional soil based agriculture with 20x the yield. Another surprising fact is that even though their greenhouses are located in cities, they still have to combat agricultural pests. Instead of using harmful chemicals and pesticides, Gotham Greens introduces beneficial insects into their greenhouses, creating their own mini ecosystem where “good bugs are battling bad bugs.”   

What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job? 

Aside from having the accounting degree, it’s really important to be on top of things. I always try to think a step ahead. For example, if I have a deliverable or if I know that someone might request something, I try and be proactive to get everything done before its needed. This prevents last minute “fire drills” and allows people to trust that you are responsible and accountable. Another important skill is resourcefulness. If you can be resourceful at a job, it saves you and the company time and money. I always like to make sure that I am doing things in the most efficient ways.

How well did your college experience prepare you for this job? 

Hofstra has a great career center so I highly recommend utilizing its services to prepare for getting interviews and interviewing. The career center also has a great network. When I was interviewing for jobs, I was put in touch with Hofstra alumni at the jobs I was applying for. It was really helpful. I also felt that I had a great education and my professors were always willing to take the time to help. I also recommend going to your professor’s office hours. It shows a lot when a student takes that initiative and it’s also helpful to you.

Which reading materials or professional associations would you recommend to someone looking to enter your field? 

I recommend reading the newsletter from www.hortidaily.com for your most up to date news on greenhouses and sustainability. I receive their daily newsletter and it keeps me tuned in to what’s going on in the agriculture world. In terms of finance, I like reading the finance section of yahoo. Another perk of working in the sustainable agriculture industry is that reading food blogs can be considered “research.” One of my favorite food blogs is www.tastingtable.com.

What advice would you give to someone looking to enter your career field? 

For someone who would like to work in the finance world in a sustainable company, I recommend having a strong business foundation. Once you develop the business and accounting skills, you can really work at any company. If your ultimate goal is to work in a sustainable business in finance, it may help you to have the audit or public accounting experience beforehand. It’s also really important to network and utilize all opportunities you are given. Go to career fairs, network with your classmates, seek help from the career center, and most of all, be open to new things. Good luck!

Allie Schiffmiller, Gotham Greens

Scared You Won’t Get a Spring Internship?

Don’t let these events sneak up on you…

As a child, we are scared by ghosts and ghouls.  But now, as a college student, missing spring internship deadlines can elicit a frightening shriek.  Plan ahead so you don’t give your roommate a heart attack! 

Enjoy your costume parties, scary movies or other plans for this spooky day but come November, here are two internship events you can attend to ward off any bad omens. 

Target Info Session

November 4^th 4-5:30 in The Career Center

Open to juniors and seniors of all majors.  Find out about the job and internship opportunities at Target, as well as their commitment to volunteering, health and wellness.

JAGUAR FREIGHT Paid Rotational Internship Program Info Session

November 5^th 3:30-5 in The Career Center

The rotational program covers operations, marketing & sales, social media, finance, accounting, and information technology.  Yes, it is paid, now there is a treat!  They are seeking undergraduate and graduate students in any major for an internship starting January 2015. This is a great chance for any student to get a well-rounded view of an international logistics company.

NORDSTROM’S Paid Retail Management Internship Info Session

November 14^th 2pm at Nordstrom’s, The Roosevelt Field Mall, 3^rd Floor

This internship is designed to jumpstart your career and prepare you to move into an assistant department manager role.  You’ll rub elbows with some of the top performers at Nordstrom and learn from the best while earning competitive commission based pay and merchandise discounts.  Discounts at Nordstrom’s?  Yes please!  This program is open to active college students who will be graduating in 2015 or 2016. 

Right now, talking to employers might seem scarier than hanging out at a graveyard past midnight but trust me, it is all smoke and mirrors.  The scary employer in a suit ready to interrogate you is not the norm.  They want to put you at ease to get to know you, and hopefully hire you.  Check out these events and you will realize there is nothing to fear.

Thanks for checking in with The Career Center blog and we hope you have a very spooky day (insert scary laugh).

Happy Halloween,

Deanna Rodin, Associate Director