Recently, the Yeshiva University Career Center hosted its annual Spring Career Fair, featuring companies from various professional areas. Students from both the Beren and Wilf campuses gained the opportunity to meet and speak to potential employers from over fifty companies. The purpose of the event is primarily for networking purposes, giving students and employers the chance to form a more meaningful connection that might give applicants an edge when submitting a resume later on. Typically, companies that offer many different job opportunities with varying roles are invited to participate in the Career Fair. Often, they are regulars who return annually for the fair and have had very positive experiences with students.
Career fairs are advantageous to both the student and company. It has been found that students are more likely to respond to job posting and internship listings for companies they are familiar with, rather than lesser known ones, so companies that are smaller are eager to get their name out at these fairs. Employers are also able to get a better sense of the students and their communication skills, enabling them to put a face to a resume that they receive in an application. From a student’s perspective, career fairs are great networking opportunities, allowing the personality of students to stand out to specific companies, making their resumes stand out as well. Rebecca Saragossi (SCW 16’) found this year’s Spring Career Fair to be a great success. “I’ve already made five connections, and had two interviews. The companies all had extremely impressive presentations.” Another student described it as “the most informative event concerning my future, in terms of weighing my options and planning for my career.”
While some might argue that these career fairs are unnecessary and only match up a handful of students with employers, the YU Career Center has found them to be highly successful. In a smaller school like Yeshiva, more connections can be formed and employers typically enjoy meeting the students. In fact, more than 50% of companies who have participated in the Career Fair have brought back students for interviews. The Career Fair is also relevant for all students currently seeking internships or jobs, not only to better prepare for the future. Only around 10% of the companies that present at the fair are seeking employees in the more distant future.
The benefits of attending the career fair are significant even if students do not land a job immediately.
Ms. Jocelyn Coalter of the Career Center says that, “Networking makes you more than just a piece of paper” and those seeking internships should make use of networking opportunities. Perfecting a resume and practicing an “elevator speech” will be helpful in a job interview later on.
For students seeking summer internships, Assistant Director of the Career Center Rebecca Weiler has many suggestions as to where to begin the job hunt, which might seem daunting and overwhelming. First and foremost, YU offers a service, YU Career Link that allows employers to post internship and job listings directly for YU students. While any company can post a listing, many are from YU alum specifically seeking Stern and Yeshiva College students. This easy-to-use and worthwhile service can be found at www.yu.edu/career-center, by clicking on the big red button labeled “YU Career Link.” Ms. Wieler explains that more employers are posting jobs online. She stresses the importance of creating a professional online presence. Therefore, the Career Center strongly suggests creating a LinkedIn profile, which is similar to Career Link in that potential employers often post job and internships. This year’s fair featured a professional photo booth, because the Career Center suggests that a neat headshot serves as your profile picture on LinkedIn, so that your profile will stand out. On LinkedIn you can join the YU Student to YU alumni groups to see job postings specifically for Yeshiva University students.
Finally, there are many outside websites that have been proven helpful to students such as indeed.com and simplyhired.com. Ms. Weiler recommends these two sites specifically because they allow you to create a profile tailored to your specific interests. A student’s personal account will reflect his or her recent jobs and skill set, and the websites will notify you when a relevant job is posted.
Be sure to take advantage of the many fairs, panels, and workshops that the Career Center holds throughout the semester, and happy hunting!