More than 500 students proudly wielding resumes weaved through a crowded maze of tables at Richard Harris Terrace Tuesday, Sept. 18, to talk to representatives from over 60 companies with job openings.
The Fall 2007 Career Fair, the first collaborative event by Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) and BMCC’s Center for Career Development (CCD), included big-name businesses such as Citibank, FedEx, UPS and Time Warner Cable, and lasted three hours.
The turnout was double what CCD Director Melba Olmeda-Amaro and ASAP representative Michael Stahl expected. “We’re very excited about that because it’s only a few weeks after the semester has started,” Olmeda–Amaro said. “What’s most important about this is that students responded very well to the required criteria — attending career workshops to prepare for the fair, getting their resume together, and dressing professionally. The fact they did that speaks of how highly responsible they are.”
Both company representatives and students raved about the fair.
“The response has been great. We’ve had some really enthusiastic candidates come by,” said Erica Downs, from Ann Taylor Loft. “It’s perfect timing for us because the holiday season is coming and we need to cover a lot of shifts fast. Students work well for us because of their schedules.”
“It’s definitely been a benefit for the company,” according to Downs’ partner, Renwick Knight, who with Downs stood behind a table crowded with prospective workers.
Lercia Gonzalez of Sovereign Bank said the BMCC students were “dressed more professionally than many other schools I’ve been to.”
One BMCCer, Jair Solano, said he handed out at least 10 resumes in just 30 minutes, to outlets like the FBI and Chase Bank. “It’s good because you’re face-to-face with someone and you learn how to deal with that situation. It definitely tests you. It’s good preparation for an interview.”
And Solano actually did score an interview with one of the companies whose table he stopped at. “They were actually listening to me,” he said, “instead of going through processes like e-mail.”
Olmeda-Amaro was happy to see students doing so well. “It was a big challenge but it paid off.”
