Finding a job immediately after graduation isn’t always the easiest. Erica Ko, a Chaminade senior majoring in Interior Design, said she’s terrified and mentioned how it feels like being a deer being thrown in a pit filled with lions.
Although she’s concerned about job hunting after graduation, she still managed to crack a joke and said how she was going to survive on the McDonald’s Dollar Menu until she finds a job. In order to decrease the chance of an all-Dollar Menu diet, she plans to go to Chaminade’s Career Fair. It will be her first time, and although she doubts there will be recruiters or companies related to her interior design major, it wouldn’t hurt to try. Ko plans to talk to employers from mainland companies and see if there will be any opportunities she can seize from them.
“Once you’re done with school, you’re off on your own job hunting,” Ko said.
JanisMaria Chang, Chaminade’s job placement coordinator, strongly encourages people to go the Career Fair while they’re still students. Chang said she has had students discover that finding a job is “harder than they thought.” By going to the fair, students have the opportunity to talk and introduce themselves to recruiters and employers.
“Part of the reason we have the Career Fair is the fact that for students who will be graduating, it’s pretty daunting to go to job fairs and talk to employer,” said Chang.
This semester’s Career Fair will feature 45 tables of recruiters, graduate schools and employer. It will be on March 6 from 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Ching Conference Center. With the limited amount of space, a lot of thought is put into selecting which companies will come. Chang said Chaminade’s Career Services always prioritizes its Chaminade students and thinks “how will this employer benefit our students?” This semester’s Career Fair will include the FBI, U.S. Department of State, Honolulu Police Department, Diagnostic Lab Services and Hogan Entrepreneurial Program, among others.
There will be a variety of employers, recruiters and graduate schools, and it’s not only limited to the majors provided at Chaminade. By hosting a wide range of potential careers, students are offered “as many possibilities as possible.” What’s greatly urged is to talk to as many employers and recruiters as possible, even if it’s not within a person’s major.
“Without talking to people in the industry, it’s really hard to get a sense of it,” Chang said. “That’s another way to really understand what is the labor market really like.”
By talking to people in different industries, students may find out they’re interested in a job that’s not in their major. For students who have no idea what they want to do in the future, it’s possible they may have a possible idea of a career they may be interested in.
Not only should students talk to the employers, they should ask questions. Asking questions can serve as practice for when they goes to an interview. Knowing what questions to ask makes a person look like that “bright candidate” the company may be looking for.
In the past, it was required to dress business formal or casual wear. This upcoming Career Fair will not enforce the dress code. However, it is highly encouraged to dress up. Chang said presentation is important because you never know what type of opportunities may be presented. Dressing up shows professionalism and will impress employers.
The Career Services highly encourages any student interested to attend the fair. Grade doesn’t matter, so freshmen, sophomore, juniors, seniors and graduates are all allowed to come.
“They [students] never know what type of opportunities may be presented for them, but again, they won’t know until they go to the fair,” Chang said.
