Nearly 1,000 students gathered at the Taffner Field House on Oct. 4 for the Fall Career Fair.

Whether seniors seeking a full-time career as graduation nears or underclassmen preparing for the future, students dressed in their best spent the day browsing through the tables, meeting recruiters and passing out resumes.

“It’s a good setup,” said Yasmin Barreras, a junior studying public relations. “There are a lot of connections to be made and opportunities to get a job right on the spot. It’s very effective.”

When taking a break from the massive effort of self promotion, students huddled around maps depicting the locations of more than 100 companies’ tables or flipped through literature given to them by recruiters.

“I’ve already applied to some firms, now I’m trying to see what the next step is,” said Mario Noriega, a senior majoring in accounting.

Recent downturns in the American economy weighed on the minds of several students in attendance.

“I’m a little worried,” said Rim Abera, a junior majoring in communications. “I still have two years until graduation. The more internships I do and companies I interact with, the better chance I have.”

“The economy is looking bleak, especially in sports management, said Austin Phillips, a senior. “St. John’s is one of the few schools that offers it as a major.”

Despite the ongoing recession, students remained optimistic as well.

“I’m hopeful for the future,” said John Gregorio, a senior browsing the tables for marketing positions. “There are a lot of opportunities here. I hope that doesn’t change when I leave.”

Some students had some differing reactions to the Career fair.

Aysha Preston, a junior and English major, expressed a desire for a wider variety of companies at the fair. “There seems to be a lot more for business students,” Preston said. “I wish liberal arts was represented more here.”

“I’m looking for an internship in PR, but unfortunately many of the ones I’ve looked at don’t accept international students,” said Evgeniya Kirpicheva, a junior from Russia.

Companies seemed to be selling themselves as much as students were selling themselves, listing off accomplishments to students who’d just finished reciting their strengths and qualifications.

“It’s important not to pass up the opportunity to stop at tables even if you’re not completely interested in what they have to offer,” said sophomore Kristina Richards, a business management major.

The company that appeared to have the largest crowd in front of their table was professional services firm Ernst and Young. Dominick Bianco, a senior studying risk management, was one of the many students waiting to talk to their recruiters.

“It’s one of the best places to work in the world,” Bianco said.

Representatives from Verizon Wireless were happy with their table’s turnout.

“I’m very pleased,” said Marian Adams, a recruiter with Verizon. “We’ve talked to around 100 students so far.” Adams went on to say that the company has hired 13 St. John’s students recently. “We’ll definitely be back in the future,” she said.

Jennifer Friary, associate director at the Career Center, said companies are likely to come back if there is a
good turn out for these events. “It’s been a great conclusion for Career Week.”