The C.C. Cunningham Career Center pushed for more students to attend the Career Expo on Wednesday.
A Rutgers University study showed nearly 50 percent of graduated over the last five years are unemployed or underemployed.
Delores Dean, director of the Career Center at Florida A&M University, was elated about how FAMU students represented themselves at this year’s Career Expo.
“You should have a job when you graduate if you take advantage of the services here at the career center,” Dean said. “The Career Expo was an excellent experience, but we need more attendance. At no other venue will students find over 60 companies looking specifically to hire FAMU students.”
Ayasha Scott, community coordinator for Walgreens, was one of hundreds of representatives at the Career Expo. Scott said the company took a close look at attendants of the fair.
“We look at information that FAMU sends out to students to see if they adhere to the various pointers given, like what to wear, having prepared questions, etiquette, things of that nature,” Scott said.
The Career Center at FAMU offered a variety of services, including a resume builder, cover letter builder, interviewing skills, mock interviews, professional etiquette, networking strategies, job search strategies and graduate or professional school opportunities.
Razak Shariff, a talent specialist at AccFin Recruitment, said the times of the copied-and-pasted resumes are over.
“Candidates need to tailor every application, even if it means altering your resume to be more relevant for the role. Employers want to see why you would be particularly good for their vacancy as opposed to any other job going,” Shariff said.
Students like Woody Aubrin, a senior political science student from Orlando, found the career center to be a facility that changes lives.
“I just got back from a job interview in Chicago with MillerCoors, thanks to the career center,”Aubrin said. “I’m confident in my ability to get a job, but the career center is just the extra backing, they truly looked out for me.”
The Career Center is located at 100 Student Union Plaza near the Set. To learn more about the Career Center, click here.