Networking Fair Opens Doors of Opportunity

The Career Resource Center presented the fall 2010 Networking Fair for Jobs and Internships in the Student Union on Tuesday, Oct. 5. Students were given the chance to obtain applications, contact information and job descriptions of internships and full-time jobs from participating companies.

Several companies and organizations attended the fair including Verizon Wireless, United States Marines Corps, Ulster County Savings Bank, Sedore Hudson Valley CPAs, Vector and YAI Networks.

The fair was organized by Christine Daly and Beth King of the Career Resource Center. Daly, who is the senior career counselor for business and technology, said she was excited about the successful turnout of the event.

“We invited about 500 companies and over 40 are here today. Not only is the company turnout very good but so is the student turnout,” Daly said.

King, who is the internship coordinator, said she was also excited about the event’s success.

“The company turnout was great, but we always wish more companies could come,” she said. “What students should realize is that every company has several opportunities for a variety of majors. Students shouldn’t rule out a company based on its name.”

Several of the employers in attendance gave rave reviews for the fair. CJ Rioux, a CPA and SUNY New Paltz Alumnus who represented Sedore Hudson Valley CPAs, said the career fair was a success.

“We’ve collected a lot of resumes so far,” said Rioux. “We hire a lot of New Paltz alumni and hope to continue that trend. I also really love what they did to the SUB. I think it’s great.”

City Manager Morgan Willis of Sherwin-Williams, a Paint Stores Group, also enjoyed the fair.

“It’s a great turnout. It’s been very busy. We are excited to be working with the school,” said Willis.

Store manager Ozzie Osborn, also of Sherman-Williams, agreed.

“It is very well organized and there are a lot of good quality companies here. We are already looking forward to next year,” Osborn said.

Students had a different view of the fair’s success.

“The fair was good for me because I was able to talk with a few employers that were looking for students interested in the accounting industry,” said third-year accounting major Rosemary Salcedo. “But there weren’t as many employers as I hoped. I wish there were more, but I’m sure other companies had their reasons for not attending.”

The Career Resource Center will be sponsoring another career fair on April 5, 2011. Copies of the fair booklet are available in the Career Resource Center in Humanities 105.