Kean University Career Fair Event

By Isabelle Guthrie | Published April 7, 2023

On April 4, 2023, Kean University’s Career Fair event took place offering students opportunities to showcase their skills in front of employers that are interested in giving them the experience for their career path journeys.

The event had many internships for students to choose from, which gave students plenty of options to see which internship is best suited for them. From the Police department and National Guard, to companies such as L’Oreal. 

Kean University took time and effort with the making of this event. Katerin Zhunio, a business marketing senior, believes it to be a great success. 

“I think the career fair was a success. There were a lot of companies that attended and great internship opportunities for college students,” Zhunio said.

With many students feeling under pressure from these interviews, it is always good to give them a helpful tip. Zhunio offered some tips for students meeting with employers, so they can feel more confident in themselves.

“Some tips I recommend for students attending these types of events are being prepared. They should dress business casual with their resumes printed and ready to be giving out. As well as doing some research on the companies that are going to attend and what types of internships they are offering,” Zhunio said. 

Joe Chirichella, a Kean Alumni that is an employer of the Sherwin-Williams company in management sales, also offers tips for students taking interest in his company’s internship.

“Don’t believe your resume is the best. It never is. Push yourself and your own narrative because you are who you are and jobs will find you,” said Chirichella. 

Chirichella stated that he also has a goal for students and how he had a great experience with a company at one of Kean’s Career Fairs.

“My goal is for someone to get a career at the Kean fair, like I did, in 2019. I got hired on the spot,” Chirichella said. 

It is important for students to take these chances and apply themselves for internships that could possibly change their lives forever. Of course, it was very nerve-racking as well, but Kean had plenty of resources to help them feel calm, cool, and collected. 

The event was not only successful due to the companies and the amount of people that showed up, but also because of its new resource called the elevator pitch booth. This made them stand out compared to other Career Fairs because it was different. Synamin Golson, a Kean Alumni and volunteer at the elevator pitch booth, explained that this was the first year that they added the booth.

“This is the first year they added the elevator pitch booth for help in the career fair and I thought that was a great idea because it was different compared to other Career Fairs,” Golson said.

Golson was pleasantly surprised when she volunteered in the Career Fair not knowing what her task was, but found out through email that she would be aiding students in the elevator pitch booth. The booth had many students practicing and gaining advice for the best elevator pitch. 

“My main advice for students with an elevator pitch, if it is uncomfortable to talk about yourself, ask the company to explain what the job is about and just listen for keywords to figure out what to say about yourself because it is nerve-racking,” Golson said. “Just walk up and introduce yourself and then ask about the company so you get an idea of what to say about yourself.”

While the Career Fair made a great impression, there were also some suggestions made to make it even better for everyone involved.

“I do believe there can be some improvements. To begin with, Kean should organize and set the tables for each company based on what internships they are offering for what exact majors,” Zhunio said. “There were quite a few times where students were looking for specific internships for their specific majors and weren’t sure if they were offering or where to look. With students having a busy schedule I believe they should have somewhat of a map/guideline on where to look.”

Golson also stated a suggestion as well that could be beneficial for students who weren’t able to make it or even certain companies.

“I thought about this before I left and I was wondering if more than one day would have been more beneficial. That would be the only thing that I would suggest,” Golson said. 

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