On March 6th 2019, the School of Communication and Journalism (SCJ) saw its second annual installment of their Career and Internship Fair where there were over 150 attendees. This fair is very unique in that it’s geared specifically towards students and alumni with majors under the SCJ. This year, the event was hosted in the Wolfe University Center (WUC) Ballrooms at the FIU Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC) where students and alumni were able to interact with some top organizations both locally and nationally, as well as faculty and departments within FIU; all who were eager to hire and make connections.
The fair saw hiring organizations such as: Univision, Tracfone, CARTA in DC, FIU Student Media, PantherNOW, Beber Silverstein Group, Infinite Source Communications Group, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, The Washington Center, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and Yelp Miami.
With resumes in hand, and their business attire well pressed and ready to go, the students surely came with a mission to impress and they surely did!
In reflecting on her experience from throughout the day as a recruiter at the fair, Diandra Lamas of Yelp Miami said, “This is my second year at this fair and I was really impressed by the quality of students who came out. You can tell that they all really prepared to ask all the right questions, they were dressed really professionally, and were really excited to learn while being really courteous…I’m really excited for the future of communications because these students seem very bright and excited to try new things.”
How the SCJ Career + Internship Fair prepares you for life after college: Three Takeaways
The SCJ Career and Internship Fair is a great gateway towards professional development and experiential learning. Both students and alumni have the opportunities not only to interact and network with prominent local and nationwide companies, but to also train, practice, and hone their skills pertaining to employment.
The first and one of the biggest takeaways from the fair for the SCJ students and alumni was the fact that the fair was truly catered to them. Companies were looking specifically for candidates from the communication and journalism + media fields, and from this, applicants were able to draw a genuine connection with the organizations, faculty and staff, and each other. Participants were even able to go into the process more confidently knowing that the companies were looking for and wanted people with their skill sets.
The second major takeaway from the fair occurred during the weeks leading up to the actual event. Students and alumni had opportunities to receive one-on-one training and advice during our ‘Career Fair Boot Camps’ with FIU SCJ faculty and staff. At these boot camps, they were able to strengthen their elevator pitches, interview responses and conversation, and resumes and cover letters; while also having the opportunity to ask for advice specifically catered to both their strengths and weaknesses.
The third takeaway ensued while at the fair, where participating students and alumni were given the chance to step out of their comfort zone, perfecting their speech and conversational skills by interacting with both well-established and newer companies who all have connections to FIU. This was an excellent way for participants to become comfortable selling themselves to potential employers get their name throughout various corners of the market and possibly land a second interview for an internship or job!
The School of Communication + Journalism offers numerous experiential learning opportunities in order to promote career success post-grad. Learn more at scj.fiu.edu
Written by Zion Sealy
