Commencement is the first step into the future

It’s been happening for more than 50 years. Students don caps and gowns and file slowly in front of their peers, teachers, family and friends and emerge as new graduates ready to begin a new life armed with the knowledge and experience of an education in at Binghamton. This year, 3,000 students filled the Events Center. As expected, emotions filled the air, joy, fear, excitement and peace. Peace at knowing that their future is secure.

Melissa began her career search with eRecruiting when she was a sophomore. She spent the next two years participating in the mock interview program, going to employer presentations and job fairs, and used the Career Development Center’s counseling services. Melissa got a job offer during the winter break of her senior year. “Finding a job is a job itself,” she said. “You need to be persistent. The on-campus recruitment program is really convenient.”

For Brandon, finalizing his plans in December really took the pressure out of his final semester. After utilizing the job fairs, counseling services and the on-campus recruitment program, Brandon had a number of on-campus interviews including those with IBM, Lockheed and Deloitte. Brandon’s advice for other students is to “definitely look for an internship or co-op position. It will help you land a full-time job.”

Bob Chan knows what it’s like to be a senior full of hopes and dreams. As a 1995 graduate, Bob now works for Bloomberg LP and recruits students for his firm. His confidence in Binghamton has been confirmed with his experiences as an on-campus recruiter. “Recruiting at Binghamton is a good investment of time and has enabled Bloomberg to recruit quality employees,” he said. For Bob, this year’s efforts resulted in a number of hires for both full-time and internship employees. The CDC is fortunate to have many alumni who return to campus to recruit current students. This is testimony to their commitment to BU. It reflects their awareness of the quality education students continue to receive at Binghamton, and recognition of the superior employer services provided through the CDC.

When planning his post-graduation plans, Krishna Vallabhaneni turned to the Alumni Career Network. He found it to be a useful tool for his job search and said, “I tried to contact close to 20 people and most of them responded in a very positive manner. Some provided insight on different opportunities in finance that I did not know of and others were more specific. They gave me interview tips and even forwarded my resume to their Human Resources director. I highly recommend this service for anyone that is looking for a job after graduation.” Want to make a difference? Contact CDC’s Employer Services at (607) 777-2553 for more information about all the ways you can get involved in recruiting Binghamton candidates or in programs to assist students with their professional development. Click here for a partial list of CDC events scheduled for the upcoming year, and don’t forget to check CDC on the web for all the latest information.

Fall Semester http://cdc.binghamton.edu/specialevents/events.html Employer Fair: September 22, 2005, 11 am - 3:30 pm Representatives from various organizations meet with students about full time and internship opportunities. Mock Interviews: September 23, 2005, 9 am - 12:00 pm Alumni and employer representatives conduct practice interviews with students to hone their interview skills. Nursing Forum, October 24 Representatives from hospitals and other health care institutions visit campus to discuss career and employment opportunities. Between Semesters and Breaks New York City Employer Visits: Students sign up to tour NY City employer sites. This is a great opportunity for alumni to host visits. New York City Etiquette Dinner: Alumni join students at this networking and etiquette education program. This was piloted in NY City in January 2005. Spring Internship and Job Fair: February 9, 2006, 11 am - 3:30 pm The fair enables employers to connect with motivated BU students for jobs and short-term opportunities in the current job market. Mock Interviews: February 10, 2006 Alumni and employer representatives conduct practice interviews with students to hone their interview skills.