Students and Potential Employers Gather at Fall Career and Internship Expo

A host of St. John’s University students explored future opportunities while meeting with potential employers at the annual Fall Career and Internship Expo held on September 29 in Taffner Field House on the Queens, NY, campus.

More than 120 companies from sectors as diverse as finance, education, and advertising were part of the career fair, which was organized by University Career Services. Students learned more about opportunities for internships, refined their interview skills, networked with industry professionals, and even updated their résumé photos at a LinkedIn photo booth.

Included among the recruiters were several St. John’s alumni who were delighted to share tips with current students.

“I’m excited to be back at St. John’s,” said Jaclyn Meneilly ’18TCB, ’19MS, now a Tax Senior Associate at the accounting firm CohnReznick LLP. “I really enjoyed my time here and I am excited to recruit more St. John’s students.”

Steven Becker ’19TCB, ’20MS is a Testing Lead at the financial services firm Synchrony. He urged students to update their LinkedIn profiles with current information about their interests, extracurricular activities, and more. “It’s like a cover photo before you hand in a résumé,” Mr. Becker said.

Some experts said the pandemic changed the dynamic of workplaces and the expectations of employers and employees. Some firms in attendance offered students the potential to work fully remotely; others offered hybrid remote-office models.

“Each role is different,” said Anthony Lobosco, a Talent Acquisition Consultant at Barnum Financial Group. “Some require full-time attendance in the office, some can be more of a hybrid model.”

According to University Career Services, opinions on remote work will continue to evolve as employers find ways to meet expectations for flexibility while also prioritizing  productivity. “Employer views range widely, depending upon factors such as industry, role, location, and leadership,” said Paulette Gonzalez-Sierchio, Executive Director, University Career Services.

Some students expressed the desire to work in an office, at least part of the time, saying they believed they would be more productive workers. “I feel like if I had the choice, I would lean toward a hybrid situation, but I am not going to block off any other options,” said Queens resident Abigail Tang ’22TCB, who is pursuing her Master in Business Administration in Finance degree at St. John’s.

For some students, including Casey Hurley of Charlotte, NC, the career expo was an introduction to the professional world. Casey, a first-year business student, came to explore opportunities. “Every table I’ve gone to so far has been super enthusiastic,” he said.

Whether students were seeking future full-time positions or just browsing, there were plenty of opportunities to establish connections. Finance student Rudradev Singh was looking for an internship, “but if I play my cards right, I might get a job,” he said.