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Student Success Stories
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Spring 2008 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern Monet Carter
Click for Spring 2007 interviews | Click for Fall 2007 interviews
Kelly Looke
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Kelly Looke is working towards a major in Communication and a minor in Sociology with a focus in Public Relations. Her expected graduation is spring 2008.
Since her freshman year Kelly has continuously heard about Career Services from freshman orientation and bulletins all over campus. “The first time I heard about Career Services is when I signed up for E-Recruiting. If it weren't for that website I wouldn't have applied for an internship”.
Kelly always knew that Career Services had a lot of great opportunities for students, especially with writing a resume. She would definitely recommend everyone visit. “I went to Career Services to get help putting together a resume which landed me an internship with the Connecticut Sun, in marketing. I use my resume at every chance I get because it's helped me stand out from others”.
A thing like mock interviewing has really helped Kelly develop skills for the real world. She says that, “If you want to be successful this is a great place to get started”. |
Jillian Robbins
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When Jillian Robbins was in high school she decided to apply to ECSU because she says, “I heard that the Career Services department is very helpful in getting students internships”. That immediately helped sway her decision to attend this institution.
Currently Jillian is working at the Office of Public Affairs, with the Connecticut State University System Office in Hartford , in public relations. She owes much of her success to scheduling an appointment with one of the counselors. “She really was helpful and I wouldn't have gotten the internship if it weren't for her”. Her counselor helped her build a strong resume. Jillian says that even though she was not chosen by some employers for other positions she interviewed for, they all seem to rave about how impressive her resume was. It was so exceptional that it also impressed Jillian's peers.
In the future, she will have confidence in finding a job, because she knows about the process of finding a good job. Jillian would recommend that students check out Career Services because they helped her and she believes they will be helpful to others. “One of my friends was in his senior year and I told him how helpful Career Services had been. I told him make an appointment. He got the help he needed and landed a job as Research Assistant at Yale”. She encourages all seniors and even juniors, to bring their questions to the Career Service counselors. They will be able to answer them for you!
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Noreen Perez |
Noreen Perez, a senior at ECSU, is a Communication major with a minor in English. She is expected to graduate this upcoming May. With her passion for writing, she plans on becoming a journalist.
“I always heard about Career Services from my peers” she goes on to say, “This is what attracted me to Career Services”. But what ultimately made Noreen make that first visit was her need of an internship.
“With the help from one of the counselors, I was able to land an internship with The Hartford Courant. I really like interning there because I find the tasks that I have to do very fulfilling!” Through Career Services, Noreen was able to construct a professional resume that she could submit to jobs and internships.
Getting the necessary assistance that she needed has helped her. Noreen hopes that from The Hartford Courant she can go on to pursue a career in the field of journalism. She recommends that anyone in need of assistance contact Career Services for help!
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Fall 2007 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern Christian Gaucher
Sapna Patel |
Sapna Patel first learned of Career Services when she was training to be a Resident Assistant her sophomore year. She then worked under Dr. Bryant and Dr. Tordenti for a summer where she was urged again to use Career Services to help her with her resume and get the internship she really wanted.
When asked what types of helpful tips she received, she replied, “A lot of resume tips. I learned how to make my resume unique, how to gear it towards certain employers depending on what they were looking for.” She also said that she received some great interview tips including writing thank you notes to prospective employers after the interview was over.
Sapna said that the experience of using Career Services was “much more” than she thought it would be, adding, “I just keep coming back!” She explained that one of the biggest benefits she noticed was the opportunity to make new contacts and relationships which would prove helpful when she needed recommendations.
Sapna will graduate this December with a degree in Biology. Keep in mind, that’s on top of the Biochemistry degree that she earned this past August. Add to that a Connecticut Nursing License and an internship that Career Services helped her secure this past summer with Pfizer. There, she was a research assistant where she was able to do lab work and get hands on experience with new drug formulas and current treatments for various diseases. And then there’s her latest accomplishment—getting accepted to medical school in the Caribbean where she will start classes in July.
Congratulations Sapna, a success story, indeed! |
Shannon Mack |
Shannon Mack is working towards a major in Psychology and a minor in Communication. She plans to graduate in May of 2008. She says that she had heard a few things about Career Services through a couple of on-campus organizations that she was involved with. When she learned that she could get assistance to boost her resume and get a job that suited her best, she came to do just that.
She says that when she arrived, she got help fixing her resume, cleaning it up and making some changes that would help her to secure the type of job she was interested in. She also shared the fact that she was able to “really narrow down the resume to the main points” that would help her to sell herself to potential employers.
Shannon says that the biggest benefit of using Career Services was the different types of interviews that the staff was able to hook her up with. Not only did this prove to help her with interview skills, but eventually the hard work she was doing paid off when she was awarded a job with the New England Center for Children and Families where she was offered the position of residential relief counselor.
Good luck Shannon, we know you’ll do great! |
Fatema Mithaiwala |
“I would strongly recommend that my peers visit Career Services. It made a difference in my career, and I believe it could result in positive outcomes for others, too,” says senior Fatema Mithaiwala, an Accounting major who will graduate with her bachelor’s degree this December.
Fatema says she was encouraged to use Career Services by her accounting professors who also informed her of the career fair which is geared towards the accounting and business majors at Eastern. She took her professor’s advice and attended the fair, noting that “Career Services did a great job in organizing it.”
Fatema also says that when she visited Career Services she received a lot of really helpful tips concerning interviews, job search techniques, the importance of networking, and the fact that having an internship or a co-op experience prior to graduation would be essential to her success.
Eventually, Fatema was placed in a co-op with IBM which she says helped her “get some hands on experience in the accounting field while completing graduation requirements.” She feels that taking the co-op has been “a rewarding experience so far.”
Overall, she says, “I definitely would continue to use Career Services in the future,” adding that “I believe the biggest benefit is the friendly and welcoming atmosphere which encourages students like me to make frequent visits to Career Services.” |
Melanie Richter |
When Melanie Richter, a senior Communication major transferred to Eastern, a recent graduate gave her the advice to make an appointment with Career Services. “Starting the day I signed up for e-recruiting and gave Career Services my resume, I have received a constant flow of e-mails updating me on different internship, co-op, and job opportunities.” She goes on to say it was, “by far the best decision I made at Eastern.”
One of the things that Melanie found to be so beneficial was the personal attention she received from the staff. She explains, “Since they got a chance to know me personally, they were able to look for different internships that would fit my personality.”
Perhaps the most important advice that she received was, “to not stop sending out resumes just because I got one interview. This was extremely helpful when I turned down a job because I did not like my potential supervisor.” She didn’t have to worry though, because as she says, “I already had other resumes out there to rely on.” It was a good thing too, because one of those other resumes landed her a position with the Hartford Courant where she now works three days a week.
When asked if she would recommend Career Services to her peers she says she absolutely would, adding that, “My other advice to them would be to go back more than once. Do not just give up after one meeting with a counselor. Return if you still need help because new opportunities could have risen since your last appointment. They always seem to be the first to know who is hiring, what they are looking for, and who is best for the job.” |
Brittany Bennett |
Meet Brittany Bennett. She is an Economics major with a concentration in Business who hopes to graduate this May. She first learned of the types of assistance that Career Services had to offer while working in the department during her sophomore and junior years.
When she decided to ask for help in looking for an internship, she knew exactly where to turn. What she says she found most helpful in terms of the tips that she received, she lists, “resume critiques, mock interview questions, the best way to go about answering those questions, and what’s appropriate in terms of dress codes.” She feels that learning these things provided her with a “good foundation” in understanding how businesses operate, and her efforts were rewarded when she received an internship with the UPS office in West Hartford as a recruiter.
Because of her encouraging experience with using Career Services to get an internship, she plans to use them for the post-graduation job search as well. As she explains, “A lot of my friends were seniors when I was a freshman and they still call for tips!” She highly recommends using Career Services and offers students the advice to, “Have a general idea of what you’re interested in, and bring a resume!” |
Muhammad Malloy |
“Last semester I referred some friends to Career Services to find internships,” says Muhammad Malloy, an Accounting major who plans to graduate this December. Not only did he refer his friends, but he says he will most likely use Career Services for a post-graduation job search.
Why, you might ask? Because when Muhammad used the assistance offered by Career Services, he was able to attain an exciting internship with the IBM Company in Southbury.
Muhammad first learned about the services that were offered at Career Services through a professor. When he came to ask advice on obtaining an internship he received tons of advice including tips on what should be put on a resume and what should and shouldn’t be said in interviews.
The best piece of advice that he received along the way was, “Not to get comfortable with one place.” He said that although he had secured the internship, he was still keeping his possibilities open.
Muhammad has now been with the IBM Company since the end of May and has earned the rank of Inter-Company Accountant. Great job, Muhammad, and good luck with what’s ahead! |
Ronald Isler |
“Ronald Isler is a senior who will graduate this December with a degree in Business Administration. Not only will he be prepared for the job search with a degree under his arm, but he will also have real work experience due to his summer co-op.
Ronald came to Career Services in search of a co-op that would accomplish just that. He said, “The staff really helped match my strengths with the placement. They also helped me pick something that allowed me to work, go to school, and play baseball at the same time.”
He explained that he received many tips such as “staying positive” about finding a match. He also found it extremely helpful to be able to get a list of contacts and call them directly so that possible employers would be able to match a name to a face versus applying online.
His hard work paid off when he was granted a co-op with a staffing firm called The Lyle Group LLC. in Manchester. His experience helped him gain important on site skills such as “data entry, learning new software, setting up interviews, contacting clients, and following up on leads.”
His advice? “Get started early!” |
Tessa Pickering |
Tessa Pickering is a senior who is majoring in Communication. She will also have a minor in Social Work when she graduates this May. Thinking ahead, Tessa used the help of Career Services in order to secure the type of internship she had always wanted.
“I went to Career Services to ask for assistance in doing a resume and applying for an internship,” she says. “The staff gave me millions of tips. They told me everything from how to dress for an interview to how to put a resume together.”
When she was asked what the best advice was that she received she replied, “Honestly, probably when she told me to just be myself in the interview!”
Tessa was able to take in and use some of the great tips and information that she received at Career Services in order to get an exciting internship. She explains, “By using Career Services I was able to get an internship at the Hartford Courant, the place I really wanted to intern at.” She went on to say that being placed in this particular internship has opened up many doors for her.
When asked for some final thoughts she concluded, “I highly recommend Career Services. The experience was a lot more educational and memorable than I actually thought it was going to be. I wouldn’t consider not using it.”
Best of luck Tessa, we hope to see your name in print! |
Danny Diaz |
Business major Danny Diaz is not scheduled to graduate until May 2010. The good news is that he has gotten himself ahead by taking advantage of Career Services early in the game.
One of the things he says that helped him most was partaking in the mock interviews that the department offers to better prepare students for the interviews they will experience after graduation. He shared that the mock interview process was really helpful because in going through it a couple of times he was able to see what kind of interview skills he needed to work on and which ones he felt comfortable with.
He says the best benefit of using such a service is that, “it teaches and prepares you for real life interviews.” A helpful piece of advice that he remembers hearing was how to dress for an interview. He says that it is important to know how to “dress the part of the job that you want.”
Danny also shared the fact that his experience was “…better than I had expected it to be. The counselors really know how to focus on the student’s particular needs.” He says, “You need to be prepared to enter a corporation or career, and they will help you. They do a great job!”
After learning the skills that would help him through the interview process, he was able to score an internship through the INROADS program, whose mission is to provide internships in the business industry in order to prepare students for leadership positions.
Good job, Danny, all your hard work will pay off in the future! |
Spring 2007 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern Stephanie Pierce
Richard Bruneau |
“The Office of Career Services helped me out immensely in creating a resume, and finding and securing a CO-OP for this summer,” states Richard Bruneau, an accounting student from ECSU. Richard was a little skeptical about finding a co-op for the summer. Unsure of what he wanted to do or where he wanted to go, Rich went to the career services department for help.
Scheduled to graduate in May of 2008, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Rich wanted to find something that may be useful for his degree. In a meeting with one of the Career Services staff, he was able to build a resume that matched his objective of acquiring “real world” experience in Accounting and Finance.
Rich’s counselor asked if he would be interested in a Co-op with an alumni CFO in Boulder, Colorado. The full time, paid position offered housing and transportation as well. Immediately Rich applied, and several days later, Rich was being interviewed for the position.
“I accepted it and I owe it to the people at the Office of Career Services. Without their help, I don't know if I could have been able to find an opportunity like this CO-OP for the summer.”
Richard is a primary example of what career services can do for you. “They can help build your resume with you, and they can help put you into a position where opportunities are always just a phone call away.”
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Sapna Patel |
Sapna Patel is an ECSU student, majoring in biochemistry and biology. She is scheduled to graduate in May of 2008 with both of the degrees. She has landed an internship with Pfizer.
Although Sapna found the internship on her own, she still used the career services department for help. Like most students, Sapna went to the department for help with building her resume. Sapna’s main objective was to find “an internship experience in scientific research that will provide the opportunity to expand her efficiency in research procedures and laboratory methodologies”.
Along with helping to build Sapna’s resume, career services also prepared her for the interview. Interviews can be a little nerve-racking but with a little bit of knowledge of what the questions may contain, can help a person ease their mind a little.
Sapna is scheduled to start her internship with Pfizer’s in the summer, where she will be able to expand her knowledge in research and methodologies. Congratulations!
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Jenna Podeswa |
Jenna Podeswa is anticipating her graduation in May of 2009. Pursing a Bachelor of Arts in History and Social Science, with a minor in Theatre, Jenna has recently found a full time internship with the Hartford Stage scheduled to begin June 3rd, 2007. Jenna will be in a field that will help to prepare her for her future teaching profession. She wants to become a teacher in history, social science, or theater. By interning, Jenna will get the experience that she needs and wants.
Jenna was not able to do this all alone. As known by most of us who are trying to pursue a career after college, we know that much time and effort goes into not just finding the career but also preparing for it. With the help of career services, Jenna was able to build a resume that caught the attention of the Hartford Stage Employers.
“It was a great experience”, Jenna said, “Not only did they help me prepare my resume but they also helped me write a thank you letter after my interview”. As she puts it, career services were very helpful in her quest to find an internship.
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Alicia McCain |
Alicia McCain is not scheduled to graduate until May of 2008, but that has not stopped her thinking about her future after college. Pursuing a Bachelor’s in Business Marketing, Alicia has been able to concentrate in communications and public relations.
Through a lecture given in one of her business classes, Alicia learned about the ECSU Office of Career Services. Knowing nothing about career services, Alicia took it upon herself to set up a meeting with a career counselor. With that help, Alicia came up with an outstanding resume.
Alicia’s objective, according to her resume, was to “pursue an internship in marketing or public relations where excellent customer relations and intrapersonal skills can help improve the company’s profitability”.
Taking the chance, Alicia started posting her resume. With the help of career services, Alicia did not just land an internship. She did one step better. She found a co-op with Open Solutions in Glastonbury, a business and marketing position with a software development company. The Co-op will allow Alicia to apply her studies in a real-world environment while utilizing her customer relations skills in working with clients.
Alicia’s full time Marketing Co-op will start after the spring 2007 semester. Having a co-op as opposed to an internship means that Alicia will not only learn on the job, but she will also be getting paid.
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Spring 2007 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern John Macy
Chelsea Adams |
Chelsea Adams is a senior pursuing a degree in Business Administration, with a focus on Marketing. She was introduced to Career Services in her sophomore year, while preparing an application to the Disney College Program, an internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Chelsea believes that Career Services has helped her significantly, not only in securing the internship, but with her post graduate job search as well. She feels that Career Services counselors helped her create an effective resume, as well as giving her tips to prepare for interviews.
In retrospect, Chelsea feels that her experience with Career Services has been nothing but encouraging and optimistic, and that every student should take advantage of the resources provided by Career Services. She believes that many students think that there is a certain point in their college career when it is too late to get assistance from Career Services, and this certainly is not the case. She also emphasized that Career Services is free to Eastern students, commenting that many people have to pay for similar services.
Chelsea hopes to eventually seek a full time position with the Walt Disney World Corporation in some sort of marketing capacity. She is currently pursuing a position with the Hartford Courant.
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Kelly Fitzgerald |
Kelly Fitzgerald is a senior at ECSU with a major in political science. She has always had an interest in jobs in government, particularly those with influence over public policy. She became familiar with Career Services through attending various job and grad school fairs held by the office.
Kelly made use of the resume building services offered by Career Services, and believes that without them, her resume would not be of the quality that it currently is. Kelly praised the Career Services counselors, who she feels show great concern for each individual student, and stressed that they are always looking for job opportunities with students in mind. She believes that the counselors are always willing to put in the effort necessary to help a student.
Kelly currently holds an internship with CWEALF, the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund. This group serves as an advocate for women, providing an informational hotline, workshops, and educational programs for women.
Kelly feels that any student looking for employment should take advantage of Career Services. She says that the counselors are willing to “bend over backwards” in order to help students put themselves in a position to be more employable and to find a job that is suited to their skills and life goals.
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Tim Kramar |
Tim Kramar is a junior majoring in History, with an expected graduation date of May 2008. He is currently serving as an intern in the office of Governor M. Jodi Rell in Hartford. In this internship, Tim is working with members of the Governor’s staff, monitoring legislation which may affect the state’s budget.
Tim first became aware of Career Services when he received a letter detailing his eligibility for the Co-op Program. He then attended a Career Services information meeting, which led him to schedule an appointment with a career counselor. Tim said that he first came to ECSU with the intention of studying to be a teacher, but soon realized that he had more of an interest in federal law enforcement, such as the FBI or Secret Service.
Tim believes that Career Services has been a major help to him in his search for employment. He said that aside from the technical aspects of the employment search, such as resume writing assistance and advice on how to go about searching for a job, the career counselors also provided encouragement during his search, which helped him stay motivated and optimistic about his future prospects.
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Lauren Bedini |
Lauren Bedini is a senior at ECSU, and will be graduating in May 2007. She is a business major with a focus in Human Resources. Lauren wants to find a job as a recruiter, to make full use of her degree. She learned of Career Services through a recent orientation held by a Career Services staff member.
Lauren first made use of Career Services when she joined students and staff on a trip to Hartford for a career fair, where she secured an internship offer with First Investors. She will be working on campus this semester, assisting First Investors with recruiting other students interested in internships and employment in Finance. According to Lauren, once a student has registered with Career Services, and the eRecruiting site, they can exppect to receive frequent email updates about opportunities for internships, co-ops, and full-time jobs.
Lauren feels that ECSU in general, and Career Services in particular, comprises a large network of people putting forth their best effort to help students find post-graduate work, and that their involvement does not end once a student receives their diploma. When asked what she would tell an uninformed student about Career Services, she stressed that students should take the time to meet with a counselor and discuss their future plans. She mentioned that the counselors are a valuable resource, and that they have access to resources that students may not be aware of. |
Fall 2006 interviews conducted by Career Services Intern Teresa Piccolello
Angela Orum |
“I wish that my friends who don’t go to ECSU could use the Career Services department too!” says Angela Orum, the 22 year old Norwich, CT native. Orum is an English major pushing through her final few weeks before graduation in December 2006.
Orum met with a Career Services counselor who taught her how to revamp her resume. “She introduced me to new resume styles that better represented me,” Orum comments.
Not too long after Orum had posted her resume on eRecruiting, on the Career Services website, she received an e-mail from the Progressive Insurance company. She applied and was almost immediately contacted for a telephone interview. Once Orum passed the three preliminary steps, a basic skills test and an emotional IQ test, she anxiously prepared for the final interview in Pennsylvania.
“[My counselor] was available all the time. We communicated by phone and e-mail as I prepared for the 90 minute interview. She helped me to create ‘thank you’ cards to send, following the interviews and helped me to prepare for questions they might ask me,” says Orum.
Needless to say, Orum’s 90 minute interview was a success. Days later, Progressive Insurance offered her a full time position as a claims adjustor.
“I highly recommend Career Services to everyone. I only wish I had used the resource earlier!”
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Paul Zaudke |
“I enrolled in college to expand my mind and gain from the endless resources that a university has to provide; and one of the strongest resources I found is Career Services”, says Paul Zaudke, a senior and Business Administration major at Eastern Connecticut State University.
Zaudke, a Manchester resident, is expecting his degree in December 2006. Zaudke has been a success since the beginning of his college career when he received the Excellence in Communication Award in 2003. Regardless, he still insists that, “Utilizing Career Services was one of the major steps in gaining my education and I would feel shorted without it”, as he continues to excel in both the academic and professional sphere since discovering Career Services.
Like other college students, Zaudke can relate to having a full schedule as he manages a full-time job, a part-time job, and classes. Zaudke credits his success to his career counselor, “She was simply fantastic. She helped me with a lot in the short time I spent with her. I feel privileged to know her as she helped me to mold my resume, she gave me confidence, a piece of mind, and a wonderful feeling for taking on those nerve racking first interviews”.
In June Zaudke started a co-op at Nationwide Insurance. In late July he was given a permanent position, and since then he has been promoted. “I am sincerely happy with my career and I have Career Services to thank for helping me on a path of success”.
As a previous intern and now permanent employee at Nationwide, Zaudke is extending a helping hand in offering a broad range of insurance, co-op, and internship opportunities to Eastern students, “I speak from experience when I say that this opportunity is long-lasting and a great way to start a path to success”. Zaudke looks forwards to a continuing relationship with Nationwide Insurance and Eastern Connecticut State University. |
Destiny Gore |
“I admit that I was a skeptic”, says Destiny Gore, senior and Sociology major at Eastern Connecticut State University, when a fellow student recommended she visit Career Services, “He [the student] guaranteed me that I would have a job within a few weeks”.
Gore met with a counselor. “She gave me very helpful suggestions on how to better format my resume and cover letters. Once my resume was completed I couldn’t believe how professional I sounded. I never realized before how much I have to offer”.
Gore experienced the anxiety of employment searching like the rest of her classmates. After seeking the help of Career Services and sending out her newly crafted resume to various companies and organizations the counselor had suggested, however, Gore had four job interviews lined up after just two weeks. She remembers, “I couldn’t believe it. I had applied to jobs before and I had never received this response”.
Gore received numerous phone calls and one was from the one particular employer she hoped for. Gore now has a full time position with The Community Renewal Team (CRT) in Hartford where she works for the Forensic Services Department with a program called “Fresh Start”. It is the perfect fit for Gore’s interest in Sociology as she is able to make her own contribution to the 24-hour facility that houses women who have been incarcerated and assists them in making a transition back into society.
Regardless of having to complete strenuous senior class work, and be at the facility until midnight every week day, Gore still declares, “My position is Resident Advisor and I love my job!”
Gore shares her opinion in what seems to be the student consensus on Career Services, “If it weren’t for their help, I would still be lost.” |
Yemi Ayeni |
“They gave me tons of helpful advice for my resume, how to search for jobs, and how to act during interviews,” says Yemi Ayeni about her time spent with Career Services’ counselors. Ayeni is a senior Accounting major and Math minor here at Eastern Connecticut State University and she expects to graduate in December 2007.
Last summer, Ayeni worked as a finance intern at Women’s Health USA, a healthcare services company, in Avon, CT that she learned about through Career Services. “I did the usual journal entries and made of lot of spreadsheets with transactions. It was a great experience”.
Although her internship with Women’s Health USA has expired, Ayeni recently attended the Accounting Career Fair hosted by Career Services in October. She distributed several resumes and discussed opportunities with the companies, “I am staying in touch with them for the future”.
In the meantime Ayeni is busy with strenuous senior Accounting class work and her duties as an R.A. in her residence hall. As for continuing her relationship with Career Services, Ayeni says, “Definitely. Definitely. That’s a sure thing”. |
Jon Tufano |
“I knew that they were there for me,” says Jon Tufano, Business major and Economics minor at Eastern Connecticut State University, when asked about his experience with Career Services.
Tufano had a unique experience with Career Services; one that he describes as “pro-active”. After searching the Career Services eRecruiting website and constantly reviewing updates and job leads, Tufano says, “I came to them with an internship and said, ‘How can we make this happen?’ And well, they made it happen”. Tufano attended and networked at the Business Department Open House co-hosted by Career Services where he received an internship position with XSellence CRM Software dealing with sales revenue acceleration.
“Career Services definitely played their part in my transition, it is a great resource”.
After his summer internship, Tufano still works with XSellence where he has been given additional responsibilities in his position, seeking out and scheduling motivational speakers for the company. Tufano is thankful to XSellence for the flexibility they allow him as he completes his last two semesters.
Tufano continues to collaborate with Career Services and is in the process of planning for potential post-graduation employment. “My counselor set me up and I had an amazing telephone interview with a Connecticut consulting firm”.
“Most students don’t realize the value of Career Services—you have to leverage what is there for you in order to succeed”, Tufano states. He expects to graduate in Spring 2007 with several employment opportunities. Thanks, to Career Services. |
Laura Figerle |
“Internships are required for my major to graduate, and it was a tough road to search for the right one,” says senior Laura Figerle of Eastern Connecticut State University, who expects to graduate in May of 2007. Figerle is a Business Administration major with a concentration in marketing, and a minor in communications.
By the middle of the summer, Figerle was uncertain about finding an internship and decided to schedule an appointment with a Career Services counselor. She articulates, “Career Services was fantastic… our interview made me realize that finding an internship/co-op was actually attainable for me in the near future.”
After the interview and signing up for E-recruiting, Figerle says the counselor “helped me understand different areas that I wanted to gain real world experience in. Within three weeks she sent me an opening for the position that I work for today.”
Figerle now interns at Hire Logic LLC in South Windsor, CT. She is responsible for assisting the recruiters in finding potential candidates for positions that are offered, working on projects, and managing the online resume database, among other clerical work. Figerle comments, “This is a perfect internship for me. Although it is in the human resources field, it deals with marketing and selling candidates to specific companies.”
Figerle recalls her experience with Career Services as an excellent opportunity that provided job opportunities and immediate responses.
“Overall, my co-op was a tremendous experience that gave me real job skills and proper business etiquette, which will be helpful in attaining a position in the human resources or marketing field in the future,” Figerle comments, “I plan on keeping in touch with Career Services and utilizing E-Recruiting to assist me in finding another position post-graduation.” |
Molly Burgess |
“I feel like I’m an interview ‘pro’ now,“ laughs Molly Burgess, a 20 year old junior and Accounting major at Eastern Connecticut State University. She is President of the Accounting Society and expects to graduate in May 2008.
“My GPA was good and I was involved with extracurricular activities, so I thought that was all I really needed. I was wrong,” Burgess says of an interview "gone bad" in her sophomore year.
Burgess’ care free assumptions about interviewing quickly changed when she realized she was not prepared for the questions that were asked. It was at an Accounting Society meeting where Burgess met her counselor who was giving a presentation about job searching and interview skills. “She went over the basics, like how to dress, eye contact, speaking clearly, posture and stuff like that. She also went over things to do before the interview, like research the company!! The biggest help was the list of questions she gave.”
By junior year, Burgess still had no internship: “I was getting really worried because I really needed accounting experience before I graduated and time was running out. I went to the Accounting Career Fair this October. It was a big success. Career Services did a wonderful job putting it on. I ended up talking to various companies. I got about five call backs and four interviews! I couldn’t believe it, I was so excited.”
“I researched the company and went over all the sample questions a bunch of times,“ Burgess recalls about the days before her interview with Blum Shapiro, a regional public accounting firm in West Hartford. “The interview ended up going really well! I was so nervous at first, but right when we started talking I realized, wow, this is easy. I was able to answer all the questions-- even specific behavioral ones-- and I walked out thinking I did a good job.”
Today Burgess is getting excited having accepted Blum Shapiro’s offer for the January through April co-op. “Career Services was great because they helped me register the offer as a co-op so I could keep my full time status and financial aid and scholarships and everything. My counselor was a big help,” Burgess said.
Thanks to Career Services, Burgess will never make the same mistakes again during an interview. While looking forward to beginning her co-op with Blum Shapiro, she is also waiting for a call back from accounting and consulting firm, KPMG, for a summer internship. “If all goes well, I’ll get it!”
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Marcia Saccu |
"I have recommended it to all of my friends and everyone I know who is looking for internship or job opportunities," says 21 year old Eastern Connecticut State University senior, Marcia Saccu, about Career Services. Saccu is a Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing; she expects her degree in May 2007.
Saccu set up an appointment with a Career Services Counselor, and afterwards excitedly admits, "I realized I didn't know any of this! If it wasn't for Career Services I would be completely lost."
Saccu worked with her counselor on perfecting her resume and cover letters, and also set up an account with e-recruiting. "She sent me so many internship and co-op opportunities in business around the area."
Among the many options Saccu sifted through, was an internship available at Quasar Enterprises in Willimantic. "I called and made an appointment for an interview, then when I went, I got the internship right on the spot!"
Quasar Enterprises is a company that specializes in website design and redesign. Among her responsibilities that she will be taking on during the spring semester internship, Saccu says, "I am going to be prospecting new businesses, particularly restaurants, and seeing if they want Quasar to design a website for them and I will be teaching them all about it-- basically I market Quasar to the businesses."
Saccu credits Career Services with helping her set off in the right direction. "Yes, it is an absolutely valuable resource," she says, "I personally plan to continue to utilize it and to also continue to spread the word." |
Pedros Pozo |
“I definitely feel I am on the path to success… I’m trying to do the right thing and have fun at the same time, because after all, that’s what life is about—having fun with what you do,” says Pedro Pozo, who recently graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Biochemistry.
Pozo is an Ecuador native who moved to the United States when he was eleven years old. Although he wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to do, Pozo always knew he wanted to have a career in the science field. “So about two months before I graduated I went to the Career Services Office to see if they could help me out,” says Pozo.
Pozo was given suggestions and a wealth of information on how to search for positions in the field of science. Starting his job search just before graduation, it was at the end of the summer that he received the e-mail from Career Services that would set his science dream in motion.
The e-mail notified Pozo that a lab assistant position was open at Goodwin College in East Hartford. “I followed up the e-mail and replied to Goodwin College telling them that ECSU’s Career Services Office had sent me, along with my resume,” says Pozo.
The Health Services Department Chair from Goodwin College replied to Pozo shortly after, proposing an interview appointment. “I was extremely happy, jumping all over, screaming, you get the idea!”
“I went for the interview and killed it,” Pozo confidently recalls.
Three days later Pozo received a phone call with the good news that he had been selected for the position. “I am currently the Lab Coordinator at Goodwin College and loving it.”
Pozo concludes, “I absolutely recommend anyone to stop by the Career Services Office. They helped me obtain my current job and I am certain that the experience and knowledge I am gaining will help with my future career and success.”
Congratulations Pedro Pozo, and congratulations Career Services on yet another victory!
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