Ahead of their graduation, several university students were given directions to the world of work when the Cave Hill Campus held a job fair, at the campus recently.
CIBC FirstCaribbean was one the 30 organisations hosting a booth. At the bank’s booth, discussion did not only surround available careers, but some visitors were eager to know what could give them an edge over other job seekers.
Stephanie Blackman and Michelle Corbin of CIBC FirstCaribbean pointed to having the right resumé, given that was the first introduction. Their advice was to keep it simple. They told job seekers that their resumé should indicate in a prominent position, their field of study along with its starting and completion dates and GPA grade.
The students were told that several well qualified people applied to the bank, so it was not just about academics, but their resumé should go beyond academics to show whether they were well-rounded people, therefore they should also mention any special awards, volunteer work and interests.
First year student of banking and finance, Roselle Jemmott, described the information gathered at the bank’s booth as useful, adding that she received lots of encouragement from the CIBC FirstCaribbean representatives.
Leanne Gill, a final year student of accounting and finance and Tamia Mayers expressed similar comments. Gill said she gained some knowledge about careers in the bank and was impressed that the representatives offered that they could be contacted afterwards for advice. She said she got the impression that the bank presented opportunities and encouragement for career development.
Mayers added that the bank’s representatives were easy to talk with and helpful, she therefore was left with the impression that their working environment was cordial.
The bank’s representatives also included Anderson Blenman; Leichae Downes and Osazé Moraldo-Bowen. Interestingly, Moraldo-Bowen, a Corporate Investment Bank Associate, is also a student, pursuing a Master’s degree in finance and is President of the Guild. He agreed that his presence added some familiarity for students, but he said he felt that generally, the students were very receptive to the information that was shared.
The Job Fair was one of the events in the campus’, “World of Work” which according to its website offered a space for recruiters, alumni and students to interact; and students and those new to the workforce to gain tangible insights on their career plan through workshops, recruitment conversations and interviews. The theme for this year is “Building Brand You.” (PR)
