Quinnipiac’s 2004 Career Fair, a turnout of over 100 recruiting employers, brought suits and ties to a Recreation Center where tennis sneakers typically prevailed.
The event held on Thursday, Feb. 19, featured employers of fields ranging from business and communications to health and social services.
Quinnipiac students and members of the outside community, mainly college seniors, arrived at the event equipped with resumes, and according to director of Career Services Pat Nielson, were ‘dressed to impress.’
Michael Minutoli, in charge of planning the fair, said he’s proud of students for their professional attire and overall presentation.
“Our students were very professional and dressed very well; I want to thank them for that.”
Employers attending the fair offered full-time, part-time, summer and service positions. Four-year owners Tim Glover and Jennifer Meinyk of Integrated Therapeutic Solutions explain the benefits of entrepreneurship.
“The boss is pretty good. It’s exciting,” Glover said. “We get to do what we like to do.”
Meinyk said there is an advantage to self employment.
“We do the things the way we want to do them and they get done the way we wanted them to get done.”
Even so, Meinyk said being self employed can be quite time consuming.
“It takes over your life,” she said. “It’s a lot of hard work but it’s worth it.
Fowler Nursing Center recruiter Deanna Fowler, consequently of the same name as her employers, said nursing majors are still very much in demand.
“The population is aging and living longer and so we are waiting around for people to finish school to fill positions.”
Bruce C. Dumelin, Quinnipiac Alumnus, ’71, said he is happy to be representing Fleet as a 28-year employee through four mergers.
“The compensation is great as well as the challenge; it offers a lot of different careers through the same company.”
The event also drew employers of youth and special organizations. Eckerd Youth Alternatives camp counselor Brian Matthews said he is looking for staff to aid in an alternative program for at risk boys ages 12 to 17.
“It’s a live-in position with excellent salary and excellent benefits; I love it here.”
Matthews, who has a masters in education, says the job can be challenging but has its rewards.
“If you have a passion for kids and like a good challenge, this is the place for you.”
Jeff Dean of Amerikids, an organization for inner-city kids with terminal illnesses, said social work is a great job experience.
“It’s unique, it’s a pretty good experience; many of those who go to camp end up going to medical school.”
Dean said Amerikids is a big draw for teachers as well. Rick Delvecchio, a recruiter from the Bridgeport Bluefish, a baseball team drawing an average of 300,000 fans a year, said he was looking for interns with people skills for advertising and marketing the team.
“Interns do a little bit of everything; we’ll take any major we’re just looking for good people.”
Also attending the event was the U.S. Army Healthcare Recruiting.
Locksley Casinader, Sergeant First Class, said the Army can lead to several interesting careers. “You can be a nurse and do the same job everyday or you can work from the 2nd line up to a captain in two years,” said Casinader. “Also, in the Army the base pay is tax free.”
Minutoli said he could not have done it without the student volunteers. “A lot of appreciation to the many student volunteers who helped set it up Wednesday night; they did a great job.”
Minutoli says the student body had excellent participation as well. “Thanks to the student body; they need to give themselves a pat on the back.”
Minutoli said his plans for next year are to get more media based companies. “We want to try and increase the number and diversity of companies and get the 106 employers we got this year back next year.”
