More than 800 undergraduate and graduate students flocked to York’s Schulich School of Business’ Career Day last week to meet representatives from 23 diverse organizations.
Career Day provided Schulich students with the opportunity to network and connect with organizations from a wide range of industries, including Kraft Canada Inc., L’Oréal Canada and TD Bank Financial Group. The organizations attending the event were hiring Schulich students and new grads for full-time, internship and summer positions.
Laura Kong(iBBA ’12) said Career Day gave her the chance to practice networking in a comfortable environment. “You can learn a lot about an organization from its website, but there is value-added in being able to speak directly to company representatives,” she said. “I wanted to find out what recruiters are looking for in new hires and this event gave me a great opportunity for one-on-one interactions.”
Left: Students meet with representatives of TD Bank Financial Group at Schulich School of Business’ Career Day
MBA student Thomas Kurain (MBA ’12) was impressed by the type of organizations Career Day gave him the opportunity to network with. “Schulich provided students with a platform to meet some really high-profile organizations today,” he said.
Third year student Aleem Hooda (BBA ’13) said securing an internship would not only put him one step ahead finding a job after graduation, but also helping him decide his career path. “I can’t decide whether I want to pursue a career in finance or marketing,” he said. “So events like Career Day give me the opportunity to speak with the right people, ask them specific questions and get my foot in the door.”
Representatives from organizations attending the fair came for several reasons. “We’ve been attending Schulich’s Career Day for over 10 years now,” said Sebastien Laplante, human resources, L’Oréal Canada. “Because we know Schulich students are a sure bet for having the skills that we’re looking for. We’re looking for personality and Schulich not only has a great program, but also great students who are well-prepared for the job. In fact, all of our representatives here today are recent Schulich graduates.”
One of those representatives was Schulich grad Maher Kayall (BBA ’10). Maher competed in L’Oréal’s Brandstormcase competition during his third year – his team finished in second place in the national competition (another Schulich team won) – which led to an internship the summer before his fourth year. When he finished his studies, L’Oréal gave him a full-time offer.
“This is the second time I have returned to Schulich to represent L’Oréal at a career fair,” said Maher. “I’m here to answer any questions students might have about what it takes to get hired at L’Oréal. We’re looking at overall skills, individuals who are passionate and goal-oriented, with good analytical and communication skills, and participating in Brandstorm is a great place to showcase these skills – 50 per cent of L’Oréal’s marketing recruits compete in Brandstorm.”
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. representative Alicia Sumar, marketing manager, Fresh Bakery, was busy answering questions from students about the hiring process at Maple Leaf. “My number one tip – be yourself,” she said. “Interview them as much as they interview you. It’s not necessarily about finding a job; it’s also about finding the right job. If you’re going to be spending 40 hours a week there, you need to find a job you’ll be happy at.”