FIU’s BBC wants students to #picturemycareer

Each semester, FIU puts together career fairs on both the Modesto Maidique campus and The Biscayne Bay Campus. This year at BBC’s Career Expo, the University wants their students to “picture their careers.”

The Career Expo is described as a premier professional development and recruiting opportunity for all FIU students and alumni. It offers students a platform for employment, internships, recruitment and on-the-spot interviews. The expo also provides career advising from professionals from respective industries.

Taking place on Thursday, Sept. 8, the exposition will be held in Wolfe University Center ballrooms and begin with “Career Smart Talks” at 9:30 a.m. The Career Fair will follow right after from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. ending with a second round ofCareer Smart Talk.

Career Smart Talks are similar to “Ted Talks,” with invited professionals speaking to students on professionalism and their career paths.

Over 140 recruiters from over 60 employers and 30 industry leaders will be in attendance to provide internship, employment and networking opportunities.

There will also be free transportation from MMC to BBC by using the FIU buses with early registration.

Mercedes Dericho, coordinator for Career and Talent Development for Student Affairs, explains that this year’s theme for the Career Expo is to “picture your career” with the hashtag #picturemycareer.

“We want students to take advantage of the employers coming,” said Dericho.

For instance, United Airlines is one of the employers visiting FIU this year, and Dericho hopes students can consider building a career within that company.

In preparation for the exposition, Career and Talent Development for Student Affairs had created preparation events called “Road to the Career Expo” leading up to the main one this September.

Held in August, the events included resume writing workshops, job search lab and strategies and LinkedIn photoshoots.

The Career and Talent Development for Student Affairs helps put together the exposition with the Student Government Association at BBC.

As Dericho explained, they provide signature services from resume critiques, mock interviews, cover letters, job search assistance, and also connect students to industries relating to their interests or majors.

At MMC, the Career Fair is an opportunity to meet employers however Dericho explains that the BBC Career Expo differs in many ways.

“The differences from the Career Fair is that we have additional programs. We have the Vice Provost Council who will critique and prepare students before the fair,” said Dericho.

Last year they brought Darcee S. Siegel, former city attorney of Miami Beach; students were able to ask questions in regards to law school and had their resumes looked over and critiqued.

Siegel, attorney at law, wrote that “while mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them and makes them feel as though they matter. For me, meeting and mentoring FIU students has been equally rewarding and professionally fulfilling.”

“I have been extremely overwhelmed by the high caliber and intellect of the FIU students that I have had the opportunity to assist with resume critiquing and improving interviewing skills. Each year, the students that I have mentored, have become more impressive than the prior year,” said Siegel. “Being a member of the FIU vice-provost council’s mentoring committee has given me personal growth and development. I highly recommend working with FIU’s Career Services so that you too can make a difference in a student’s life as well as in your own life.”

This year’s exposition is bringing famous plastic surgeon, “Dr. Miami,” and Dericho stresses the importance of taking full advantage of these services provided to students.

“I think that the Career Services office should be utilized more,” said Dericho. “Students don’t usually come until they need it and they are not going before.”

She suggests freshmen come after their first semester of school to get started on their careers and to get familiar with how Career services work. She says that too many students come to the offices last minute trying to receive assistance.

“Sometimes students go in expecting to gain an internship within two weeks last minute …  There needs to be more time if the student would like to have the internship they want for their careers,” said Dericho.

For more information on the Career Expo, Career and Talent development, or Career Services at FIU, students can visit career.fiu.edu. The Career and Talent Development for Student Affairs’ office can be found on the BBC campus in the WUC, room 255.