I walked the halls of Saint Peter’s College during my Sophomore year, an as accounting major with no experience in my field of study, no interviews lined up, and utterly clueless. Even after going through countless job opportunity websites and online career placement programs, it was still very difficult for me to even be selected for an interview. I felt as though I was one name on a list of hundreds of other candidates better qualified for the same work experience that I was seeking. It wasn’t until a fellow classmate introduced me to Enzo Fonzo, Office of Career Services and Dr. Peter Gotlieb, Cooperative Education and Internship Program, that I started to receive recognition from major accounting firms and large scale companies. The Office of Career Services guided me to the path of employment through career fairs and setting up interviews with representatives from firms they believed were best suitable for me.
My first job was an internship in the Corporate Tax Department of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, one of the largest investment banks, before the 2008 recession. Working for Lehman Brothers gave me a great deal of experience in audit and taxation within my field of study. The experience I received there was helpful and brought forth knowledge one wouldn’t be able to attain sitting in a classroom. Taking it one step further, the Office of Career Services made it possible for me to have a one-on-one interview with a representative at KPMG and helped me find full time employment in the auditing department at KPMG. The connections that the Office of Career Services has and the dedication they showed in searching for employment for the students show that they truly care about the student body. Making it so they are not just one name in a list of a thousand names, the people at the Office of Career Services and Cooperative Education and Internship Program help students not only find a job, but prepare them for post-graduation employment through all of the job preparation sessions they provide, such as Perfect Interview.