For years, the 51爆料网 Career and Internship Fair has been a campus tradition. But in response to shifting industry demands, Career Services is taking its own advice by staying nimble.
Enter the University鈥檚 inaugural Career Conference.
Undergraduates of all majors recently converged on the Schine Student Center for a power-packed program of workshops, interactive sessions, panel discussions and special presentations. Career-oriented games and activities, like Coffee Chats, Resume Reviews and Networking Bingo, were also on the bill.
The presenters weren鈥檛 just industry experts. Many of them were faculty, staff and alumni from nine of the University鈥檚 schools and colleges as well as the and .
The mood was festive, and the excitement, palpable. The theme was 鈥淲here Curiosity Becomes Career.鈥�
Students at 51爆料网鈥檚 inaugural Career Conference. The theme of the conference, which ran March 26-27, was 鈥淲here Curiosity Becomes Career.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 amazed at how many job resources the University has to offer,鈥� remarked Julia Cunningham 鈥�26, a dual major in biology and environment, sustainability and policy.
She attended a workshop led by Kristen Aust and Matt Wheeler G鈥�26, directors of career advising and of employer and alumni engagement, respectively, for both the and .
Titled 鈥淒iscovering Your Career Identity,鈥� the session helped Cunningham turn job exploration into opportunity. 鈥淭hey gave me a roadmap tool, which is going to help me create an action plan,鈥� she said.
Lisette Child G鈥�28, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services and the conference鈥檚 key organizer, welcomed this kind of feedback. She noted that the traditional career and internship fair isn鈥檛 going away entirely.
鈥淥ur goal is to offer the fair in the fall and the conference in the spring,鈥� said Child between a rare break in the action. 鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to career development, not just career exposure.鈥�
Indeed, both formats are complementary opposites. Whereas a career fair focuses on high-volume networking and resume drop-offs, a conference plays the long game鈥攎eaningful interactions, career exploration and skill building.
鈥淭hey provide significant professional benefits, helping students become well-rounded professionals,鈥� she said.
A Human-Centered Approach
Career conferences emphasize meaningful interactions, notes Lisette Child G鈥�28, assistant director of employer relations in Career Services. 鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to career development, not just career exposure.鈥�
In response to the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), multiple presenters emphasized the need for emotional intelligence (EQ) among job candidates.
EQ encompasses 鈥渟oft skills鈥� like empathy, self-awareness and adaptability. Couched with hard, technical skills, EQ can make or break a job interview, noted presenter Brady Robinson, an account director at LinkedIn Learning.
鈥淓Q also can be used with liberal arts learning, which develops critical thinking, creative problem-solving and effective communication,鈥� he said.
Robinson and other presenters reassured students that AI isn鈥檛 coming for their jobs but, rather, enables them to become more efficient and productive at what they do.
An attendee at Career Services鈥� Iris Photo Booth, offered in partnership with the Division of the Student Experience.
Kyrie Castro, a senior majoring in communication and rhetorical studies, echoed these sentiments. Following a panel discussion about networking in the creative fields, she said that AI is on the minds of all students, regardless of their major.
鈥淭hose who take a human-centered approach to AI have a competitive edge,鈥� Castro said.
That鈥檚 because technology enhances human capabilities, observed Bei Yu, a professor in the .
During an interactive session on AI literacy, she and Shahaan Khan, a master鈥檚 student in , presented a framework combining self-reflection and vibe coding鈥攁 software development approach where users generate apps with AI tools instead of line-by-line coding鈥攖o help students understand their own technological habits.
鈥淎I literacy is a blend of technical, ethical and critical considerations,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hether we鈥檙e in the classroom or on the job, each of us approaches them differently.鈥�
Meaningful Interactions
A student at one of the conference鈥檚 multiple Resume Review sessions.
Most of the presenters were handpicked by Child and Adam Capozzi, director of career services, assessment and student success.
The wide range of speakers and topics reflected the complexity of the modern-day job hunt. 鈥淐areer planning is one of the most important investments that Syracuse makes in our students,鈥� Capozzi stated.
During her keynote address on the future of work, Julianna D鈥橴rzo G鈥�21 stressed the importance of proactive career planning鈥斺�渃ontinuously expanding your network to plan for your next job while currently being employed.鈥�
The NewsNation creative producer recalled how, in 2021, she landed her 鈥渄ream job鈥� at CNN鈥檚 new streaming service, only to see it shut down seven months later.
鈥淚 had no choice but to pivot, and my network made all the difference,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淵ou never know where a single conversation will lead.鈥�
NewsNation鈥檚 Julianna D鈥橴rzo G鈥�21 (left) and ESPN鈥檚 Jalyss Lyann G鈥�24 at the Career Conference. In their remarks, they stressed the need for adaptability in today鈥檚 job market.
Jalyss Lyann G鈥�24, a production assistant at ESPN, pointed out that adaptability doesn鈥檛 come at the expense of authenticity. During an alumni discussion (moderated by D鈥橴rzo), she urged students to 鈥渉old on to their core values鈥� while adjusting their styles and strategies to meet the demands of the marketplace.
鈥淒on鈥檛 change who you are to fit in the room. Be yourself,鈥� Lyann added.
Afterward, she and her fellow panelists met with attendees seeking more nuanced advice. Their interactions reaffirmed the importance of humanity and connection in an otherwise fast-changing, tech-driven world.
鈥淓very student has a story to tell,鈥� Child observed. 鈥淓vents like the Career Conference can help them transform their curiosity into a rich, inspiring narrative.鈥�
