BY SEAN MCINTYRE AND LISA AUTZ
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR, STAFF WRITER
Internships are a chance for students to experience the profound difference between theory and reality. Students at MC can owe many of their internships to faculty and staff with insider connections, which help bring companies to campus for recruiting and interviews.
“Companies come to campus with large openings while smaller recruiting companies use JasperLink to post positions,” said Malla Haridat, associate director of employer outreach & alumni specialist in reference to spring on-campus interviews.
With only six companies registered at the moment for these interviews, Haridat said that many more companies will be requesting dates to interview students.
“Interview requests filter throughout the whole semester. We highly suggest that students try to be continuously updated on these types of events,” Haridat said. “Companies want to meet students.”
The Center for Career Development along with deans, assistant deans and chairs of each school foster long-term relationships with alumni, new companies and companies referred as “returning family and friends.” The Center for Career Development partners with faculty to discover internship and employment positions for MC students.
Since her two-and-half years working at MC, Aileen Farrelly, assistant dean at the School of Business and ’95 MC alum, has been able to land jobs for students in renowned financial companies such as Morgan Stanley.
“If a student comes to me and they are applying to jobs on company websites, which sometimes can be like a black hole, I tell them to keep a list of places they are applying and I will call and try to work with the alumni office to see if there are any alumni working there,” said Farrelly.
Farrelly said that once her fellow alums and other professionals learn that she is working at the school, they give her a call in order to recruit students. Once, an alum of ‘94 contacted Farrelly after reuniting with her one evening at a party.
“I actually have a friend that works at Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley had not recruited here in a while,” Farrelly said. “She called and said their bonds services department wanted to hire some interns last summer, I sent over some resumes and two of our students got the internships. They will be starting full time in June.”
Some departments have spread information on viable opportunities through new platforms on social media. The Center for Career Development Twitter account @JasperCareers offers resume advice, event dates and internship opportunities. The Communication Department’s student-run Twitter account, @MCCOMMDEPT, exposes numerous emails received on internship opportunities to students.
“We got to get the information out to people,” said Thom Gencarelli, Chair of the Communications Department.
However, not all opportunities are soapbox worthy as the more selective requests are sent through exclusive email only by Gencarelli or any other faculty.
“Opportunities that we want to really make sure we look good, those are always channeled through the faculty and sometimes by me, as chair, and by recommendation only. And I will send out emails about those and say if you are interested in this one… come and see me,” said Gencarelli.
Faculty emphasizes being a proactive student and using resources wisely to get on that email list.
“What always amazes me is the students who come in here with the right attitude, who come in here with a work ethic, who come in here and take this and take us seriously enough because they are trying to get everything they can out of this just like they are trying to get everything out of life,” said Gencarelli.
The first spring on campus interview will be held on Feb. 12, with resumes due on Feb. 5. The spring career fair is scheduled for Feb. 11 in Smith Auditorium from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.