While television coverage of Big Island earthquake damage and Honolulu International Airport delays caused some of the mainland recruiters to stay home at the last minute, BYU-Hawaii students met with approximately 40 potential employers on October 17 in the Cannon Activities Center during the Fall Career Fair.
"In spite of all of that, we've had a good turnout today," said Kim Austin, BYU-Hawaii Director of Career Services. "We have some new employers here for the first time this year, including Target, the big accounting firm of Deloitte, Old Navy and First Command among others. Each year we're seeing more of the larger companies that want to come to our campus, and that's very exciting for us."
"This is a good opportunity for our students to have the chance to speak with professionals, to network and interact with them, even if the companies they're interested in are not here. It's easy for them to mix and mingle, and actually get some experience with employers," she continued.
"From that standpoint, it's beneficial for students; and certainly, we've had a fair number who have gotten jobs at Career Fair. That's even more exciting."
Austin also recommended that students attending Career Fairs and other similar events "should pick up a business card or contact information for the people they meet, and they should always follow up: Drop them a letter, an email or a phone call to thank them for the time they spent to come here. It's a great way to network and start building alliances for their future employment opportunities."
"One of the things I've also noticed over the past three years that we've been doing this," she said, "is that now we're starting to see some of our alumni, who are being successful with their own organizations, and help recruit on our campus. To me, that's one of the highlights of the Career Fair."
Kainoa Nite, a Business Banking Officer working out of the Ala Moana office of Bank of Hawaii for the past year, is an example. "I actually got my job with the bank from Career Fair. We were in communications for about three weeks before I actually got the offer," said the 2002 Information Systems graduate from Kaneohe who spent the first three years after school with the Japan English Teaching program. He added that the Japanese language skills he first acquired as a missionary have helped his career.
"I like the position I'm in now," Nite continued, admitting as a student he never saw himself working in a bank, "but I don't regret making this career decision."
Nite advised job-seeking students to "come with a purpose. Have some ideas of what you want and some questions to ask companies." He also encouraged them to not get discouraged. "It will come. Just hang in there."
Several other alumni were also at the Career Fair in their roles as BYU-Hawaii Placement Ambassadors in Fiji, New Zealand, the Philippines, Samoa, Tahiti and Tonga. Afu Taumoepeau, a 1981 mathematics graduate who is now the CES Coordinator for Seminary and Institute in Tonga, explained the ambassadors have been asked to help "seek for employment opportunities and try to identify qualified students to promote their returnability back home."
Taumoepeau said the employment potential in Tonga with the Church is limited, but both the government and private sectors are "improving, especially as tourism with China opens up." Otherwise, he particularly recommended BYU-Hawaii students from Tonga consider "starting up their own businesses. There are good opportunities to do this: Technology, food and clothing — there's always a demand, and construction in Tonga is also going very well. I would say there's a great future in Tonga."