Are you a senior who’s interested in finding a career? A March 24 panel discussion about sharing knowledge and expertise for a successful career search was the place to be.

This event, hosted by Dr. Anthony Baird, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belong at Utica University, was presented by Utica’s departments for International Education, Center for Career Readiness and Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Baird provided questions and conversation starters to seven international adults who gave insight on what college students, especially those coming to the United States from other countries, can do to be successful in the job search.

The panel provided information on how to become successful in any field. With advice from people who have experience in finding a successful career, students gained insight and knowledge on how to prepare themselves for upcoming challenges they may face. The main message was that life is short and you don’t have time to waste, especially when it comes to setbacks.

The panel was led by several different speakers who shared advice from personal experiences. One was Chinonso Ezeiruaku, who is a Business Intelligence Manager at Klaviyo and has been working for over eight years in data analytics and visualization. The Nigerian native said he had to come out of his shell and meet new people to get to where he is today.

“I gained confidence to use for interviews or that I could go into any room and just be myself,” Ezeiruaku said.

Chioma Okafor, an accomplished Solutions Architect and Implementation Consultant who became the Senior Solutions Architect at LegalTech upon graduating from Northwestern University, was another speaker. 

“You have to stay guided by mentors and you need to stay ready,” Okafor said.

When asked what the most important thing is in finding a career, Okafor responded with a mere three words: “Network, network, network,” Okafor said.

In regards to Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optical Practical Training (OPT), Okafor said it is important to know what you want to do.

“You have to find an opportunity in line with your field of study,” Okafor said. “You have to find something that matches your interests. I had reviewed different jobs, one interviewed me and was interested, that’s how I landed my CPT. I stayed after I graduated and I got my OPT.”

He also stressed the importance of having an “elevator pitch” ready, especially when prepping for a job fair. 

“You need to have an elevator pitch, which is how can you introduce yourself to someone in thirty seconds,” Okafor said. “You need to know how to sell yourself and show how interested you are.”

The third speaker was Talha Khan, a former Westgate Resorts employee who graduated with a MBA in Supply Chain Management, Information Systems and Business Analytics from the University of Massachusetts and is currently pursuing the APICS CSCP certification to further strengthen his expertise in supply chain innovation. 

Other speakers included Teresa Lin, a School Data and Content Manager at Finding School, Monica Agoha, a experienced state and local tax associate with a demonstrated history of working in the accounting industry while currently working at PwC and Thao Ma, a Vietnam native who moved to the United States in 2014 and is the founder of “Mia’s Glamour Corner.”

Lin said having an internship is the most important thing you can do to set yourself up for success. Agoha said job candidates have to “cut the fluff” when interviewing and meeting with people.

Dr. Irene Irudayam, the Associate Vice President for Institutional Research at Vermont State University was the final speaker. Throughout her career, Irudayam has developed expertise in effectiveness, institutional research and student engagement. After coming to the United States from India, Irudayam talked about her job struggles.

“My biggest challenge was the job market,” Irudayam said. “You have to get your foot in the door first.”