Ohio State alumni return to campus to recruit students as employees

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Ohio State alumni return to campus to recruit students as employees

Fisher College of Business Career Fair matched students, employers

Alumni from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Businessrecently returned to the Columbus campus to recruit students to bolster their companies' workforce.

Anna Sarmir graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in business administration. She was among the representatives from businesses from across the country who staffed booths at the recent Fisher Fall Career Fair at the Ohio Union.

Sarmir, a management trainee with Cintas, the Ohio-based supplier of commercial uniforms and safety products, said the Ohio State students she spoke with are prepared to enter the workforce.

"I think everyone has come very ready with their resumes - very professional," she said. "I have not had a single student who has not brought their A game. … They're all looking like candidates."

Another Ohio State alumnus, Adam Othman, said he was also impressed with students' level of preparation when he spoke with them about opportunities at his company, PepsiCo.

Othman graduated in 2019 with a specialization in marketing and leadership studies. He said his current position as PepsiCo's executive zone business manager for Columbus started with an internship while he was an Ohio State student.

Othman said he draws on his own undergraduate experiences to put potential hires at ease.

"I think that for a student, career fairs are exciting but very stressful," he said. "They come and they see the precipice of everything in front of them, and that's daunting. I remember how that feels."

Prior to the career fair, the Fisher Office of Career Management assisted students with resume preparation and taking professional headshots.

Jake Carifa, a fourth-year student majoring in finance, said attending the career fair offered an opportunity to gain experience in presenting himself to employers.

"I definitely think it's a good way to get out of the comfort zone in terms of applying for a job," he said, "so I'm enjoying it."

Olivia Ratchford, a fourth-year student majoring in marketing, said the event provided access to the company where she would like to begin her career.

"My top company coming here was actually Hershey," she said. "I did speak to them, and they talked about me possibly meeting up with them after this."

Max Siegel, a third-year student majoring in operations management, said speaking with representatives from various companies made him aware of possible career paths.

"I've spoken with about eight to 10 companies. … I'm hoping to get some interviews," he said. "It's a good way to make connections."

When speaking with students, Othman said he reminds them that hiring recruiters were once job seekers themselves.

"You're looking for a job; we're looking for people to work," he said. "We're all here together, and I really try to break down that barrier for comfortability. That's the main reason I love to come to this career fair. I like to help normalize this thing for students."

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