Reading about jobs on paper is good, but seeing careers in action is even better.
The Office of Career Development has set up an event to show students the day in the life of an employee.
On March 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., students can spend a “Day in Our City” at City Furniture to learn about the opportunities available within the organization, including business management, human resources and the company culture.
Twenty students can attend the event based on first-come, first-served basis. They will tour the main site of City Furniture, located in Sunrise, Fla., and meet with the management team and hiring managers for various departments.
Emilio Lorenzo, assistant director of Career Advisement, said that this trip is a good way for students to see the in’s and out’s of the company and to learn what to expect about the transition from college to career.
“I can tell someone all about supply chain, all about management or other career fields, but it’s another thing to see it,” Lorenzo said. “This is your chance to go to their site. And since we’re only taking 20 students, it’s going to be more of a one-on-one conversation to build connections.”
Lorenzo came up with the idea for students to visit the site after visiting City Furniture and said that the site blew him away.
“Their culture, the fact that they want to hire so many of our NSU students, and just being able to see the organization from the inside out, it was crazy,” he said. “I had no idea how much City Furniture provides for their employees, how much they value their employees, how much relevant experiences are available in each area. All I thought was, ‘Man, I wish students could see this.’”
Lorenzo explained that unlike career fairs, visiting a company site allows students to have more meaningful connections with potential employers, which is critical in securing a job, as 80 percent of jobs are found through networking.
When attending career fairs, students have to compete with hundreds of other student to gain the attention of one representative of a business, but by visiting the company, students receive more interpersonal networking with multiple representatives.
Students of all majors are invited to attend, and Lorenzo said visiting City Furniture, even if it’s not what students have in mind for a career, will teach students that they should keep their minds open to finding the right company to work for and not necessarily the right job.
“If you’re still figuring out what you want to do with your career, this is your chance to explore,” Lorenzo said. “[City Furniture] supports you to be successful. They want you to be happy.”
The Office of Career Development plans to provide more opportunities for students to network with potential employers. On March 16, the office will host a sales and marketing competition with Zensah, a sports apparel company. The first prize winner will receive $500 in AMEX gift cards, and each member of the second-place team will receive a $50 gift card to Zensah.com. The contest is available to teams of two or three students, regardless of year or major, and will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Knight Auditorium in the Carl DeSantis Building.
Lorenzo said the company will look for students they can hire over the summer and that the CEO will attend the competition to meet participants, as well as non-participants.
Students should dress business-professionally for a “Day in Our City.” Lunch and transportation will be provided.
To RSVP for “A Day in Our City” or the marketing competition, visit nova-csm.symplicity.com, or email Career Development at career@nova.edu. To learn about job opportunities at City Furniture, visit jobs.cityfurniture.com/video/36483.
