University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration alumnus Jacob Vestecka works at FactSet in Boston, but he found himself in Lincoln, Neb., as a recruiter for the second annual CBA Reverse Career Fair, Jan. 30. The fair provided the opportunity for 20 CBA student organizations to present themselves to employers, network with recruiters and begin relationships that could result in guest speakers, job shadowing and site visits for their organizations.
 
“We wanted to meet student leaders to figure out which groups would be a good fit for FactSet to build relationships with,” said Vestecka. “I am excited to see the growth and progression of CBA’s organizations since my involvement as an undergraduate.”
 
Vestecka was a founding member of the Big Red Investment Club (BRIC), which gave him real-world investment experience. After graduation, he made his initial introduction to Factset, a multinational financial data and software company headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., on LinkedIn. He began building his relationship with Lead Recruiting Specialist Jennifer Passeck that not only landed him a job but also piqued her interest in UNL.
 
“We started working with Career Services, Career Services at CBA and BRIC to come to campus and make connections with students,” she said. “After going to the UNL Career Fair in September, we have hired three more CBAstudents who will work at our headquarters and in Chicago.”
 
Passeck was one of many employers who saw the value of the Reverse Career Fair, which attracted 90 recruiters from 54 local and national companies. With a number of new employers at this year’s event – including Merrill Lynch, Modern Woodmen of American and Deloitte, employer representation nearly doubled from the inaugural Reverse Career Fair in 2013.
 
“The Reverse Career Fair provides a unique opportunity for employers to get direct access to educate students about their company’s industry, culture and job opportunities,” Molly Wilensky, graduate assistant at Career Services at CBA, explained. “In the process, employers become key figures in preparing our students for internship and job opportunities.”
 
The Reverse Career Fair impacts student organizations by increasing the types of opportunities they are able to provide for their members.
 
“Last year, the MBA Student Association was able to get corporate sponsorship for three holes at their annual golf tournament, and Beta Alpha Psi has been able to develop relationships with employers to expand their organization-led career fair Meet the Firms,” said Wilensky.
 
Maggie Opoka, sophomore management and interior design dual major from Sioux Falls, S.D., hoped to introduce employers to Pi Sigma Epsilon, a student organization focusing on sales, marketing and management.
 
“I’ve made some valuable connections with people here and have learned how to better partner with employers,” Opoka said. “We look for speakers and sponsors of club events, programs and projects like our upcoming value card where we are conducting marketing research, finding sponsors and branding the card.”
 
Pi Sigma Epsilon was one of the three student organizations recognized by employers for the best booth presentation. The three-way tie for first place also included Alpha Kappa Psi and Society for Human Resource Management. These organizations received the prize of a $50 gift certificate for Valentino’s pizza.

Career Services at CBA website Published: February 20, 2014