SUNY Oswego career fair offers opportunities in uncertain job market

By Aurora Fitzgerald and Asher Slayden

OSWEGO, N.Y. — It’s that time of year again, and graduation is just around the corner.

While some students are ready to walk across the stage, others are still planning, looking for internships, jobs, and anything that can help with their future.

But what does the current job market hold for these determined students?

The Dream Big! Career, Internship, and Exploration Fair is back at SUNY Oswego, and hopes to answer that question. It offers students a plethora of opportunities, making it a stepping stone for their future careers and goals.

Open to any and all majors, the event hosts alumni, employers and some campus resources, like Career Services, who are ready and willing to talk to any student who comes to their table.

Dozens of students attended the event on Wednesday, hoping to get a head start on their futures. 

However, even with events like these, the current job market has many students concerned.

“It’s very competitive,” said sophomore Marlon Morrison.

Broadcasting major Michelle Smith was more existential.

“It makes me reconsider, a little bit, what I’m doing at school,” she said.

The job market of the past few years has certainly been a chaotic one. During the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment rates skyrocketed, reaching heights not seen for decades.

Rates have since stabilized. According to the New York State Department of Labor, Oswego County unemployment stood at 4.5% as of December, with numbers across the state ranging from 3% to 5%.

These rates are making some opportunities more competitive, but economists say that job growth has slowed, creating uncertainty for graduates.

Newly hired Oswego professor Tyler King recently came from the job market himself.

“The fear is understandable, because we fear the unknown,” King said. “And right now, the job market in the United States, and pretty much the entire Western world, is a very big unknown.”

Events like the career fair aim to ease those fears, giving students a chance to connect with employers and alumni before graduation.

According to Megan Mazzoccone, a Career Services coach and one of the coordinators of the event, around 100 employers were present on Wednesday.

The sheer number of organizations present is not the only thing SUNY Oswego job seekers can take solace in. Oswego alum Sarah Stevens graduated with a broadcasting and mass communication degree — and is now a human resources manager for Car-Freshner Corporation, the manufacturer of Little Trees.

“That’s the biggest encouragement I would have,” Stevens said. “Don’t count yourself out just because it doesn’t align specifically with your degree.”

Community program associate Jan Starkey offered similar advice.

“Be persistent,” she said. “Don’t give up, because there’s a lot of competition, but they have to believe they have what it takes to get that job.”

Those that missed the Dream Big! Career, Internship, and Exploration Fair should not despair either, as SUNY Oswego offers many ways for students and alumni to pursue their vocational goals. 

Chief among these is Career Services, who are happy to help all year round. They can be found in Marano Campus Center, room 145, with drop-in hours Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Appointments are also available.