Hundreds of Mississippi College Students Attend Career Day 2013

A University of Mississippi Medical Center recruiter, Sara Yates, meets with Mississippi College students including senior Jennifer Pace of Flora at MC's 2013 Career Day.

Dressed for success, hundreds of Mississippi College students met with scores of potential employers at the university’s Career Day 2013.

Recruiters from school districts, banks, accounting firms, hospitals and other companies were out in full force at Anderson Hall to size up students, and came away more than pleased on Tuesday.

Sara Yates, a recruiter with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, says she’s impressed with the quality of students showing up at her booth. “They are prepared – it makes my job easier.’’

UMC is among four hospitals within seven miles of each other in metro Jackson. Hospitals are driving many opportunities for people in the healthcare industry in Central Mississippi, and beyond, she said. It runs from administrative staffers to finance to nurses. “It’s a booming industry right now.’’

MC senior Jennifer Pace of Flora, who plans to earn her bachelor’s degree in social work in May, isn’t waiting for employers to call her. She joined classmates stopping to chat with the UMC recruiter before moving to the next table. “There are all these different job opportunities – this is very convenient.’’

Drawing 67 employers to the Clinton campus, the annual event was sponsored by MC’s Office of Career Services.

MC leaders like Karen Lindsey-Lloyd, associate vice president for student success and director of Career Services, stayed on the go during the four-hour event. It’s her sixth year serving at Mississippi College, and she says the Career Day 2013 is among the very best. Sunshine returning to the Magnolia State Tuesday after heavy showers and wind gusts Monday was an added bonus.

A partner with the New York Life Insurance Company in Ridgeland, David Jesiolowski returned to the Career Day for the fourth time. He continues to rave about the students he sees.

“I like the caliber of people Mississippi College has. Most of them come from good Christian families,’’ says Jesiolowski, a former professional hockey player in Mississippi. He’s hired MC graduates over the years. “They are the best people I’ve hired – bar none.’’

Despite tough times for the USA economy, New York Life is a 167-year-old company and “we are hiring in Jackson,’’ he said.

Caleb McNair, 21, an MC senior and accounting major from Ridgeland, says he’s making plans to attend graduate school. But he thought it would be a good idea to be among the students chatting with recruiters. “I want to build relationships now,’’ he said. “I like being able to meet people and see what Mississippi has to offer.’’

Mamie Douglas, human resources manager with Mississippi Farm Bureau in Jackson, says she tells students never to give up, and remain optimistic on their job searches. Students should use “every possible avenue,’’ including social media to find jobs, she said.

Mississippi College, Douglas said, “has a really good group of students with a wide variety of majors. We have hired MC students before in the information technology area.’’

Lula Jones, a Regions Bank human resources staffer in Jackson was staying busy at her table in spacious Anderson Hall. She’s seeking to put people on the payroll as bank tellers, managers, and employees in the mortgage department, among others.

But like millions of Americans, she’s not satisfied with the state of the weak USA economy, stung by high unemployment, in the early stages of 2013. “I’m hoping it improves.’’