Passion, New Opportunities Draw Job Seekers to Annual Career Fair
By Larne Boyles

Some are born into it, some work extremely hard to break into it and others simply stumble upon it. Regardless of how people make it into the jewelry industry, there’s an underlying theme among them – a genuine passion for the beauty of gemstones.

Nearly 900 people attended GIA’s 13th annual West Coast Career Fair Oct. 17, with the hope of marrying their passion for gems with lucrative careers. Whether they dreamed of working in a laboratory, retail, or crafting elegant jewelry at the bench, attendees networked with counselors, guest speakers and recruiters to learn how to achieve their goals.   

One such hopeful, Mi Jung Penzien, went to Career Fair from the San Francisco Bay area to build a career in jewelry design. An oil painter by trade, she feels designing jewelry can be another outlet for her talents.

“Painting is a very personal form of expression for me and I feel that designing jewelry is a way for me to creatively connect with people who can then wear my art,” she said.

Penzien had her first real taste of the industry at the Hong Kong International Jewellery Show last September. She attended the show to help her sister, a Jewelry Design graduate from GIA Hong Kong, run her booth. Penzien enjoyed the friendly people and the beautiful pieces so much, she decided to pursue her own career and enrolled in the Jewelry Design course at GIA’s World Headquarters in Carlsbad, she said.

To help boost confidence in her decision, Penzien sat in on the “Survival Tactics for New Designers” panel presentation. Three designers, along with moderator Caroline Stanley, president and CEO of Red Jewel, Inc., discussed the challenges new designers face. After all, passion alone isn’t enough to land a job, they said.

Panelist Lisa Harnett, who owns her own design company, recounted the tales of her early years in the business. She attended as many trade shows as she could, an experience she says was exhausting, but an observation someone once made to her kept her going.

“Someone once told me that ‘to be a designer, you can’t just draw pictures. You’re not a designer until you sell something,’” she said. “So I encourage you to enter competitions, go to as many trade shows and events as you can and don’t be afraid to say ‘hi’.”

Designers weren’t the only ones seeking jobs to fulfill their passions. Steven Smith, G.J., went to Career Fair in hopes of finding a position as a bench jeweler. Though he’s now devoted to jewelry, he wasn’t always, he said.

He once worked as a photographer, but developed an interest in jewelry after discovering hundreds of loose stones at his ailing grandmother’s home. She had been moved to a nursing home and rather than selling the stones, he decided to learn how to set them in jewelry.

He first attempted to learn the trade by reading “how to” books, but his interest grew beyond setting stones, so he enrolled in GIA’s Graduate Jeweler diploma program.

“I get satisfaction out of making something from nothing – it’s what I love to do,” Smith said. “I’m a retired photographer with no jewelry background. Attending GIA is a great way for someone like me to get into the industry.”

GIA President William E. Boyajian echoed these sentiments during his speech, “From Dreams to Success.” He  encouraged attendees to begin their job search with a goal in mind and to never lose sight of their integrity.

He also stressed the importance of education.

“You’re here today to find the perfect career, but let me tell you, getting your education is
probably the smartest thing you can do,” he said. “Once you have that foundation, add to it a good attitude, integrity and a solid work ethic and you will succeed in this industry.”

Boyajian’s advice struck a chord with Dante Shur. The former professional dancer and insurance agent attended Career Fair to find out about GIA’s education and how to start his career in retail.

“From what I understand, the jewelry industry is very competitive,” he said. “My friend who’s been in the industry for more than 20 years said I had to get my G.G. if I even wanted to consider a career.”

Three years into his semi-retirement from the insurance business, Shur says he’s had time to reflect on his life and has decided to follow his dream and start a new career.

“Money is no longer an issue,” he said. “I want to do something I really love, like work with jewelry, because I’ll be happy and probably live longer. Passion is the key.”