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CARLSBAD, Calif. – Aug. 6, 2008 – More than 800 people turned out for GIA’s annual New York Career Fair on July 25 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center to take advantage of the industry’s premier employment and recruiting opportunity.
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Lise Kesslin, senior human resources representative, and Rachel Bach, human resources representative, both with Iridesse (right), speak with unidentified particpants at GIA's New York Jewelry Career Fair. Image © GIA.
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Kathryn Kimmel, GIA’s vice president and chief Marketing officer who co-founded Career Fair 18 years ago, said the day-long event featured a strong line-up of panels and seminars that were well-attended throughout the day. Kimmel thanked the 39 recruiters who came to Career Fair, as well as the industry leaders who gave their time sharing knowledge with audiences in the workshops and the 28 individuals who spoke to people in the one-on-one coaching sessions.
With its broad base of educational and employment opportunities, job seekers were encouraged to take advantage of every minute of Career Fair.
Donna Baker, GIA president, welcomed the participants by congratulating them for taking a smart first career step by attending Career Fair. She commended attendees for choosing to work where they could offer people a truly valuable service at the best moments in their lives.
Baker debunked the notion that people had to be born into the jewelry business in order to be successful. Baker, with her background in law and education, said she was “welcomed into the jewelry industry with open arms.” Baker said that GIA co-founded and continues to host the fair because of the industry’s ongoing need for highly skilled professionals who will strengthen and perpetuate the industry.
In addition to the popular coaching and recruiting opportunities, the Career Fair offered six separate workshops titled Working to Win; Moving from Dream to Reality; Jewelry Design: One Passion, Many Paths; Marketing Yourself for Success; and Immigration Law.
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From left; Ralph Destino, Ann Arnold, Steven Lagos, Susan Jacques and Rahul Kadakia were on the Working to Win panel. Image © GIA.
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Working to Win was moderated by GIA Chairman Ralph Destino and included panelists Ann Arnold, chief financial officer/vice president of Lieberfarb; Susan Jacques, president and chief executive officer of Borsheims; Rahul Kadakia, senior vice president and head of jewelry, Christie’s Americas, and Steven Lagos, designer and CEO, LAGOS.
Each speaker on the Working to Win panel told his or her own inspiring story of starting on the ground floor within the jewelry business and how each achieved a high level of success in their respective disciplines. The panel summarized the tools for success are constant learning, applying creativity, personal integrity, pursuing passion, self-motivation and finding out what works best for each individual. Each said that there are many paths to success and every person must find their own road.
For example, Kadakia told participants how he got his start at a GIA Career Fair himself some 12 years ago. “I was sitting at Career Fair in California,” he said. “I had my resume, my G.G. from GIA, and I went straight to Christie’s where I talked to the head of the jewelry department worldwide.” Landing an entry level job at the prestigious auction house, he believes that starting at the bottom is sometimes the best way to go – he knows much more about the business of auctions now, how the process works from the bottom up and who the people are.
“There are lots of jobs out there, and the master key is the G.G. (graduate gemologist diploma) from GIA,” Kadakia told the group. “Whether it’s designing, training, wholesale or retail, be very passionate about what you do in the jewelry industry because it is a great way to make a sale, a transaction, and your living.”
Many times throughout Career Fair, speakers made the point that no matter the state of the economy, employers still must have good employees and are always on the alert for people who show intelligence, energy and integrity.
On the West Coast, employers, first-time jewelry job seekers and those looking to advance their career in the industry can attend the GIA Career Fair in Carlsbad, California on Friday, Sept. 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Employers who would like to recruit at this year’s Career Fair may contact GIA’s Career Services office at 800-421-7250, ext. 4195, or e-mail Dani Oliver at dani.oliver@gia.edu.
Job seekers may RSVP to this event by calling the GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair hotline at 800-421-7250, ext. 4100, or e-mail at careerfair@gia.edu. For more information visit, www.careerfair.gia.edu.
Career Fair was founded by GIA and The Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California. The Nielsen Jewelry Group is the prime sponsor of the New York Career Fair.
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