Do you want to know how to be successful after college? If so, there are skills you should learn before heading off into the world of employment.
One way to learn these skills is to join the Young Business Leaders of Fairfield, a new business-oriented club and the first and only nationally recognized chapter of Phi Beta Lambda in Connecticut.
This club is open to all students, and its members include a full range of majors from Accounting to English. President Ross Riskin ‘12 hopes YBLOF will “bridge the gap between students in the School of Business and the rest of the student body.”
Riskin pointed out that even if you don’t want to work in an office, you’re still running a business. For example, an English major who dreams of publishing a novel will have to talk to copywriters and publishers, and obviously, sell the book. YBLOF can provide for students who want to pursue virtually any career.
Amanda Perfetti ‘14 agreed: “As an English major, I do not have the opportunity to learn about business in my classes. This club is a great way to help me learn skills necessary for my future while connecting with a wide range of students.”
This semester, YBLOF will incorporate what they’ve learned from the Speakers Series into activities and collaborative events to build teamwork skills, communication skills, and many other proficiencies that will help the students in their lives after college, regardless of what their careers are.
“[We will be] putting into action everything we were taught last semester about networking, communicating, and having an openness to different mindsets,” said Riskin.
Last semester, YBLOF held several Speakers Series Events where both young and experienced professionals came to speak to the club about the different aspects of business world.
These professionals included Andrew McMahon, president of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company and Chairman of AXA Advisors, LLC, Nancy Altobello, America’s vice chair of People for Ernst & Young LLP, and Ed McCormick, financial advisor at UBS Wealth Management.
“I think it’s a great resource for anybody who has an interest in business. Ross has done an awesome job finding business leaders who really provide good advice and tips for being successful in your prospective career,” said Patrick O’Boyle ‘12.
Last Wednesday, Riskin and Vice President Paige Manacek ‘13 gave a presentation to YBLOF members about important skills to know when entering the business world for jobs and internships. They covered resume writing, handling interviews and connecting with peers via LinkedIn, the business-related social networking site.
After attending this presentation, Dr. Gibson, Dean and Professor of Management at the Dolan School of Business, said: “The Young Business Leaders of Fairfield is a great example of students creating opportunities for themselves. The club is student initiated and student run. By bringing in corporate speakers, both from the alumni and community, the club has really done a great job of exposing students to amazing business leaders.”
If anyone is interested in joining YBLOF, meetings will be held every other Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Dolan School of Business. Contact Ross Riskin at YBLOF11@gmail.com for further information.
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