Businesses, students mix it up at Meet the Firms

Nov. 12, 2009

Business graduate student Patricia Green handed out resumes to three different prospective employers on Oct. 29. But she didn't have to travel far.

Accounting firm Eadie and Payne LLP, investment firm Edward Jones and payroll outsourcing firm Paychex, whom Green approached for possible employment, were all represented at the La Sierra University School of Business event called “Meet the Firms.” The annual affair is a business mixer for students where they can learn the ropes of mingling with the corporate world and where companies seek candidates for jobs and internships.

Green, who is studying general management, law and policy, attended Meet the Firms “to hopefully seek employment and to become knowledgeable of the opportunities that are out there,” she said.

She was among roughly 100 students from the university's School of Business who converged on the event held at the La Sierra University Alumni Center. They arrived dressed in their business best, resumes in hand hoping to land jobs or internships.

In all, about 37 companies in accounting, finance, management and other fields sent representatives to talk to La Sierra students during Meet the Firms, providing a chance for students to brush up against the world of business, build conversational skills and network.

Businesses and organizations represented included Adventist Health System, Northwestern Mutual, FMC Financial Management, Milan Capital Management, Sunbelt Business Brokers, Riverside Habitat for Humanity, the City of Riverside, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Paychex. Adventist Health from Florida and Kettering Medical Center each held separate meet-and-greet events for the students in the days following Meet the Firms. Adventist Health from Northern California will hold a recruiting event Nov. 18 for accounting majors. The organization wants to fill full-time positions and summer internships.

The School of Business requires juniors and seniors to attend Meet the Firms. Freshmen and sophomores may attend to earn colloquium credits, said Cheryl Bauman, student services coordinator for the School of Business.

“I haven't done this before so it's real world experience to meet people who might be your employer,” said Alexandre Schmidt, a junior political economy and marketing major.

“It's a little overwhelming. but it's a great experience talking to prospects. Being able to network helps you out,” said sophomore Ricky Kim. He's majoring in religious studies and pre-dentistry but is considering switching out pre-dent for a marketing degree. He's looking for summer internships “out in the real world” and discovered possibilities at Loma Linda University and Adventist Health System.

Todd C. Landry, a partner with the Ontario office of Redlands-based accounting firm Eadie and Payne LLP fielded questions and collected resumes from eager young students. Landry was looking to fill two or three staff accounting positions that pay approximately $21 to $22 an hour, he said.

It was the company's first experience recruiting at Meet the Firms. “It's very nice. This is a nice event,” Landry commented. Landry is one of seven partners at Eadie and Payne. The company, founded in the Inland Empire in 1919, has 35 employees. The accounting organization learned about Meet the Firms through one of La Sierra's business school graduates, Liam Pillay, who works at Eadie and Payne as a staff accountant.

“We have unlimited positions for the right fit,” responded Shelby Olsen, a representative with Northwestern Mutual Financial, when asked the number of positions being offered to students. The company wants to hire individuals interested in financial advising careers. An hour or so into the event, the company had collected resumes from six La Sierra students who held potential for the jobs offered. “If we were to meet 15 high quality students we would fill 15 positions,” Olsen said.

PR Contact: Larry Becker
Executive Director of University Relations
La Sierra University
Riverside, California
951.785.2460 (voice)