ARAMARK gives students a taste of life after graduation

ECU students may think of ARAMARK as the company providing dining hall food on campus, but anyone at Thursday's ARAMARK-sponsored hospitality management social can tell you the company does much more than flip burgers at Todd and West End.

The social was held at the Golden Corral Culinary Center in the Rivers Building. The School of Hospitality Management hosted representatives from ARAMARK's Philadelphia headquarters who came to discuss the sort of opportunities ARAMARK could offer graduating students.

"I wanted to see what ARAMARK's all about," said senior Mike Hartman of why he came out to the event.

Curiosity was the primary motivator for many students who attended the social. They came to the event knowing very little about ARAMARK, but left with a good understanding of the company - a multibillion dollar corporation that does everything from serving hotdogs at Turner Field to catering former U.S. presidents' birthday bashes.

But even more than the promotion of the company, the ARAMARK representatives sought to educate students on how to be the most effective and impressive applicants in an ever-growing pool of potential employees.

ARAMARK representatives presenting at the social acknowledged the tough times facing the U.S. job market, and said students should do anything and everything they can to get involved early in the field they want to work in.

"The opportunity may not be what you want in the long run, but it may be something to get your foot in the door," said ARAMARK HR Manager Jamie Lewis in a presentation to the students in attendance.

Hartman and other ECU students have seen first-hand the roadblocks faced by recent graduates when applying for jobs.

"There are a lot of opportunities to get your name around," Hartman said, "but there's not a lot of hiring."

The ARAMARK team presented a list of a few general tips to consider when interviewing and applying for jobs.

First, be open-minded to relocating. When entering the workforce, many companies may not offer positions in the city or state you want to work in. Try not to disregard a great potential opportunity just because you don't like the scenery.

Second, come prepared to an interview.

"You only have one chance to make your first impression," Lewis said.

Arrive at an interview on time and dressed appropriately. She said she was always surprised at the number of students who go into a first interview smelling like last night's alcohol.

Lewis emphasized the importance of the "five minute elevator speech" - a spiel highlighting the candidate's strengths and telling the employer why he or she is the best candidate for the job, based on career ambition and past work experience.

Talent Acquisition Manager Theresa Pollard also stressed the importance of protecting your virtual reputation in the media age.

Employers may use Facebook or other social networking Web sites to gather information on potential candidates. Choosing not to clean up your Facebook or MySpace page may make or break your chances at the job you're eyeing.

Maggie Walker, a senior hospitality management major, said that coming to the social opened her eyes to the sort of opportunities ARAMARK could offer her in the career world.

"Now that I know that they offer a lot more than just working in a kitchen, I would love to work for them."

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.