The Career Center and Alpha Delta Phi hosted a panel featuring alumni with careers in law, government, publishing and finance on Feb. 4. The event was moderated by Orges Llupa ’05, an analyst for Bloomberg LP.
Panelists included John Porges ’07, loan trader for GSO Capital Partners; Guillermo Artiles ’07, attorney at McCarter and English LLP; Michael Signorelli ’05, senior editor at Henry Holt and Company; Nikle Guzijan’09, co-founder of Iconolast Artist Management; and Paul Garaffo ’05, special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Garaffo introduced the panelists, attributing their career successes to their experiences at Hamilton. He explained that the goal of the panel was to bring perspective and awareness to various careers, and said coming back to participate was “A small way to pay back a place that gave us so much.”
Whether it's an alumnus returning to campus to hold a career workshop or making a quick introduction, the Hamilton Network is an invaluable resource.
Director of Career Development David Bell addressed the audience, emphasizing the role alumni play in the career process for all class years. Bell reminded the audience of the Career Center programs such as advising, panel events and workshops.
Following a brief description of their careers, Llupa asked the panelists to address how their time at Hamilton affected their career choice. Across the board, each panelist spoke to the importance of networking with alumni. Artiles, an attorney with experience in international and patent law, spoke to the importance of starting early to gain advice, as he did when considering law school.
The value of alumni relations extends throughout a career, and still plays a large role in Guzijan’s career as the co-founder of Iconolast Artist Management. Porges reminded the audience to follow up throughout the network process.
When Llupa asked about interview and resume advice, the panelists uniformly emphasized the importance of highlighting and perfecting oral and written communication skills. Signorelli especially spoke about the importance of writing from cover letters to resumes. Beyond the resume, both Artiles and Porges promoted “just saying yes,” whether it be to internships or alumni connections.
Following the set questions, students spoke with the panelists individually to learn the specifics of their career paths. The well-attended afternoon event built successful connections between alumni and students, introducing the value of an early interest in career planning.
