Networking Abounds at GIA’s New York Jewelry Career Fair
Institute connects 48 gem and jewelry companies with 600+ job seekers, July 27
NEW YORK – Aug. 6, 2015 – On Monday, July 27, more than 600 people attended GIA’s New York Jewelry Career Fair where job seekers had the rare opportunity to meet in-person with representatives from 48 companies during the jewelry industry’s largest recruiting event. A wide range of gem and jewelry companies – including well-known brands such as Cartier, Christie’s, CIRCA Inc., Jewelry Television, Rent the Runway and Tiffany & Co. – looked for ambitious professionals to fill hundreds of positions. The program also featured a panel discussion with industry veterans and one-on-one coaching with 23 successful gem and jewelry professionals. JA New York was a major sponsor of the event.“To be successful, it takes enthusiasm, self-confidence, perseverance, loyalty and an optimistic attitude, thereby building a great reputation by your words and your actions,” said Susan Jacques, GIA’s president and CEO. “GIA’s Jewelry Career Fairs present a fantastic opportunity for job seekers to demonstrate these qualities face-to-face with potential employers. The jewelry business is all about people, so it’s paramount to express your passion and integrity, which you can’t demonstrate through a resume.”
The event kicked off with “Job Success in Today’s Market,” a panel discussion moderated by Jacques. Speakers Jeremy Dunn, GIA graduate and founder of The Rephinery; Rhonda Edelman, group director of global education for Tiffany & Co; Myriam Gumuchian, co-owner, vice president and director of sales for Gumuchian; Michael O’Connor, TV host, celebrity stylist, and founder and president of Style & Substance, Inc.; and Lee Siegelson, president of SIEGELSON, shared their journeys to success and offered sage advice to those first embarking in the industry.
A common theme throughout the opening panel was the importance of networking. “You meet people along the way and they can change your life. Be open to what comes your way because you never know where it is going to lead you,” said Edelman. “Don’t make business connections, build friendships that will last a lifetime,” added Dunn. O’Connor rounded out the presentations, telling the audience “If you find the right people, they will mentor you. Listen to what the mentors have to say, they’re going to give you phenomenal information.”
GIA hosted its first Jewelry Career Fair in 1991 in Santa Monica, Calif. Since then, the event has expanded and linked gem and jewelry companies with future employees at more than 50 events in India, and a handful of cities throughout the U.S. The next GIA Jewelry Career Fair will take place on Friday, Oct. 9 at the Institute’s world headquarters in Carlsbad, Calif.
For more details about GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair, visit http://www.gia.edu/career-fair. For job opportunities in the gem and jewelry industry, visit GIA’s Gem & Jewelry Career Center at http://www.gia.edu/gem-job.
