Developing Careers

The CLA Career Development Workshop Program is coming Spring 2018

Campus News > Developing Careers
Developing Careers
Caleb Lopez, Senior Editor

The CLA Career Development Workshop is coming to Kean University in Spring 2018, and sophomores and juniors can apply now. This will be the second year in a row that the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) hosts this workshop. It is a prime opportunity for students to get the essential preparation for moving toward their future goals and careers. 

The College of Liberal Arts is working in conjunction with Proxfactor, a premiere career development academy focused on providing college students with the tools and knowledge to reach their full potential after school. Founded by Kean alumni Shah Choudhury and co-founder Tahsin Hashem, Proxfactor is bringing the Career Development Workshop in the spring semester to be a huge resource for students. 

The Career Development Workshop is an opportunity that students will not want to miss. The College of Liberal Arts acting Dean, Jonathan Mercantini outlined what the workshop offers. 

"The program is aimed at helping prepare CLA students for advanced internships, jobs, and careers," Mercantini said. "The workshops include training in interviewing, resume, and social media marketing, as well as soft skills in areas like workplace culture to help students make the transition into the workplace."

The Career Development Workshop will discuss the following but is not limited to: 

  • Development of requisite leadership skills 
  • Development of corporate presentation skills 
  • Development of effective inter-office communication skills 
  • Development of effective do's and don'ts in corporate america 
  • Comprehensive résumé building workshop 
  • Effective interviewing skills 
  • Effective job/career search skills 

The College of Liberal Arts is currently fielding applications for the Career Development Workshop, which has a tentative deadline on Dec. 18. To apply, students can contact Jonathan Mercantini or their Chair/Coordinator of their major. Only 24 students will be accepted for the Spring 2018 program, so students interested in this opportunity should apply as soon as they can. As a result of being hosted by the College of Liberal Arts, only majors within the college are eligible for the workshop.

"[Specifically], we are looking for sophomores and juniors who are interested in securing an internship in any of a variety of fields, especially financial services, consulting, etc.," Mercantini said. "They should have a strong academic record in order to be candidates for top internships in New Jersey and New York as well as for career prospects after graduation."

At the Career Development Workshop, Choudhury and Hashem will share their vital knowledge of careers and the workplace that they have accrued throughout their careers. 

Apart from being the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Proxfactor, Shah Choudhury is a lead recruiter at Morgan Stanley. 

"I bring over 10 years of human resources, technical recruiting and career coaching experience from Morgan Stanley, Amazon and other leading companies," mentioned Choudhury, who graduated from Kean University in 2007.

"Tahsin Hashem is the cofounder and chief operating officer of Proxfactor, [as well as the] vice president of product management at Citi," Choudhury said, regarding his partner. "He brings over eight years of experience from Microsoft, Deloitte Consulting and other leading companies. He has coached professionals and students, led campus recruiting, and managed employee development projects."

Together they combine their years of experience and knowledge to develop and train students. With the College of Liberal Arts and Proxfactor working together, they can further assist the lives of many students at Kean University and guide towards a potentially brighter future.  

In brief, the CLA Career Development Workshop is an opportunity available to a maximum of 24 sophomores and juniors from the College of Liberal Arts with high academic standing. By teaching students interview skills, career search skills, leadership skills and more, students will be increasingly capable and ready to embark on their future endeavors. 

For more information on Proxfactor, visit the website at www.proxfactor.com.

To apply via the College of Liberal Arts acting Dean Jonathan Mercantini or to find out if a major is part of the College of Liberal Arts, visit the college's website at www.kean.edu/academics/college-liberal-arts.  


about the author
Caleb Lopez - Web

Caleb Lopez, Senior Editor
lopezcal@kean.edu

Caleb Lopez is the Senior Editor of The Cougar's Byte. Caleb joined the staff as a Staff Writer in May 2017. Currently in his junior year, Caleb is a psychology major with a minor in biology. In the rare moments when he is not vigorously studying, Caleb loves to spend his time indulging in sports, music and food—especially Chick-fil-a.