By Over 140 young women sat among tables voicing questions, their pens racing as they took notes on the personal experience of half a dozen panelists.
The Women and Careers Conference on campus on Wednesday aimed to teach female students how to take their first steps and transition into the work force.
The panel included six professional women, three of whom were graduates of California State University, Long Beach.
“You can now be feminine and successful,” said Gallup senior consultant Lucy Guillen, a CSULB graduate and the keynote speaker of the conference. “Don’t try to be someone else … showing yourself comes out on paper and person.”
CSULB undergraduate programs are made up of about 57 percent women and about 43 percent men as of fall 2013, according to the university website.
The graduation and employment rates of women have continued to increase. Nearly 60 percent of women in the U.S. are in the work force, compared to 38 percent in 1962, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Reports. Since 1962, women’s completion of four or more years of college had risen about 7 percent by 2012.
“I find it encouraging that colleges like CSULB make it a priority to offer events like the Women’s Career Conference,” junior creative literature major Jillian Bergamo said.
Michael Ares
Gallup senior consultant and keynote speaker of the Women in Careers Conference Lucy Guillen speaks to the women about her experiences in the work field on Wednesday at the University Student Union Ballroom.
Karen Andrade, a senior international studies major, said that she is the first person from her household to graduate from college.
“I feel like I have to give the standard to my younger siblings,” Andrade said. “I didn’t have that mentor or have an [older] sibling that actually told me how, or saw the ways you know.
Guillen said that the biggest challenge she faced when initially hunting for a job was finding a company with the right environment – the conservative nature of many companies turned her off.
Yvette Moss, a Long Beach City director of TRIO programs who sat on the panel, said she has been teaching higher education for the past fifteen years.
“Building relationships are critical to your advancement in your position,” Moss said. “Know how to use technology to your advantage.”
The panel speakers all said they participated in outside activities and organizations in order to build a professional network.. They said that they believed people should interact with their environment and engage in outside opportunities.
Alissa Urbano, portfolio manager of Moet Hennessey USA, said on the panel that prospective employees should dress and present themselves for the job they are aspiring for, not the job they are in.
“All of this comes from a proactive approach, involving self-discipline and researching your connections that you’ve created within your journey,” Cassel said. “It is a challenge because there is no lesson plan or map as to how to get to your future.”
CSULB hosts the Women’s Career Development Conference annually.
