Last Thursday, March 20th, was the Bedford High School’s first Career Fair in five years! Businesses from all areas of expertise attended. Bring Back the Trades, JetBlue, Charles Schwab, Coca-Cola, and the Bedford Police and Fire department are some of the organizations that came to talk to students interested in exploring different careers. Many students, not just from BHS, attended to speak to these professionals. I interviewed eight individuals, each representing a business, and asked about their careers and what they thought was most important in choosing a career.
The main motivator that led businesses to come to the fair was education and student outreach. Some companies in addition mentioned mentoring or intern opportunities. Notably, Alexandra Boncek, owner of Ali B Photography, shared with me her love for photography, and how she would gladly mentor a student interested in exploring the field. The Fire Department also urged those interested to come down and check out what they do daily. Josh Coleman, the fire inspector at the Bedford Fire Department, mentioned how eager the Fire Department would be to answer any questions and give a tour of the fire station to those interested. Others, including Terry Wolf who spoke about legislation, aimed to educate students on career opportunities to create change on a local or national level. Terry also called her career a “meandering path”, which was echoed by many others.
Choosing a career is almost never a straightforward process. Most people I interviewed changed course multiple times to be where they are today. Chris Ware, a Keller Williams realtor, worked in finance for many years before switching to real estate. As New Hampshire’s realtor of the year in 2022, he found value in the switch of careers and also acknowledged the importance of making an impact and giving back to the community which he is able to do through KW realty. Amy Woods, one of the coordinators for the event, also had a windy road to her role as Dean of Alternative Programing at BHS. She gave some of the best advice for those thinking of careers to go into: it is important to find out what you do not like as well as what you really like.
Kim Hastey, the other coordinator for the event, also gave excellent advice for those choosing a career. She highlighted that especially while in high school, you have plenty of time to figure out what career combines your strengths and interests. Finding a career that interests you was a topic that was echoed by many of the experts I interviewed including Jeff Space, a financial consultant at Charles Schwab. Kayla Finn, talent acquisition for Coca-Cola Northeast, who graduated from BHS in 2012, mentioned the importance of internships to know the best path for your future. She, and many others, highlighted the important role of networking and gaining connections for a career. All of the advice given emphasized a general theme of finding an interest, finding an internship, and taking advantage of opportunities. Many I interviewed also discussed how important trades are, and encouraged those with interest to look into a career in the trades, as they are less popular so will be more profitable for those who pick that career.
Overall, the night was informative and I enjoyed speaking to and learning about businesses. I highly recommend going to any career fairs available to learn more about not only specific fields, but how professionals have reached where they are today.
I would also like to thank Amy Woods and Kim Hasty for organizing an incredible night. Hopefully it can continue for others to enjoy for years to come!
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