The Career Fair organized by the Rome Business School represents a unique opportunity every year for students to directly connect with prestigious companies and gain experience in the job market. This year, the fair featured 105 international companies, offering over 550 job opportunities across 16 different sectors.
During the event, participants had the chance to attend one-on-one interviews and take part in talks with industry experts, receiving practical advice and valuable insights to better navigate the job market. Here are the 5 most important lessons that students learned during this year’s Career Fair.
One of the most significant lessons emerging from the Career Fair was the importance of personal branding. Oracle and Fendi emphasized how the way we present ourselves to the professional world is crucial to attracting the attention of companies. It’s not enough to be competent in your field: you also need to be able to effectively communicate who you are and what you can offer. In a highly competitive job market, every candidate should consider themselves a “brand” to be built carefully. This means working on your identity, values, and skills.
Having a well-defined personal brand allows you to stand out from the crowd and capture the attention of recruiters, who are looking not only for technical skills but also for the ability to communicate and present your value effectively. A strong personal brand also helps make a good impression in interviews and build long-lasting relationships over time. Oracle highlighted that, in order to build a successful personal brand, candidates should focus on their skills, answer the question “What can I do?“, and understand how to demonstrate their credibility.
Another key topic was the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recruitment processes. Participating companies, such as Oracle, explained how AI is radically changing the way CVs are reviewed. Oracle shared that AI is now used to automatically analyze resumes, eliminating human bias and optimizing candidate selection.
Moreover, AI is beginning to play the role of interviewer, particularly in the United States, where interviews are conducted through chatbots and software that use advanced algorithms to evaluate candidates’ responses. This means candidates need to adapt to this new scenario and prepare to present themselves digitally, optimizing their CVs to be easily recognized by automated systems. Students learned the importance of developing a clear and well-maintained online profile that can attract the attention of these new selection tools.
A fundamental lesson shared during the Career Fair was the importance of adaptability. Fendi, for example, highlighted how in the fashion industry – as well as in many other sectors – the ability to adapt to changes is crucial for success. The job market is constantly evolving, and especially in large multinational companies, careers are not linear: people can move across different roles and functional areas within the company.
Fendi encouraged young professionals not to limit themselves to seeking one single path, but to maintain an open and flexible mindset. This doesn’t mean giving up on a specific goal, but rather being ready to accept different opportunities and evolve over time. Today, more than ever, a career requires the ability to adapt to various contexts and be ready to grow in areas that initially may seem distant from one’s area of expertise.
Another message that strongly emerged from the various talks was the importance of soft skills. Oracle and Fendi emphasized that relational skills, such as the ability to work in teams, effective communication, and collaboration, are now considered fundamental by recruiters. Today, companies are looking for candidates who not only possess technical skills but are also able to adapt to the company culture and work collaboratively. Soft skills, such as problem-solving, decision-making autonomy, and managing interpersonal relationships, are now essential for success in an increasingly global and interconnected work environment. These skills are key to securing job opportunities and aligning with company values.
Fendi emphasized that the company looks for people who align with its values and who can collaborate effectively with colleagues. For this reason, it is crucial for candidates to demonstrate these qualities both during interviews and throughout their educational journey and previous work experiences.
Finally, one of the most practical but fundamental lessons that emerged during the Career Fair was the importance of networking. Attending events like the Career Fair offers students the opportunity to connect directly with recruiters and industry professionals. Such events are an occasion to network, gather information, and especially to better understand what companies are looking for and how their selection processes work.
Participating companies reiterated that one of the most important aspects of the recruitment process is the ability to connect with the right people and build professional relationships.
The event, therefore, provided students with the opportunity to expand their network, discover job opportunities, and begin building the foundation for a successful career.
