Teens attend Career Fair' at Boys & Girls Club
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter
Marlborough/Hudson - Dressed in shirts and ties and munching on Buff alo wings, students from the Hudson and Marlborough area attended the annual "Career Fair" hosted by the Boys & Girls Club April 3. This year's event at the Marlborough center drew in a large crowd of students and parents.

Director of the Teen Center Brent DeBraga, of the Boys & Girls Club, explained that the club has been hosting the fair for the past six years in order to help students prepare for and obtain part- time jobs.

"As the teen center director, my primary goal is to keep kids off the streets," DeBraga said. "I am just as happy, if the kids are not at the center, to hear that they are out making a couple of bucks."

Attending this year's event was a diverse group of companies including banks, Best Buy, Starbucks and Dairy Queen. Despite those prospects, several of the students said that their first choice for a summer job would in fact be in one of the Boys & Girls Club summer camps.

Jeff Stupik is the club's social recreation coordinator and is on the interview panel for the club's summer camps.

"Over the last few years, it has been through this event that we have found some real hidden gems who are still working for us," he said.

Last year, 50 of the 200 students attending the event were placed in summer jobs. DeBraga is concerned that the slumping economy might impact the number of students placed this year. Despite his concerns, representatives from the 22 companies present at the fair were optimistic about the hiring prospects.

Besides the potential for job placement, the fair gave students an opportunity to participate in several miniinterviews.

"Although the conversations that the students have may be short, it is still an interview," DeBraga said.

Having to participate in the process repeatedly, he explained, will build the students' confidence and prepare them for their next interview.

Marlborough High School's In-School Counselor Dorry O'Neil, who helped plan the event, was part of a group of volunteers giving students interviewing tips. In a Power Point presentation, she outlined several interviewing strategies, such as: dress to impress, arrive 15 minutes early, prepare for the interview, be prepared to talk, ask questions, and always follow up with a thank-you letter and phone call.

She explained that it was her goal to provide students with help creating resumes, cover letters and building self confidence; by teaming up with the club, she could reach more students.

"For many students, this is their first job; we hope to start them off on the right foot," O'Neil said.

A U.S. Army recruiter had volunteered to set up a display at the job fair and was encouraging students to stay out of trouble and stay in school.

"Many of the companies here tonight support us all year long through various donations and volunteer support," DeBraga said. "This opportunity to maybe provide them a service."