Advice from Alums

Sharon Foretia '11 is probably headed to law school after ILR.

She's not ruling out other possibilities, though.

That's why she went to "Can an ILRie Make It In Financial Services?"  -- one of nine career discussions hosted Friday at the ILR School by two dozen alums. 

More than 100 students gathered in small groups to talk with ILR graduates about themes such as "What Do Labor and Employment Attorneys Really Do – It’s a Much Broader Field Than You Think."

John Scelfo '79, Hess Corporation senior vice president, finance and corporate development, led "Working and Living Abroad – the International Workplace." 

He was 24, without a passport or luggage, when Mobil asked him to work in Japan. 

"Fine.  I'll go," Scelfo recalled.  He would spend 15 years in Tokyo, Singapore and Jakarta working for several companies before returning to New York City, where he now works.

Working abroad, he told 11 students, "is like everything else in business. You have to be flexible."

Students eager for a chance to work overseas should develop a forte to distinguish themselves, he advised.

Get to know the nuts and bolts of a company, its processes and people for a couple of years before making a bid for an overseas position, he said. Time early on at headquarters makes you "a known quantity," he said.

Learn another language, too. 

"Aside from that, it’s the ability to communicate and deal with others.  You have to swallow your pride.  It's like negotiating.  You have to understand their side of the story," he said.

If you get an overseas assignment, "just go," he said.  "I would never say 'no,' except for safety." 

It was tough to learn some of the skills ILR taught, but that paid off on the job, he said. 

"Last time I worked hard was junior year at ILR.  All I did was study.  I felt pressure," he said. 

Barry Hartstein '73, president of the ILR Alumni Association, told event participants "the ILR School truly equips you to do anything with your life you desire.  The future you have ahead of you is unlimited." 

"So much of what you do is relationship building. That's what makes a difference in your career.  It's not just about working hard," said Hartstein, who oversaw organization of the event, first held in September 2007. 

A lot of it is about building a network – and the ILR School is known for its alumni-student network, Sharon Foretia said. 

That's one of the reasons she transferred to ILR this year from the biology program in the College of Arts and Sciences, Foretia said.

"I'm seeing it now," she said.  "It made me realize it's essential."