An informational Zoom series curated by Stanislaus State’s CareerReadyU (CRU) program aims to introduce students to career possibilities across multiple majors and career fields. The first in the series, titled CRU: Careers in Communications, Creative Arts & Media, took place October 7.
CRU has worked closely with Stan State and other CSU alumni to bring knowledgeable panelists to the events, according to Evelyn Ramos, Associate Director Career and Professional Development Center. Ramos hopes the series will serve a number of purposes.
“One goal for these panels is to help undeclared students, as well as soon-to-be graduates, learn that there are many options for them in regards to career, regardless of specific major,” she explained.
The careers series stemmed from the CRU initiative, which was established in the fall of 2020, to help Stan State students become employment ready and build their networks. CRU partnered with 25 founding employer partners for the series, and attendees can expect to hear from a number of professionals in prospective industries within the scope of their majors.
During the October 7 panel, students heard from communications and media professionals in the areas of broadcast, graphic design, publishing and more. 
A running theme with panelists at the event that will no doubt apply to all majors—network, network, network.
“Networking and being involved in these types of events is very important, because I promise you, an opportunity will come up,” said Rupika Pabla (alumna, Business Administration) a Technical Recruiter at Facebook and current Stan State MBA candidate.
Pabla said she didn’t really know what she wanted to do after she graduated with her bachelors degree, but she kept making connections that helped her figure it out. Taking a one in a few hundred chance at an assistant HR position in an Amazon warehouse, she worked her way up to a corporate position thanks to her networking skills and an innate drive to go further.
“I networked, that’s what I did,” she said of her four-year corporate role at Amazon, which lead to interviews with Google and Netflix and, ultimately, her current position at Facebook. “It all started from networking at Stanislaus, joining these events.”
Panelist Mike Daniel became the CEO of Final Cut Media without a four-year-degree, but said he had to work that much harder for it.
“Not going to college, I had to scrap my way through,” said Daniel, who initially thought he’d become a broadcast journalist after starting out in public access television. “I had to physically convince people to let me in a room and play with their stuff to help me figure out what I wanted to do with my life.”
Daniel said his career took a varied approach and was wholly non-linear, but he was able to build the career he has today thanks to networking and communication skills.
“You can walk in a door and say ‘I want to intern for you’ and then own the company twenty years later,” he said. “It can happen, it happened to me.” 
Francisco Jimenez (alumnus, Graphic Art), is the creative director at Final Cut Media. Jimenez said that it’s important to make connections as early as possible.
“There are only a few chances in life where you’re going to be surrounded by so many people that are going to go do big things, and a lot of these friendships start in college,” he said.
Jiminez said those connections don’t just include fellow students, but professors as well.
“You have access to complete experts in their field that now just want to share what they’ve learned with students,” he said. “Start networking early and get used to it.”
Jiminez also agreed with Daniel that acquiring an internship could be life changing.
“Try to get an internship early if at all possible,” he said, noting that he started out with a graphic design internship in the Bay Area. “It was only about three or four months, but I learned a lot.”
He added that he came away from that internship with a mentor who continues to be a vital part of his life and success.
Ramos said that while the CRU career panel events are open to all Stan State students, they are especially targeting those who are closer to graduation and need to start having these conversations as soon as possible.
“It can be intimidating to not know what to do after graduation, but students will find that they are not alone,” she said. “The important thing is to reach out and ask questions.” 
Two more CRU careers panel sessions scheduled for this semester include Careers in Education, Government, and Public Service on October 14 and Careers in Agriculture and Manufacturing on October 21. Students interested can find out more information and register for the events by clicking the links.
Three to four more CRU panel events are planned for other majors in the spring semester, which students can stay apprised on by updating their updating their HireStanState accounts.