The IEEE ComSoc Career Fair was organized for the first time within the IEEE ICC in Rome, from May 28 to May 30, 2023. With more than 150 student registrations and 13 participating companies, this inaugural edition of the event was a resounding success, providing attendees with valuable insights into the importance of soft skills in the industry, as well as current trends in job opportunities and what companies are seeking in potential candidates. Over the course of three days, approximately 90 interviews were arranged, and with the assistance of volunteers from IEEE ComSoc, every interview was facilitated.
The Seminar Series
The first day started with a warm welcome from the Organizing Committee, including Ana Garcia Armada, Stefania Bartoletti, Periklis Chatzimisios, Luca Foschini, Virginia Pilloni, and Fawzi Behmann, who provided an overview of the day’s events. Following, the seminar series was moderated by Stefania Bartoletti with around 20 students attending in addition to other participants from the different companies.
As the first speaker, Roberto Verdone, Full Professor at University of Bologna and Director of Wilab at CNIT, gave a presentation on the role of soft skills and cognitive styles in future engineering jobs. The presentation was very well received with many questions from the audience.
As second speaker, Vincenzo Luciano Lucrezia, CIO & Co-Founder at Tiesse S.p.A, gave a presentation on the importance of soft skills in the workplace, drawing on his experience at Tiesse S.p.A. and presenting an overview of the company and the main activities.
Then, Ki-Dong Lee, Assistant Vice President at LG Electronics, gave a talk on the benefits of working at LG Electronics, highlighting the company’s positive work culture and opportunities for growth. During the coffee break, attendees had the opportunity to network with other professionals in attendance. The break was followed by a joint presentation among several participants from Imola Informatica, who presented on the importance of self-awareness in the workplace and how it can lead to increased productivity and innovation.
Ivan Brancaccio, HR Manager at Nextworks, gave a workshop on the behavioral interview, providing attendees with tips and strategies for success. Following Nextworks’ seminar, attendees had the opportunity to network with other professionals and companies and they were provided with a box lunch to enjoy.
A short afternoon session concluded the Career Fair with a presentation from Lelio Di Martino, Head of Network Applications Research at Nokia Bell Labs Core Research, who gave a talk on the importance of soft skills in research careers in industry.
Following the seminar series, the mentoring session started in the same room, and it was open to all attendees, including students, and was presented by ComSoc’s Young Professionals and Women in Communications Engineering.
The Face-to-Face Interviews
The face-to-face interviews were held over the course of three days to ease the networking between students and representatives from participant companies: Anritsu, Athonet, CNIT, Huawei, Imola Informatica, Leonardo, LG Electronics, Open Fiber, Nextworks, Nokia, and Tiesse. In total, 91 interviews were planned, and both the students and the companies expressed high levels of satisfaction with the process.
The interviews provided students with the opportunity to showcase their skills and experience, while companies were able to identify potential candidates for future positions. The interviews were conducted in a professional and efficient manner, with both parties expressing their appreciation for the experience.
Final Remarks
Overall, the IEEE ComSoc Career Fair at ICC 2023 in Rome was a valuable event that provided attendees with insights into the importance of soft skills in the industry. The program was well-received by attendees, and the seminar session provided a great opportunity for attendees to connect with industry professionals. The seminars were informative and engaging, providing valuable insights into the latest developments in the industry. In addition, the face-to-face interviews were a great success, providing valuable networking opportunities for both students and companies and helping to facilitate potential future collaborations between them.