Maggie Liguori '17
Founder, President and CEO of Fusco Personnel, Inc., Patricia Fusco, visited campus last week to speak to students as part of the annual School of Business Lecture Series Program. Fusco founded her company in 1994 and has since led the firm to a statewide reputation for premiere work in executive searches, human resource consulting, analysis of institutional needs, mid-level recruits, as well as temporary, temp-to-perm and contract staffing. Fusco firmly believes in giving back to the community and has held many association affiliations and board positions.
Rather than talking about this business that she built from the ground up, Fusco focused her lecture on giving Siena students tips and tricks to know before entering the workforce.
Fusco focused on the importance of networking, having a strong resume, nailing the interview, and following up.
“Siena College has to be one of the best colleges for networking, it’s like one I’ve never seen,” Fusco said. She has been part of the Siena community both through her own experience with interviewees from Siena and through her daughter Alexis, a 2016 Siena graduate.
Fusco stressed that little details make a huge difference when dealing with a potential employer. Precise formatting, having zero typos, and tailoring towards the company are essential when editing your resume. Fusco emphasized just how important it is that your resume is customized to the needs of each and every job.
Fusco also provided interview tips to the Saints in attendance, emphasizing that the interview begins the minute the student steps out of their car. She provided five important tips to success: dress appropriately, arrive in good time, positive body language, expect the unexpected, and ask questions.
“You want to make sure you’re interviewing [the interviewer] as much as they’re interviewing you. And at the end, if you want the job, ask for it,” she said.
Fusco’s last big piece of advice was to find out the culture of the company. She expressed to the crowd that the culture is the most important part of any organization. If you are happy with the culture, you will last in the company and be happy.
“You spend too much time in your life working. You want to be happy.”
