From: Lucky Hongsmatip
On the behalf of the first hand experience at Boston Job Fair 96, it is a wonderful
experience one can imagine. Due to the short preparation time for the event, the job fair
was a first class act. No staff complained about how hard and tiresome they had. They all
worked together with their heart and energy. One goal in their agenda is to achieve one
of the impossible dream "The First Boston Thai Job Fair". Although it went surprisingly
well but now it is the past. The next challenge is to repeat and learn from the mistake and
take it to the next step. That's "Annual Boston Thai Job Fair".
Let's look back how it comes about. USA is a land for multi culture and multi
opportunity. People sell everything from hi-tech stuff to toilet-lookalike piggy banks.
Boston is one of the center higher education in US, and there is an urgency and shortage
of aboard educated personnel for Thailand. Where else is better place to hold a Thai Job
Fair. Boston is the place to do the task. Boston Job Fair will ease out some of the
immediate needs, it should impact and help Thailand into the next step from NIC (near
industrialize country). Thailink was established upon the above vision in late Fall 1995.
Mid Winter 1996 is the chosen date in order to give a chance for students to see the
opportunity seeking job before the graduation. Companies that participate the event get
the benefit of the first look at the candidates upon returning to Thailand who might be the
top notch candidates.
Thailink is established upon a belief to bring the world a little closer. Past job fair
experience of the founder gives a vision of the successful job fair. A fine group of Thai
and Non-Thai community around the area indeed. Students and non-students help out the
preparation on the event as it has never been seen before.
On the eve of the event, staff and the participating companies assembled at Thailink's
office. Its initial intention was to brief everybody on what to do and what to expect. But
it went on with a big bang, clam bake; lobsters, clam and clam chowder, what a treat.
Some staff were still working while the party went on. That's spirit. We should be proud
of these future of Thailand, an excellent example.
The morning after Feb 24 1996 was difficult for some of the staff who prepared the event
had only a few hours sleep. 7:30AM in Boston along Charles river, it had been raining
since the night before. People started pouring in like rain. They were from all over the
country. What a turnout it was, 12 companies and 400 attendees. The info of the event
was send to the attendees via regular US mail and 20th century mail(E-mail), cyber space
info(World Wide Web) and friends.
Companies from hi-tech to finance joined the event had their own booth to interview the
applicants. Some presentation were presented in order to give the candidates a company
profile. During the morning break, applicants had time to digest what they heard and
whom to see during the interview session. Time was so limited, the least they would do
was to leave their resume at the booth and hope they could have a chance to talk in the
future. When the interview time came, all business dress candidates waited and hoped
they got a chance to talk to companies.
Lunch was served at 12:30PM, what a relief. Although it looked like a regular lunch box,
it costed the host a bundle. Again it was so refreshing to see a young staff group working
at the registration desk. No matter what, they always smiled at the new attendees. People
kept coming in all day long. During lunch the panel discussion went on as schedule.
Questions were raised and were answered to the point. Everybody seemed to interest in
one student's bold and daring question. The question was asked "Can Thailand be the
next Korea or Taiwan?". It was so wonderful to see the burning desire of young people.
After the panel discussion, the interview period went on. Prizes were given out all
afternoon. It is wonderful to see the Thai Community assembled in
Boston,Massachusetts.
A completed acknowledgment would be impossible since the list is endless. The next
challenge shall be "Annual Boston Thai Job Fair". Students from UML, Babson college,
etc. and non-student staff should give themselves a big applause. Even 3-5 year old kids
helped stick stamps and mailing addresses on envelopes. Can one sum up the event in
three words? Awesome, Cordial, Excellent.
Reported by an observer, Luck.
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From: SMTP%"SANGNAMV@woods.uml.edu" 13-MAR-1996 13:25:04.04
Thai Link Boston Job Fair 1996 - Retrospective
In truth, I had not even heard of the organization Thai Link until a month before the
Job Fair. When I contacted Khun Cholthanee, my only intention was to gain information
about what the Job Fair had to offer. She was extremely informative and was also
interested in my perspective about returning to work in Thailand. I guess she liked what I
had to say and thought it was relevant to the theme of the Job Fair, such that she invited
me to be a panel speaker. I decided to attend with a reservation that the worst that could
happen was that I would get the chance to meet some Thai professionals in the Boston
community.
On the day of the Job Fair, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the whole function
room was filled up with attendees as well as many recruiting companies. It was exciting
to see and hear the amount of interest the people had in wanting to work in Thailand. The
recruiters I spoke with also gave me encouragement that there are opportunities for
finding a good job in Thailand.
I was nervous during my speech and hoped that the concerns I had about returning to
Thailand were felt by others. My fears were alleviate after the panel discussion, when
many people I didn't know came up to me and told me that they could really relate to
what I had to say. I was glad to know that I was not alone in my desire to becoming a
participating member in the development of Thailand, that my concerns about returning
to Thailand were shared by many in the audience, and that my dream for a more beautiful
Thailand is the same dream as others.
Looking back on the Job Fair, I felt honored to have participated. I think of it as my
first step in fulfilling an obligation to contribute to the positive development of Thailand.
Even though I have not yet received a job offer as a result of the Job Fair, I consider it a
success. I met many people and made many friends, I accomplished my task of finding
out
about work opportunities in Thailand, and most importantly, I discovered that there are
many people who want to help Thailand develop into a respectable and productive nation.
Personally, the Job Fair has inspired me to focus even more on returning to Thailand.
It was motivated me to continue to educate myself and to believe that I can make a
difference. Like I said during my speech, I want to be there, and know that I had a hand
in the continuing development of Thailand.
Subject: Thai Link Boston Job Fair
To: thailink@thailink.com
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 96 9:16:29 EST
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Subject: Vit's retrospective
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