GIA’s First London Jewellery Career Fair Attracts More Than 200 Job Seekers

GIA’s inaugural London Jewellery Career Fair brought together more than 200 gem and jewellery lovers on April 23 at the Goldsmiths’ Centre. The event opened with an insightful panel discussion, followed by one-on-one career coaching with industry experts and networking with recruiters looking to fill more than 50 positions with motivated, educated professionals.

Mehdi Saadian, director of GIA’s London school, moderated the panel discussion “Job Success in Today’s Market,” which featured comprehensive advice from Mike Asscher, vice president of renowned diamond house Royal Asscher; Rita Almeida, VP of Swarovski Strategy and Business Development; and Michael Wainwright, managing director of the family-owned luxury jeweller and jewellery designer group Boodles.

Asscher spoke about the importance of passion. “Try to find something that means a lot to you because eventually you will work in what I think is the most beautiful industry in the world, where we are part of helping somebody with their most beautiful moment in life.”

Almeida shared what Swarovski looks for in potential candidates and inspired the crowd to keep dreaming. “Find like-minded people who share your vision. Allow yourself to dream…things will happen if you dream and really fight for them – nothing is too wild.”

Wainwright gave pertinent advice for finding success in retail sales. “Immerse yourself in our industry and meet as many people as possible. An old expression of my father’s was ‘If you throw enough mud on the wall some of it sticks’ you have to be persistent with the networks and leads you have.”

Following the opening panel, participants had the opportunity for 15-minute face-to-face career coaching sessions with professionals from all areas of the industry – appraising, auctions, diamonds, digital management, coloured stones, laboratories and manufacturing.

Job seekers were able to talk with more than a dozen recruiters from international and local brands such as BVLGARI, Louis Vuitton and KASHKA, all of whom immediately had positions to fill.

The success of GIA’s London Jewellery Career Fair is due to the generous participation of the recruiters, guidance of the career coaches, expertise of the panelists and collaboration with the Goldsmiths’ Centre. The next GIA Jewellery Career Fair will take place in New York on July 13. For more information, visit GIA.edu/career-fair or email careerfair@gia.edu. Follow @GIANews #JewelryJobs for updates.