job market is ripe for Bermuda's students.

Around 70 people filled City Hall's National Gallery during Tuesday night's Hot Job Forum, hosted by the Bank of Butterfield.

In a panel presentation, discussion and question and answer, job market experts said Bermuda's size and familiarity both work in favour of Bermudian students willing to put in the effort.

Recalling her own early career Bank of Butterfield Vice-President, Butterfield Asset Management, Diane Brewer said: "Starting out after college was incredibly hard.

"If you leave here with one thing tonight, leave knowing the opportunities here in Bermuda are just so unbelievable.'' Mrs. Brewer revealed how, when she started out on Wall Street, she thought she wasn't worth anything after going through dozens and dozens of interviews.

Other panelists joining Mrs. Brewer in front of a massive computerised presentation were Executive Director of Bermuda International Business Association Pat Phillip-Bassett, Business Development Manager of Promisant Ltd. John Narraway and Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation General Manager William Spriggs.

Each panelist carried a very specific message about Bermuda's opportunities.

Mrs. Phillip-Bassett said Bermuda, "does not have a local labour pool big enough to sustain the industry taking into consideration the skills and expertise needed at different levels of the marketplace.

"And international companies would rather source their needs here.'' she explained.

She said approximately 11,476 international businesses are registered in Bermuda and although only 460 have a physical presence, that number continues to grow.

"Over 13,000 Bermudians are directly or indirectly employed by international business.'' she said.

And Mrs. Phillip-Bassett encouraged networking with local professionals before entering the job market but more importantly, she said, is determination.

"You cannot leave college with a Bachelor's (degree) and expect to fall into a job that's pays you $90,000 a year.

"You have to be willing to climb the ladder and take initiative. These are fundamental building blocks.'' she added.

William Spriggs of Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation said the job market is like a jungle with all the confusion and constant hustling.

"And I don't know about you, but I'd like to be a big cat. I was watching the Discovery Channel the other day and I didn't see many of them getting eaten up.'' he said.

Using expressive pictures of lions, cougars, cheetahs and tigers, Mr. Spriggs impressed five "key'' skills.

Communication -- to present yourself.

Visualisation -- to see what you want or as he said: "Put your scene in your face.'' Project Management -- to handle and organisation yourself.

Change Management, to learn "flexibility like water''.

Focus.

"Think like the boss -- take charge of your employability.'' he said.

John Narraway gave an informed but amazingly brief speech since previous speakers gave so much advice -- moderator Mr. Warren was on the proverbial time-war-path to the amusement of the audience.

Mr. Narraway instructed the audience to "gusy up'' their materials like resumes.

Using himself as an example, he said rather than explain he was born in Toronto, Canada, he explained he grew up in a melting pot of cultures and understood diversity.

Another example was he had been through two start-up companies.

"I did not become a dotcom millionaire, in fact a lost money in the dotcom scheme.'' he joked.

He said his "gusy up'' on that experience was, "I was there at the beginning of the World Wide Web.'' Mr. Narraway has seen Promisant Ltd. grow from a company of two people using a four-year-old laptop to a firm employing 60 people in seven countries.

During the question and answer period, one student raised concerns that her English major would not led anywhere in Bermuda's job market.

But Mrs. Phillip-Bassett said: "You don't have to think in very linear terms.'' She explained she started off in the Personnel department of Cable and Wireless because of her strong language skills.

She subsequently moved into the new Marketing department after the company's monopoly faltered and began competing with other businesses.

Mrs. Phillip-Bassett said students can get jobs in an area where their skills can be practised and honed.

"Even volunteering while looking for a job,'' she said.

"Or get a job in an area where you can demonstrate your skill. Target your general area.'' Diane Brewer offered a final word of advice, saying: "You don't realise how lucky you are. You have the opportunity to liaison with key people leading these large companies.'' Something, Mrs. Brewer said, students and young professionals in Toronto, New York City and London cannot do.

The entire panel was nodding their heads as she explained being Bermudian in this era of boom is a tremendous opportunity.

Student Andrew Simons asked Mrs. Brewer to compare Bermuda and New York City but she only smiled and said Bermuda was a paradise.

Mr. Narraway encouraged students to be their own success and read a quote: "You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend or not.'' Photos by Nigel Richardson Hot Jobs Forum: Pat Phillip-Bassett (top picture, standing) advised students to start networking with colleagues and higher-ups during their college years.

Also sitting on the panel, from left to right, are General Manager William Spriggs of Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation, Bank of Butterfield Vice-President Diane Brewer of Butterfield Asset Management and Marketing Director John Narraway of Promisant Ltd. Above centre, Edwina Bowen of the Bank's Marketing and Corporate Communications department coordinates signing in students for the Forum.