Finding a Job in a Recession

Graduating during a recession can be overwhelming. Between 2007 and 2010, Binghamton University alumni encountered an incredibly difficult job market. Now, almost a decade later, current students and alumni face similar challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But it’s not impossible to to launch your career during an economic downturn. Join us April 14 as we chat with two alumni who found jobs after graduating during the Great Recession. They will share their experiences job hunting in a struggling economy and their advice for finding a job in unprecedented times.

Mark Liu '07 has more than 13 years of healthcare management experience with expertise in clinical operations, project management, strategic planning and value-based care. He is director of strategic initiatives for the oncology service line at Mount Sinai Health System, New York’s largest integrated healthcare delivery system. He works closely with senior leadership to develop long-term strategy while working collaboratively to drive critical projects to completion. Prior to joining Mount Sinai, Liu served as manager in ambulatory care operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Liu graduated with a master of healthcare administration from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. He has a bachelor of science from Binghamton University, with a double major in integrated neuroscience and sociology. In 2008, he was selected for a Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service at New York University's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and serves as a career guide in the fellowship for his ninth year.

Alana Peralta '09 is a first-generation Dominican from The Bronx. She's a Green Belt Six Sigma certified strategic operations and program management leader who has worked across three different industries: ad tech, banking and healthcare. She has worked at large companies such as Accenture and JP Morgan but has found her sweet spot in smaller companies in the ad tech space. 

Peralta is a strong believer that representation matters, so she launched Equality is Equal Pay (EIEP) in 2018, a digital platform that offers the tools women of color need to negotiate when presented with an employment offer. Through EIEP, she has taught workshops at Utica College and in the Harlem community on interviewing to job offer strategies. 

She recently launched Ay, Que Alivio, a CBD wellness brand specifically targeting the Spanish speaking community in the United States. In this new stage in her career journey, she hopes to change how brands market to Latinx consumers in Spanish while educating the Spanish speaking community on the benefits of CBD. 

Kate Haughie '09 will be our moderator.  She has more than 10 years of experience working in higher education, specializing in engagement events, marketing, communications and volunteer management. She works at Adelphi University, and is an active member of the Alumni Association's Long Island Chapter and the Bearcats of the Last Decade (BOLD) Leadership Council.