By Alisha Brown Skiff staff Students usually spend four years taking the classes they need to get a diploma, but after they cross the stage, few know how to get a job with it. Offices such as the Career Planning and Placement Center are designed to help students find the jobs they need when they graduate. "The main thing I want students to know is that we're not just for seniors," said Melissa White, assistant director for Career Services. "Our goal is to find out where students are in their career process and guide them through." For students such as Kelly Scharbauer, a sophomore history major, even knowing where to begin the process was a challenge. "I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn't realize there were jobs that would let me actually do that," Scharbauer said. "It made me realize my dreams are possible." White said researching careers as early as freshman or sophomore year is important because it gives students time to make critical decisions. Early planning also gives students more control over their future. Julie Forrester, a senior social work major, said she wishes she had started early. "At the beginning of my senior year, I had my panic moments," she said. "I wish I would have done this a year ago when I still had extra time to call the shots and take it at my pace." Services such as a résumé-formatting service, called Career Connections, and mock interviews are also available, White said. The Career Center also has job listing books for around the country and local areas. It also has surveys of average starting salaries for new college graduates by field of study and employer. Going to Career Services is not the only thing students can do to prepare for the workplace. "Classes help you develop communication skills," White said. "Getting a job has very little to do with expertise. Activities are important to build team-building and leadership needed." Networking is also a key component when students are looking for a job. "One thing to key in mind is that only 10 percent of jobs are listed anywhere," White said. "You don't want to focus 100 percent looking on the Internet or in newspaper when you'll only be tapping into 10 percent of the jobs available." Students are encouraged to begin networking as soon as possible to build contacts with professionals in their field. Students can also research jobs by performing what is known as an information interview. "What you do is call someone and say, 'I don't need a job, but I want to know what it would take for me to work in this field,'" Forrester said. "People love to talk about themselves." She also said the information interviews tell students more about the field they're interested in and can lead to job interviews later on. When a job interview does come up, it is important to research and prepare for it. White's advice is to treat the interview like an ad campaign - prepare to go in and sell yourself. Know questions they may ask beforehand, and pay attention to detail, she said. Appropriate attire is also essential for an interview. Dress code can leave a good first impression. "A job interview is a formal occasion," White said. "More companies are going business-casual, but a dressed-up suit is always appropriate for an interview. "You don't want to be remembered as the red suit. You want to be remembered as the person with the best qualifications." Career Services counselors encourage students to be professional and responsible when the time comes to look for a job. "The biggest thing (Career Services) has helped me with is bridging the gap between work and school," Forrester said. "I feel like I have a cushioned entrance into the working world."
Alisha Brown
By Jaime Walker staff reporter When Julie Covert started her human resources internship at Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Services in January, she had no idea what to expect. Now, almost four months later, she said she will never forget the lessons she learned. "This job is more than just a job," she said. "Here I can apply exactly what I learn in class. I've realized that what's in textbooks is about real life, and you can use it. Imagine that." Covert and others who participate in an internship while they are at TCU have an edge on today's job market, said Carolyn Ulrickson, director of TCU Career Services. "In class, students gain the intellectual discipline they need to succeed," she said. "But they can apply that knowledge in a hands-on way during an internship." Terri Brigman, college relations administrator for Lockheed Martin and a 1985 TCU graduate, said corporations across the country are hiring interns because in today's job market, qualified workers are in high demand. "Students need to take a serious look at internships for the summer," she said. "They often lead to opportunities in the future."
"Internships will help you market yourself, and they show that you can apply skills to a work environment," she said. "Personality is a huge factor. If you can't communicate verbally and in writing, you are dead in the water. I can't stress enough what it means to take advantage of the opportunities that come your way." Carol Thompson, chairwoman of the sociology and criminal justice department, said students in her department are encouraged to do internships. "I can't think of a better way to connect class work to the real world," she said. Shultz said internships are a great way to begin meeting and dealing with a variety of people. "In school, you can chose your friends," she said. "But you can't really chose who you work with." Ulrickson said students should do the same research for a summer job they would do for their first job out of college. "Although it is fun to play during the summer, there is also a lot of value in finding a serious job," she said. "The more actual experience you have, the longer look your résumé will get when it crosses the desk of an employer." Shultz said experience and networking are the keys that unlock dream careers. "I look at hundreds of résumés every week," she said. "The ones with experience get a foot in the door."
Jaime Walker |
But Ryan Shultz, office manager for Ackerman McQueen Advertising
Agency and a 1998 TCU graduate, said a stellar résumé is
not an automatic golden ticket into the workforce.| The TCU Daily Skiff © 1998, 1999 Credits |