© University of Rochester 1996-2012
Advice
By Burt Nadler, director of the College Career Center
Below is a message recently sent to our seniors, but containing themes I wish to share with you, and I hope you share with your students, no matter their class year or major. Repasts of food or drink associated with holidays in weeks ahead bring conversations about careers, internships, and related topics. Information contained in the piece below should inspire all to digest realistic facts and nourishing ideas on how to transform field, function and firm focused goals into desired outcomes.
Commercials for Christmas sales are appearing on TV with annoying regularity, and trees, tinsel and menorah are for sale at Wegmans so by twisted consumerism driven logic Thanksgiving is upon us. With this holiday in mind, I want to prepare every senior for what I politely call "turkey talk." This phrase is not intended to cast implications on those who initiate the conversations, but provide a context to the timing of the exchanges.
"Pass the gravy and cranberry sauce. By the way, what are you going to do after you've finished up at that fancy and expensive school you're going to? Your ride on the gravy train is almost over."
These words will be heard in some form over Thanksgiving break. Whether Uncle Mortimer, Aunt Matilda, or some other not-so-well-meaning relative asks directly, or whether Mom or Dad ask indirectly, your post-graduation plans will become a source of curiosity. We hope they don't become a source of great consternation or indigestion.
It is critical that you be able to articulate post-graduation goals. Don't misinterpret the above question as "What are you going to do with the rest of your life?" This could cause grave or gravy consequences, perhaps requiring the Heimlich Maneuver to dislodge the fork full of fowl you were trying to consume or a change of clothing as you spill gravy all over yourself. No matter the intention of the inquirer, you should respond by revealing that decision-making is underway. Ideally, you should be prepared to cite fields, functions and firms of interest that you are exploring, and respond to the inquiry with your own question. "Do you know anyone within these fields, functions or firms, who I can talk to about what they do or who can help me with my efforts to find employment?"
Don't whine about how difficult job search will be while enjoying a fine vintage. Take action and use your time well. Actions speak louder than words. Toast to your future successes, confident that your goals will be achieved. Yes, jobs are difficult to find, particularly in down economies. Like any process, job search begins with the first steps. Your first steps should be through the doors of Meliora Hall to the Career and Internship Center. Materials available in our office and our Web site detail ten steps to job search success. Job search traditionally takes 3-6 months and most likely about one-third of all college graduates do not have jobs as of graduation. During challenging times like those we face today, the process can take 6-9 months and require (yes, require) incorporating post-baccalaureate internships into your search for a full-time professional experience, or for admissions to graduate programs. Our data show that the most goal-directed job seekers and those that use career center resources, and have over four appointments with a counselor, are most likely to successful by graduation and take the least amount of time to find employment after. And, those who act upon graduate school options now, between Thanksgiving and January 1st, are also most successful. Attain your just deserts, and desserts, your fully baked, well-conceived and labored for post-graduation goals, by following our recipe for success.
Don't put off your job search or admissions efforts. Start now! Be prepared for on- and off-campus interviewing, and assertively implement networking other self-initiated efforts. Identify, communicate with and apply to graduate programs. We at the Career Center anticipate that many may be reacting to the doom-and-gloom descriptions of today's job market and manifesting fears of focus by procrastinating. Now is the time to act. The following are critical Career and Internship Connection events you should act upon in the days and weeks ahead.
The deadline for registration, uploading resumes, and attaching resumes and cover letters to particular postings for the Career and Internship Connections is Nov.29, right after Thanksgiving. Carve a niche for yourself at one, or more, of these amazing events. Registration and additional information on the CICs is available via: http://www.rochester.edu/careercenter/students/cic/index.html. The password is cic2011.
Supplementing CICs, we will, with Alumni Relations, co-host Alumni Networking Nights in Washington DC on Monday, January 5th, New York City, Wednesday Jan. 6, and Boston Friday, Jan. 10. Details regarding these options will soon be transmitted to you. Most important, after you return from the holiday, please schedule an appointment so a counselor can discuss your goals, and after, appointment by appointment, inspire you to implement strategies to yield employment, graduate school, and other objectives. Thanks to you all for personifying Meliora. Gobble! Gobble!
Although deadlines Career and Internship Connection for pre-screened interviews have past, all Rochester students are welcomed to register via the instructions above and attend any or all events. The morning Open Forums (career fair components of each CIC) often yield additional interviews and many, many leads. University Career and Internship Center staffers will b available at each site. We founded these events over a decade ago, and they have now grown to be the largest of their kind in the country. And we are proud that Rochester candidates annually yield more interviews than any of our consortium peers.
Last, while students will receive additional information about January's Networking Nights, including names of alumni career field representatives, below are dates and locations for these events. Students should register and RSVP via www.rochester.edu/careercenter/students and plan to attend these informational and inspirational experiences that, not coincidently, will involve food and much career-oriented conversation and thought.
Please be an active listener, and try not to be an assertive advisor, when discussing topics that can cause you and your loved ones consternation and, perhaps, indigestion. Ask about goals, and about research undertakings. If you judge your students responses less then field, function and firm focused, simply refer your student to our office. We can take it from there. But, do strongly encourage participation in the CICs and the Networking Night events. And to all, happy holidays ahead and may the New Year bring you and your loved ones health, happiness and prosperity.
© University of Rochester 1996-2012