Like many of my fellow fourth-years, I have recently begun searching for that nasty little three letter word that makes all of us want to run away screaming in Godzilla-like fashion: a job. Friends don't dare mention it and we are constantly reminded of the fact that the economy is still in a recession. But you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take, right? Initially feeling totally lost in my job search, I had considered taking drastic measures. Luckily before I did anything desperate like handing out my resume to the parents of the six year-old soccer players I coach at our first practice, I went to the Career Services Web site for some advice. There I found a plethora of information right at my fingertips, and I encourage all job seekers to take advantage of this resource.
First there is On-Grounds Interviewing. Lots of employers have signed up for this great feature through CavLink. All you have to do is create a CavLink account, which takes less than five minutes. After that you must complete an On-Grounds Interviewing orientation session, which you can do anytime Monday through Friday at Career Services in Bryant Hall (at Scott Stadium) between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The orientation takes only half an hour and once you have completed it and successfully passed a quiz, within 24 hours you will have access to all of the job listings for On-Grounds Interviewing online. You can then apply for jobs right through your account, which for most jobs simply entails submitting a resume, cover letter, and transcript. Employers can then invite you to schedule an interview, which takes place at Scott Stadium in one of the suites.
Not sure about your resume or have questions about job interviews and career fairs? University Career Services, along with the Class of 2010 Trustees, is sponsoring the Fall Focus Series. Leslie Alpert, a one of the Trustees for the Class of 2010 and a member of the committee in charge of the series, believes that students should especially take advantage of the series this year. "The Fall Focus series is designed to make sure fourth-years don't freak out about the 'real world' and has even greater importance this year because of the tightened economic climate and the restricted job market. Ultimately the goal of the series is to provide fourth-years with the necessary transitional elements to make the move from college student to full-time employee a smooth one." The series, which is comprised of different information sessions on everything from career fairs to job interviews, is a great resource for students. Sessions take place almost every Tuesday in September on specific topics and even include employer panels, which gives students a great opportunity to find out specifically what employers are looking for during things like career fairs and interviews. There are also mock interviews between student volunteers and potential employers which gives students a taste of the types of questions employers ask as well and tips on how to approach some of the questions. But it gets even better. There is even free pizza and drinks. And while it is a little too late to take advantage of the free food, as most of the events have already taken place, anyone can listen to a podcast of the event on the UCS website.
The series has been a huge success and the sessions I have attended have been packed, both with students and valuable information. But it gets even better! If students have specific questions about their own resumes or cover letters, there are walk-in appointments available, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, specifically for critiquing these important documents. So, fourth years, no more excuses! Everything you need to knock 'em dead at a career fair and an interview is at your fingertips. Kudos to the 2010 Trustees and UCS for making the search for a job significantly less stressful. I can legitimately say that my chances of landing a job have definitely improved due to your programs. Good luck to all the gainful employment seekers out there and don't forget to take advantage of all the resources the University has to offer.
Megan Stiles is a Viewpoint Writer for The Cavalier Daily.
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