Probably the most daunting task facing many fourth-year students is finding post-graduation employment. Given the competitiveness of the job market during this economic downturn, career assistance services are vital to ensure that students are successful in their job searches. Each school at the University has its own employment assistance office. Additionally, University Career Services acts as a centralized hub for all University students - excluding those from the Law, Medical and Darden Schools, who rely solely on their independent career offices.
Not all of the undergraduate offices are created equally, however. Commerce Career Services, for example, seems to provide students with more active job search assistance than does Arts & Sciences Career Services or UCS. Rather than simply providing information about career opportunities, CCS appears to actively network with companies on behalf of students. The nature of the Commerce School clearly lends itself to certain advantages in job placement, but the gap in the level of assistance between schools should be narrowed as much as possible.
CCS takes an especially proactive stance toward matching students with employers. From simply observing the interaction that occurs between students and staff, it is apparent that CCS operates with the mentality that nearly every student should be guaranteed employment. This perception is corroborated by evidence: the Commerce School's most recent Destinations Report notes that the 2009 graduating class had a 92 percent placement rate. Whereas UCS seems to function well as a general career assistance hub, CCS supplements this approach with more specific services. For example, in addition to simply reviewing resumes, it will on occasion send select students' resumes to prospective employers.
The role of Arts & Sciences Career Services, on the other hand, is unclear. According to the College's Web site, ASCS "is designed to help Arts & Sciences students effectively use the programs offered by University Career Services." Only one person, Ladd Flock, is listed as an ASCS contact on the site; the rest of the individuals listed appear to work for UCS. An automated e-mail response from Flock states that he no longer works at the University. It seems reasonable to say that College students looking for employment services are expected to interact primarily with UCS.
The University will not be able to neatly erase all the disparities between different schools' career services offices. The nature of the Commerce School, for instance, lends itself to having a more active, tightly-knit and affluent alumni base to support students. Additionally, many companies will naturally want to target Commerce students in particular and forge closer ties with that school. Still, though ASCS could not identically mirror CCS, the difference in services provided should be less stark.
Of course, there is something to be said for students taking more responsibility for their post-graduation plans. Perhaps students should not rely upon the University so greatly for job assistance. Nevertheless, offering such clear advantages to one group of students over another seems questionable. The University should correct this discrepancy by ensuring that all schools offer their students quality career advising services. As the largest school on Grounds, the College in particular should not have such an ambiguously defined career services office.
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