The graduating class of 2006 has finally reached the top of the Hill, but there are much taller mountains to conquer. Perhaps the easiest of these to recognize is the competitive job market, but the tools needed to topple this titan aren’tquite as obvious.
Fortunately, seniors at Seton Hill University (SHU) can find some of the best right here on campus, thanks to CareerWorks, SHU’s career development program. CareerWorks offers a variety of helpful services, including career counseling, job search assistance, mock interviews, workshops, and more.
By Christopher Ulicne,
Online Photo Editor
The graduating class of 2006 has finally reached the top of the Hill, but there are much taller mountains to conquer. Perhaps the easiest of these to recognize is the competitive job market, but the tools needed to topple this titan aren’tquite as obvious.
Fortunately, seniors at Seton Hill University (SHU) can find some of the best right here on campus, thanks to CareerWorks, SHU’s career development program. CareerWorks offers a variety of helpful services, including career counseling, job search assistance, mock interviews, workshops, and more.
Rebecca Campbell, director of CareerWorks, suggested the internship program as one of the best ways to prepare for employment after graduation. But she recommended that students start seeking internships early, and consider taking more than one.
�Students should think about having a job before senior year,� said Campbell.
Senior Lauren Ayer, who’s majoring in math and minoring in business and finance, said it’s important for students to �start the looking process as soon as possible.�
While describing how she found her job at Grant Thornton LLP’s office in Washington D.C., a firm, Ayer mentioned the experience she got during two internships last year, one over the summer and another over Christmas break.
Ayer did visit the CareerWorks offices once during the spring semester of her junior year, but she said they didn’thave the kind of job selection she expected. Ayer said the majority of mathematics jobs listed were for students planning to teach math rather than use it in the sort of banking and consulting career she wanted.
Instead, Ayer found her job through one of her brother-in-law’s friends, who’s a partner in the firm. He helped her get into the interviewing process – consecutive meetings with four different people that lasted about three hours.
�It was intense,� said Ayer.
Her perseverance paid off: Ayer got a call with a job offer attached just three days after the interviews.
Corenda Delserone, human resources coordinator for the captioning and subtitling company known as VITAC, said there are a few ways to ensure an interview leads to a job. Researching the company to become familiar with it beforehand, bringing a resum�, and dressing professionally are all keys to success with interviews.
Campbell also advised that students keep their options open while looking for employment. She said students often limit their search to a narrow field and miss great opportunities.
�Students think about themselves in terms of majors instead of skills,� said Campbell.
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