Looking at Life Beyond the Degree

With the job market very tight, many LSC seniors are concerned about finding jobs after graduation.

"I'm extremely worried about being able to find a job, especially since I want to stay in this area, and options are very limited," said Danielle Drown, a senior social science major.

"I'm going for teaching, and I've been told the job market is very bad, so it is making me consider staying in school and going to grad school," said Chelsea Murray, a senior elementary education major.

Others are more optimistic about their job prospects.

"I'm fairly confident because of my degrees," said Lynsey Hartshorn, a senior who is double majoring in mathematics and business.

Mariah Ogden, a senior psychology and human services major, said she is going to keep a job that began as an internship after she graduates.

Regardless of how students feel about finding a job, LSC Career Services is trying to keep them informed about career possibilities.

"I see my job as helping to mobilize students," said Linda Wacholder, director of Career Services. Career Services offers a number of workshops to teach students job-finding skills  and connect them with employers. One recent example is "Speed Networking," which was held at LSC on Nov. 1 and featured a number of local employers. Students were given seven minutes with each employer, giving them the opportunity to learn about local companies and receive advice on topics such as resume writing and interviewing.

Other events include "Dinner with the Boss," to be held March 15. This event allows LSC students to network with alumni who can help connect the students with potential jobs in their fields. In the spring, Wacholder teaches "Life Outside the Classroom," a 1-credit, second-half mini course for seniors that focuses on helping students write resumes, develop interviewing skills, and generally present themselves positively to potential employers. Wacholder also sends out e-mails to the student body when she becomes aware of job openings or internship opportunities that students may be interested in.

Wacholder also sends out surveys each year that ask recent graduates about their employment and graduate education. Of eight 2011 graduates who have returned the survey, 5 are employed.

LSC Career Services is a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE connects college career service departments with employers that generally hire recent college grads. According to a recent jobs outlook report by NACE, employers are planning to hire 9.5% more graduates from the class of 2012 than they did from the class of 2011.  

Wacholder said that jobs are available to graduating seniors, though they may be harder to find and grads may have to start at a different level than the hoped to. She also stressed that seniors must actively look for jobs and shouldn't be complacent just because they think they won't find one.

"There are jobs out there; it's just that you have competition," Wacholder said.