The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

The University of Vermont's Independent Voice Since 1883

The Vermont Cynic

Could You Find a Job Today?

This May, seniors will be kicked out of the comfortable, protective nest that is higher education at the University of Vermont and thrown into the “real world”. For most, this will lead to a daunting task of job hunting and ultimately a potential for unemployment. Scared yet? With the job marketplace in the current state that it is in, new graduates will need all the help they can get to find just the right job for them. This is never an easy thing, which is why university services such as Career Services can offer students assistance with putting that diploma to work. Pamela K. Gardener at Career Services offers some advice to those wanting to avoid a lull in employment after graduation. “It is a great idea to get some relevant experience,” said Gardener. “As early as their junior year, students should be getting experience. Whether it is an internship, a job or a leadership role in the area that you want to work in, it will be very valuable to you later on down the road.”Gardener also suggests that turning to Career Services for assistance in the job search process early on will be highly beneficial. Gardener and the others at Career Services can help with properly constructing resumes, for there is no definite mold that resumes come out of. They also have a network of over 1,400 UVM alumni who are available to speak to for career path suggestions or for potential openings at their respective firms. The Career Services website also has job postings that are updated and changed daily. The Spring 2004 Job Fair, which is sponsored by Career Services and takes place on March 3 from 2-6 pm at Billings Student Center, has nearly 50 employers signed up so far, which is double the turnout of 2003. Gardener sees the Job Fair as an excellent opportunity to make a good impression with potential employers by dressing right, acting appropriately, and having a resume that advertises the potential employee as much as possible.Ryan Foley, 2003 UVM graduate, has been unemployed since the day he graduated. His job search began a mere month before he graduated with and newspaper searches near his hometown of Durham, New Hampshire. Foley randomly came across jobs that fit the description for what he was looking for in the sales and marketing field, but according to Foley, “most firms either weren’t hiring or the ones that were hiring offered terribly tedious jobs.” Foley recounts a marketing job that he accepted and worked for a short period of time that had him selling magazines door-to-door for a year until he sat down at a desk.It wasn’t until recently that Foley was able to find a job at Cal Ripken Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland where he will be working with merchandising and baseball operations. He begins work in April.”My advice to anyone would be to not to just go out and get a job just to get a job,” said Foley. “Look for a job that you actually like doing because that is what will make you happy.”While the economy has been in poor shape in the past year, some say that the election year will pull help decrease the unemployment rate which is floating at 5.3%, down from 6.4% last June. Unemployment after graduation can be avoided by performing multi-dimensional job searches that involve searches on the internet, newspaper and utilizing the resources available to you; whether that be at Career Services or any connections you have.”Don’t give up before you start,” suggests Gardener. “Hard work and research will land you that job you want.”

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Could You Find a Job Today?