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news
CDC eases job
hunt
By Jamie Rogers
On-line Forty-Niner
Graduation day
is fast approaching for some students, and many of them are
wondering what to do.
"Students
come in asking 'what can I do with my major,'" said Carol
Brown-Elston, career councilor at the Career Development Center.
"I try to focus them on their overall education and look
at their work experience, volunteer work experience and involvement
in student organizations rather then just their major. It
is important to look at the whole person."
Students appear
to be following that advice, according to a recent survey
conducted by the center. The survey revealed that of the recent
graduates questioned, half felt their job is related to their
major while 86 percent said their overall education is relevant
to their jobs, Brown-Elston said.
One recent graduate,
Christine Haecker, said she was able to find her "dream
job," which relates directly to the master's of business
administration degree in finance she earned last summer. She
is an analyst for a Douglas Group investment bank near Chicago.
"I just pulled
a list of jobs off the Internet and started sending out resumes,"
she said.
Haecker admitted
that the hiring process was challenging, but she attended
some workshops through the center that were helpful.
Alumnus Alvaro
Castillo, falls into the second category of graduates. After
receiving his bachelor's degree in business administration
in 1998, he was unsuccessful in finding a job in that field.
Instead, he accepted a position in human resources, which
he said was a better opportunity. He said his degree and experiences
at CSULB helped him land the job.
"Not just
through academics though," Castillo said. "My extra
curricular involvement was very valuable."
Brown-Elston said
that more often students are starting to draw on their overall
experience at CSULB during their job search.
Hope Blackman,
a senior who will be receiving her degree in art history this
year agrees, saying that many people find areas they are interested
in through their majors.
"Art history
is pretty broad," she said. "But I learned a lot
of other things by studying it. I think it would be possible
to get involved in something more specific now, like graphic
design."
However, Blackman
said she does not feel prepared yet to enter the job market.
She said the careers art history majors typically enter require
at least some graduate education.
"I am thinking
about going to a career counselor," Blackman said. "Just
to find out what some of my options are."
Some curriculum
at CSULB does have obvious career goals, such as the education
program. Toni Fitz-Gerald, a senior studying art education,
said it has always been clear what she will do after she graduates.
"I am going
to teach high school," she said. "I've been studying
art since high school myself. I've always wanted to do something
with my hobby and also be able to teach others about it."
For those who are less sure about the future, Brown-Elston
encourages them to visit the center soon.
"We can sit down and assess what they would like to have
in a career," she said. "The opportunities are out
there. [Students] hear a lot about downsizing, but if they
use the resources, network, have an effective resume and give
a sharp interview, they should do well, even if the job market
is a little tight."
She also suggests
students attend a workshop on March 12, "Getting the
Most Out of Job Fairs" at BH 250 in the conference room.
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