LONGHORN LIFE
Page 10
DUVAL VILLA APARTMENTS
Friday, April 27, 2012
Newly Renovated Apartments in Historic Hyde Park
Graduating seniors give us the scoop
www.DuvalVillaApartments.com 4305 DUVAL STREET • AUSTIN, TX 78751 PHONE: 512-451-2343
FREE CABLE WITH HBO
WIFI BY THE POOL
ONE FREE COVERED PARKING SPOT
FREE HIGH SPEED INTERNET
24 HOUR FITNESS CENTER
GATED COMMUNITY THREE ELEVATORS
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LET US KNOW! We are looking for students who’d like to write or shoot for Longhorn Life.
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HOW THEY GOT JOBS:
EQUAL HOUSING
OPPORTUNITY
Channing Holman LONGHORN LIFE
A
fter four years of college, your main goal is to get a job, right? But with the competitive job market, many current students will graduate sans a job offer. Not to fret: A degree from The University of Texas at Austin speaks volumes; you just have to market yourself. When applying for positions, remember that it is your job to prove why you are the perfect candidate. While it may seem difficult to stand out, a few graduating seniors who’ve already landed great jobs told us just how they did it. PRISCILLA THOMPSON, Broadcast Journalism will work for: Teach For America “I am really looking forward to stepping outside of my comfort zone, because I can’t grow without stepping outside of my element.” Changing her major three times during her four years on the Forty Acres, Thompson opted to take a break from broadcast journalism and accept a teaching position through Teach For America. TFA especially stands out to college grads because it forgives $5,000 in student loans per year for up to three years while also offering a graduate school education for a reduced tuition rate. TFA searches across the nation for individuals dedicated to making a difference in the education system, which is why the organization’s process is competitive: They only accept the best. “They never fill all the spots they want because the program looks for quality candidates,” Thompson said. Thompson began her trek for TFA in February with an online application and a 500-word letter of interest. “Typically, the next step is phone interviews, but I was skipped to the finals,” she said. During the final round, Thompson had both group and individual interviews followed by a short sample lesson, in which she taught a 6th grade English class about similes and metaphors. After a month of checking her emails around the clock, she finally received her acceptance email. “I was nervous, but I was positive that I would get the job because I spoke with the recruiter. Talk to on-campus recruiters and people that have been through the
program because if you’re faking it, they will know.” Thompson will begin training this summer and will start teaching this August at a middle school in Houston, near her hometown of Texas City. “[Where they place you to teach] depends on your major. I preferred middle school because I wanted to work with older kids. Either way, working with kids won’t be easy,” Thompson said. After her two-year commitment to TFA, Thompson plans to either climb the ladder within the organization to become communications director or open her own production business specializing in videos for engagements, weddings and birthdays. Whichever route she takes, “I am working to change my community,” she said. JESSICA PHAM, Retail Merchandising will work for: Stage Stores “I regret not getting internships because I wanted to focus on school, [so] intern in the summer or make time in the school year to figure out what you want to do.” Pham’s employment at Swoozie’s gift store years ago taught her how to communicate with customers and initially piqued her interest in retail. “I immediately saw myself in the retail world,” she said. After a few years at UT, Pham interned at Nordstrom, delving a little deeper into the retail industry and learning the importance of both the market and the economy. Planning for life after graduation, one of Pham’s textiles and apparel professors informed her See GRADS, on next page