Longhorn Life
Page 4
Friday, April 27, 2012
Guy’s perspective
On the terrible joy that is job-hunting Brian Bogart Longhorn Life
I think it’s time for a wake-up call. In case you haven’t heard, it ain’t exactly the best time to be a recent college graduate. Back in the day, as I’m sure your parents have told you time and time again, all you needed to make it in the professional world was a college degree and willingness to work. But the sad truth in the year 2012 is that only about 20 percent of UT students even land themselves a starting job coming out of college. Nowadays it seems like you need a degree in chemical engineering to even sniff a job interview, forget getting that cushy out-of-college job you were told all your life you’d be able to get. But hey, it’s cool. For every time we need a wake-up call, we also need to take a breather and assess exactly where it is we are as new college graduates. And to you underclassmen, I suggest you read on, too, because your four years are gonna be up sooner than you think. As for me, however? I still have a full year left here! I ain’t never leaving these 40 Acres. Anyway, I hope the following at least helps you take that first crucial step into the professional world and, if anything, I sincerely hope it teaches you that in some of the most serious times in our life, it can pay to not take yourself too seriously. Here is my advice for those of you who are becoming what we college
students like to call “real people,” so read on fellow Longhorn, and above all knock ‘em dead, ‘cause it’s a big world out there just waiting for hungry young bucks like you. Wow! You have a 4.0! But guess what? Nobody cares. Well that’s not true, maybe the Dean’s List cares and maybe it will feel cool to hear the words “Summa Cum Laude” after your name is announced on the day of your graduation, and hey depending on your major, maybe you need a certain GPA just to get into grad school. But once you graduate you just might find out sooner than later that GPA will be one of the more trivial statistics to ever come out of your college career. What employers will probably notice at first is that you got the degree in the first place. They may see that you got that straight-A report card and they may even draw conclusions that you’re a smart person. But you graduated from one of the best institutions in the state of Texas, so you’re supposed to be smart. What they’ll really care about is what you did with that education in the limited time you’ve had to apply it. This means that you’ll have to have more than just a shiny new diploma to show off to potential employers; you’ll have to show them that you have this little thing called “know-how,” and “know-how” doesn’t come from a squeaky clean report card, it comes from prior
experience. Now maybe you’re one of those people who didn’t get a job while they were in college because you were too busy studying, maybe you’re one of those people who thought that work was supposed to come after college. No matter how you slice it, the point is you should be working in college. Ideally, you should try to find a job in a field that is related to your area of study, because as much as employers will like that you were a working student, they will love that you are a working student with prior experience to boot. I know waiting tables is hard and often under-appreciated work, but it’s just not going to jump out on the ol’ resume when you try to start your career. Learn How to Sell Yourself Do you know the No.1 skill employers look for in potential employees? Is it work ethic? Is it good grades? Is it ambition? The answer is D) none of the above. What an employer is most looking for is an employee who can most effectively communicate with their managers and customers. How else do you think most CEO’s occupy the upper-echelon of the tax bracket when, stereotypically, they spend their days playing golf with clients? Because they were the smartest guys in the room? Not even close. Now I know you may be thinking to yourself: “But what on earth do I have to sell? I’m just another student with a liberal arts degree
and no real idea with what I want to do in life.” But guess what? You are a very talented individual with many good qualities, and it only takes verbalizing a few of those qualities effectively that will ultimately catch the eye (or ear) of your employer. So learn how to interview and know what employers are looking for whenever you put yourself out there, because it could be that confidence in yourself that differentiates you from other prospective employees. Word of advice: Go to hirealonghorn.org and send out a resume. This website got me my first writing job for a small publication way back in the day and sooner than later, it opened up tons of doors that extended far beyond the field of writing. All you need to do to achieve success is find a proper starting point and launch off from there. Soon, your professional opportunities will increase exponentially if you can simply capitalize on the chances you’re given. So, happy hunting, and after just a few minutes of browsing I’m sure you’ll find at least one or two companies that properly align with your interests that will be eager to receive your resume. Just Chill I know that I probably included a lot of freak-out in the last 900 words or so that I’ve written, and if I startled any of you readers I do sincerely apologize. I’m not trying
to freak you out, fellow Longhorns, I’m just doing my damndest to help you because from the bottom of my heart I want to see you succeed and I want to see you find a career path that will ultimately make you happy. Here’s another newsflash: No one likes working with someone who takes themself too seriously. Just as important as it is to have work ethic, talent and the drive to forge your own successful career, it’s also crucial to have the right attitude to accompany all of those fantastic assets. So have a smile on your face everywhere you go, because there’s no reason not to have one. Employers will be attracted to your energy and there is always room for optimists in the workforce. If you have a relaxed attitude, people will pick up on that and respond to it in an equally positive way, and you just might find that things start coming a little easier for you after time. As excruciating as the job search may seem at times, you don’t do yourself any favors by freaking out. In fact, you do yourself an enormous disservice. So count your blessings, because chances are they are numerous, and wear your own name like a badge of honor every time you walk through the door, because after polishing that bad boy for 20-some-odd years now, it’s about time you wore it with pride. Brian Bogart is a theater & dance junior, with a focus on acting and business foundations.
Campus career fairs offer ease in the job search
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RACHEL LAU/Longhorn Life
We’re hiring: Psychology seniors Lia Panzia and Dennis Bilodeau listen as support specialist Lindsay Robinson explains the opportunities available at Austin-based healthcare services firm The Karis Group.
Graduating with a degree from UT is no easy task, but the challenge doesn’t stop there: securing a job is your next mission. Luckily, the University’s colleges and schools host career fairs each semester to make the search easier on you. The College of Liberal Arts hosted the most recent fair, which took place in the North End Zone of Darrel K. Royal Stadium on April 11. Representatives from more than 60 companies manned their booths full of pamphlets, internship information and the occasional free candy, and were eager to meet the Longhorns who strolled by. For four hours the room was packed with students, freshmen to graduate-level, dressed in business attire with resumes in hand. An imminent graduation isn’t necessary to start networking with potential employers, so be sure to attend a few of these career fairs in the future (most colleges and schools already have their fall events scheduled).
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