Career Services New staff members and new programs make the Office of Career Services at Trinity a powerful resource, even in a down job market by Mary fioward
Sophomore Sean Mansoory admits he never thought much about Career Services at Trinity. "I passed by the office every day," he says, "but my schedule is always so packed with academics, I didn't go in." When friends suggested he attend a new program called "Bantam Sophomore Success: Recession Proof Your Future," sponsored by the Office of Career Services last January, he signed up. "It got the ball rolling for me," says Mansoory. And that's exactly what Director of Career Services Lanna Hagge wants. Getting students into the offi.ce is one of her biggest goals, and programs like the Bantam Sophomore Success provide an excellent entry. "Once they find out how we can help them, they come back," she says. The Career Services Office at Trinity offers a wide variety of progran1s and services to help students identify and prepare for future careers. All students have access to TrinityRecruiting, a personalized, online career system that provides job listings and information on careers, graduate school programs and fellowships. Trinity students are
connected with potential employers through on-campus interviews, off-campus recruiting events, electronic resume collections, and videoconferencing. They can also take advantage of individual career advising, career seminars, and graduate school application assistance. "Loyal and devoted alumni" are at the heart of the Trinity career network
According to Hagge, the most valued benefit to students is Trinity's extensive network of alumni/ ae. "We are alumni/ae driven," she says. Above her desk, she keeps a quote from the late Professor Glenn Weaver's The History ofTrinity College, Vol I: " ... the College had assets which were to insure its permanence. A loyal and devoted alumni were not the least of these ..." Many Trinity alumni/ ae partner with the Office of Career Services to offer first-hand advice at networking events on campus and in major cities. This has been a major new initiative of the National Alumni Association Executive Committee. "Trinity graduates are successful in a wide range of fields ," says Penny Sanchez 'n past president of the NAA. "When we share our experiences with
current Trinity students, we are giving them an invaluable head start on their own careers." Kathleen O'Connor Boelhouwer '85, vice president for alumni affairs and communications, adds that "using both traditional and online networking resources, including BAM (see sidebar) , Experience, linkedin, and Facebook, our alumni/ ae and students have established strong ties that result in internships, job leads, and many actual jobs. It benefits people on both sides of the equation- Trinity students get help in finding that all-important first job, and Trinity alumni/ e find welleducated young people to fill positions in their organizations." One Trinity graduate who is sharing his expertise is Jeff Fox '67, founder and president of Fox & Company Inc., a marketing consulting firm in Chester, Connecticut. Fox is the author of How to Land Your Dream]ob: No Resume! And Other Secrets to Get you in The Door (Hyperion, 2006). He spoke with students at the Bantam Sophomore Success program about landing the perfect job. 'Tm doing this workshop for you," he said during his hour-and-a-half talk. "If you're not getting what you want from me, raise your hand." The Office of Career Services provided all participants with a copy of Fox's book. "He was funny and got his point across," says Mansoory. "He showed me that I really need to sell myself" As a direct result of the program, Mansoory interviewed
for a summer internship with Morgan Stanley in New York City Though he was offered the job, the biochemistry major (who is "pretty sure" he wants to be a physician) opted to spend this summer researching Parkinson's disease with the National Institutes of Health. "I told the representative at Morgan Stanley that I'd definitely like to continue the dialogue next summer," says Mansoory. In its first year, the Bantam Sophomore Success program focused on finding jobs and internships in today's less-than-optimal market. It also provided an opportunity for the Office of Career Services to connect with students early in their undergraduate years. "It's a lot harder to help students when they come to you second semester of their senior year, worried about getting a job," says Megan Myers Hambrick 'or, assistant director of alumni career services and program development. During the program, students participated in various workshops and roundtable discussions, including a "type talk" with Hambrick. Using the Myers- Briggs Type Indicator, she helped students identify their personality type. "The personality test was a big highlight for me," says sophomore Erica Alvarez. "It helped me understand my traits and use them to my advantage." Alvarez, who is a student worker in the Office of Career Services, is considering a career in law or social work.
TRI N ITY REPORTER
spring 09
27