Economy will make job hunt difficult

By Cara Quackenbush

Whether you're a graduating senior, looking for on-the-job experience, or have work study to fulfill, there is one place that may be able to help you find that career, internship, or on-campus job you are looking for.

But be prepared for a challenge.

For the past several months, Santa Clara's renamed and newly remodeled Career Center has been gearing up for the new year with a more modern and professional looking facility.

According to Andy Ceperley, director of the Career Center, the remodel was done for several reasons. Primarily, due the downturn in the economy he believes that students now need the extra boost the facility may offer.

"Years ago if you graduated from Santa Clara with a degree you had a lot of opportunities. Today you are marketing yourself as a more complete entity," he said. "For us that means presenting you in a professional setting."

This meant that aged furniture and peeling walls were replaced with a more modern look. But it also means that while a high grade point average and a more professional setting is helpful, extracurricular activities such as internships and school involvement are significantly more important to employers than they were a year ago.

As a part of the new look and feel of the building, six new flat-screen computers have been added to the facility for student use.

The center's Web page has been revamped to make navigation of the center's databases easier, and Jobtrak, an online job posting Web site used by the center, has recently been renamed Monstertrak.

The site now offers Web-based personality tests, which are used as a tool to match students with suitable jobs. The score's are tallied by a staff member and then the student must attend an informational workshop called "dazed and confused."

For students who wish to find employment on campus, 3,000 on-campus jobs are also promoted through the center's Web site. According to Ceperley, some are easy to get while some are more competitive, and jobs requiring hefty tech skills pay the most.

While all of the center's databases can be searched from any computer with Internet connection, Ceperley still sees value in having a place for students to go, especially for on-campus interviews.

Aname Saavedra, a former economics major who graduated in June 2001 utilized the center's on-campus interview services to find her first job at St. Paul's Co. as an insurance underwriter. She went through 20 on-campus interviews and was offered three jobs.

In addition to facilitating the interviews, the Career Center helped her make her decision. And as it turned out, she was surprised to learn that her degree was applicable to the real world.

"It was a very tough decision and I had to feel safe with what I chose. My job is perfect for an economics major. I never thought I'd use so many things I actually learned," she said.

John Welsh, a former management major who graduated in December 2000, also used the center's services to find an internship and then his current job as an order specialist at Oracle in Sacramento.

He especially appreciated the one-on-one counseling the center provided.

"Basically I just got as much information from [the Career Center] as I could get. There's no way I could have had the confidence or got the jobs I wanted without it," he said.

While he preferred going to the company for job interviews, which allowed him to see the facilities where he would be working and meet some of the employees, he did acknowledge the convenience of on-campus interviews.

But unlike these former students, not all have been so lucky. Over the past several months, the Career Center has experienced a substantial drop in the number of employers coming to campus, and more alumni have come back after being laid off.

However, despite the uncertainties of today's job market, there are several things current students can do to get a head start.

Philip Scholz, a June 2001 graduate and psychology major who used the center to find a job as a recruiter, particularly emphasized the importance of starting early.

"Get in soon. Right now, fall season, there is the most heavy recruiting for spring graduates," he said.

Ceperley added that students should register with Bronco Track on the center's Web site to receive the Career Center Weekly, a weekly e-mail announcement of Career Center programs and job listings.

He also encouraged seniors to attend the senior job search kickoff on Oct. 3, which will give them a process to follow and information about on-campus interviews and job fairs.

And the Career Center is encouraging all students to use their day off from classes to participate in their programs offered through "Success Fest 2001" on the Oct. 3 Student Planning Day.

The program, themed "Don't Get Lost On the Road to Your Future," is offering several sessions throughout the day on a variety of subjects such as internships, major selection, study abroad, getting involved on campus and work/life balance. Senior programs include job search, graduate school, non-profit careers and financial management.

Overall, Ceperley said that he is a big believer in education but also believes that college offers many more opportunities. He urged students to find activities they enjoy and really become involved.

"When you study what you love, typically you do better in that," adding that he believes this is also good advice when choosing a career.

But facing a job market where seasoned professionals are competing with college graduates for entry-level positions, many seniors can look forward to an enormous challenge ahead.