Tools for job success helpful for students who use them

Gavin Samples

Fellow students! I hear you when you say there are no jobs available for us when we graduate, but really, is that true? I know our economy is doing badly. I know it is slightly harder to get a job than it has been previously. Listen to me when I say, all we need to do is allocate the resources available to us.

There are ways to make this transition from student-oriented to career-oriented individuals easier. Do you know we have a department at our University whose primary responsibility is to help us get a job? Career Services, located near Subway and the bookstore, is dedicated to assisting University students and alumni in our search for a job after college.

Career Services is dedicated to University students and alumni by making available services such as career fairs, career exploration and resume assistance.

On Oct. 30, Career Services teamed up with the College of Business and Technology and Students In Free Enterprise to put on the Patriots to Professionals Spring Career Fair.

There were more than 50 perspective employers in attendance actively and aggressively recruiting talented University students. The Career Services Department and SIFE worked together to bring this event to life.

As you know, this is an opinion column and it’s time to hear my opinion.  We have roughly 6,100 students, both on campus residents and commuters. We only had 250 students willing to come to the event, which was set up for their benefit.

Believe it or not, the University cares if you succeed after graduation. The reason Career Services exists is for us. It is here to give us an advantage upon completion of school and ensure we have the necessary skills to attain a desired position in the work force, despite the scarcity of jobs in this economy.

I spoke with Dr. D. Harold Doty, dean of the College of Business and Technology. He is helping build a partnership between College of Business and Career Services so we can achieve great things.  His philosophy is to attend school, do well, get a job. With the help of Career Services, this vision is well within the reach of every student in this University.

Even if you do not do as well as you expected in school, the opportunity is still there. Doty expressed his excitement about the positive changes the College of Business and Technology is making this semester and how they can benefit the entire University.

Garnesha Beck, director of Career Services, and I talked about the future and how the University can help us prepare for the challenges it will bring. Did you know in the near future corporate representatives will be on campus to interview us? If that is not a hand up I don’t know what is.

When I decided to come to University, I had no idea there would this many resources to ensure my success as both a student and future employee.

I really believe we need to get off our asses, take advantage of the things before us and stop complaining. We have a lot of great things going on in our school. Let’s make something of ourselves. We’ve got the tools for success — all we’ve got to do is use them.