Jobs Plentiful for Graduates, But Search Still Takes Initiative

During times of economic growth, jobs for college graduates are abundant. While the Class of 2000 at the University of Rochester was bullish on the job market-and vice versa-seniors took their search seriously and invested time at these venues:

135 students traveled to New York City, Boston or Washington, D.C., as part of UR Connected In programs for interaction and interviews with more than 85 employers, graduate schools, and alumni in cities where students want to work.

113 employers recruited on campus, with 79 employers seeking technical and engineering candidates and 58 looking for non-technical backgrounds. Employers promoted opportunities and encouraged students to sign up for interviews at 46 information sessions. When it came time for on-campus interviews, 505 students met with employers, and 257 students had second interviews at the Career Center.

The Career Center's Hyman J. V. Goldberg Career Resource Library added additional telephone lines, fax machines, and computers for student contact with prospective employers and networking with Rochester alumni. Multimedia research and job search efforts, using Web and fax resources, were on the rise. Traditional resources, including printed directories, reference books, and personal job search coaching by Career Center staff, were supplemented with creative and e-driven efforts.

A new "What can I do with a major in" series of publications was targeted to students in political science, psychology, economics, and English. These guides, developed and distributed by the Career Center, inspire exploration and note specific career and internship options.

"For students who attend the University of Rochester, returns on investments made in their undergraduate studies do pay off in many tangible and intangible ways," says Burton Nadler, assistant dean of the College and director of the Career Center. "We are proud of those who graduate and who will be immediately attending graduate school or beginning careers."

At the University's 150th commencement May 14, bachelor's degrees were awarded to 1,122 graduates; also awarded this spring were 1,320 master's and doctoral degrees. Traditionally, about 27 percent of the graduating class immediately enter the job market, and another 27 percent attend graduate and professional schools. Post-commencement surveys reveal that almost all of the remaining graduates find employment or continue their studies within six months.

This year, more than a dozen graduates will attend these top-tier law schools: Boston College, Boston University, Cornell, Duke, Emory, George Washington, Georgetown, Indiana University, New York University, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, and William and Mary.

For current undergraduates, the Career Center will distribute more than $70,000 in Reach Funds to about 60 students to supplement low-paid or unpaid summer internships. Many internships are in community service, not-for-profit, or research fields, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, American Civil Liberties Union, Crestwood Children's Center, and New York State Division of Human Rights.