Advice
P.S. I Love You
By Burt Nadler, assistant dean and Career Center director
Perhaps inspired in some strange way by the release of the re-mastered works of the boys from Liverpool, including one of their earliest works, I want to share some insights regarding parent support, especially for those of 2010s. Today, with the financial burdens of higher education expanding, and macro (nation and world) and micro (family) economies shrinking, issues of supporting (investing) in your student’s future become more challenging. As a career services professional who has observed the evolution of post college job search and graduate school admissions for over three decades, I am compelled to share some insights that I hope will have long term positive impact on your sons and daughters.
Yes, it is an emotional and financial relief to think that when four years of undergraduate study are done your “commitment” is finished, but I implore you to re-examine that view. Many parents and students express interest in our Take Five Program, an amazing tuition-free opportunity for a fifth year of study exploring academic curiosities through a well-conceived student articulated structured plan. Now I call upon you to nurture a “Need Five Perspective.” Many soon-to-be and recent graduates need a fifth year to establish and implement a structured postbaccalaureate internship, job search, and grad school plan. And often that involves completing courses, seminars, or other academic experiences focusing on career curiosities and job search goals. Unfortunately, these efforts might involve tuition and other fees. And, most likely, recent grads must seek, find and complete unpaid post-bac internships, often in cities away from “home,” for that is where the jobs are.
Career development, the age and stage process that yields the ability to articulate field, function and firm goals, the capacity to assess realistic qualifications and enhance existing education, and the capability to implement comprehensive job search efforts, is such that some students can do so as of commencement and others need more time. It is likely you and I share generational memories, including those of the mop-tops appearing in black and white on the Ed Sullivan Show. We are products of economic times when well-rounded achievers who had general strengths and accomplishments cited on a resume were invited to interview (often through on campus recruiting) and then received and accepted an offer to begin a career via a “management development program.” We are products of job search times when the supply of post-commencement jobs far exceeded the number of college graduates. The gap between these two economic factors allowed employers to screen based on “potential and interest in,” not necessarily “qualifications for or history of success within.” The most effective way for expanding and growing entities to fuel the fire of growth was, no matter the field, to conduct information sessions and on-campus screening interviews on as many campuses as possible. Sorry, today is not yesterday, when all our troubles seemed so far away (intentional song lyric homage).
In today’s job search economy, the number of college graduates rises each and every year and dramatically exceeds the number of jobs targeting bachelor’s degree recipients. This gap empowers “screeners” (“recruiter” is an anachronistic misnomer, for since the advent of the Internet and downturn of the economy, firms no longer actively recruit at large numbers of schools) to review resumes (often through web-based systems) and seek very field specific academic and experiential citations. Today, more than ever, it is critical that students complete at least one, if not two pre-commencement internships and, in many cases, the same number of postbaccalaureate internships. Yes, compensated internships are possible, and we offer Reach Funds to some students each summer, but paid internship experiences are not likely for most, especially recent grads.
An adaptation of an e-mail sent last year, and one that will be revised and sent 2010s soon, because we anticipate an ever widening supply and demand gap of jobs versus graduates, reveals a reality-based and proven effective strategy. We sincerely hope that by sharing this information with you in advance that you will be inspired to support your sons or daughters as they implement these steps in the months ahead.
As your career and academic lives commence during challenging times, we strongly encourage you to:
Become and stay focused. Through direct counseling and many online and printed resources we offer, you can become confident and articulate when expressing goals within field, function, and firm contexts. You will be able to cite what you want to do, and where you want to do it (geographically and functionally). With goals expressed, you can implement reactive (responding to postings) as well as proactive (self-initiated contacts with firms as well as targeted networking). Without goals, you are limited to posting sources (not a good strategy). Do not fear focus, embrace it, and let us help you clarify and express your goals.
Use a “hybrid” postbaccalaureate internship and full-time job search strategy. Seek internships as actively as full-time positions. Respond to internship postings and include phrases like “While I am most eager to serve as a summer intern, I would also welcome consideration for full-time career opportunities” and “Perhaps after completion of the summer internship my performance would be evaluated and I would be considered for a lengthier and compensated tenure, lasting throughout the fall, and beyond?” Respond to entry-level postings and state “While I am enthusiastic about, qualified for and eager to serve within this position, if determined more appropriate, please consider me an equally strong candidate for a paid or unpaid summer internship.” We are prepared to help you with all job search correspondence as well as strategy development and implementation. Explore and apply for domestic and overseas “fee-based experiential education and internship programs.” Investing in a package program for the summer, or fall, would enable you complete meaningful experiences, enhance skills, and increase your marketability when others are “just looking.” For many, it is the most efficient and effective way to move to a specific city and have at least two months to do intense job search. No matter the cost of these programs, including University of Dreams, The Washington Center for Internships, Masa Israel, IES, and others, your investment will pay off.
Complete at least two or more goal-focused courses over summer (and in the fall). While most are relieved (understatement) to think they are done courses for a while, it is critical during these times that you find and complete at least two and ideally three courses during the summer, or during whatever time job search continues. Courses focus on very, very specific job search targets and related skills. These courses can be taken at a community college, or at a prestigious institution, but it really doesn’t matter. As long as your academic actions match words expressed as job search goals, these curricular steps can be giant leaps towards your desired employment or grad school destination. Think of yourself as completing a “post-bac cluster,” one course at a time. Once you have, you are clearly more qualified to enter field(s) of interest and may have completed a number of pre-requisites for admissions to graduate programs.
Volunteer. While looking for a job or waiting to hear from or enroll in graduate school, serve as a “volunteer intern” in settings related to your goals. Yes, financial realities do necessitate certain actions and statements. But, realities of supply and demand may not match your financial needs. So, while you are actively seeking desired employment or educational goals, if you volunteer, you enhance your chances of finding a paid internship or job more quickly. You also enhance your candidacy for admissions to graduate school.
Seek support of family and friends. This includes financial, emotional, and job-search support. Everyone must be realistic about how long job search takes during good times and how much longer it will take during difficult times. Have those challenging conversations with parents regarding what a summer budget might include here in Rochester, or in the city where you want to live and work, and respectfully ask for those funds. Keep in mind the anxiety the phrase “I don’t know” instills within loved ones who hear it as a response to “what are you going to do now?” Become focused, and share clear and realistic goals with family, faculty, friends and others. Networking means “state your goals, then seek consideration, referrals, and support.” Networking is ineffective if you cannot state goals.
The Career Center’s mission to work one student at a time recognizes that each of you, as a result of your scholarship as well as unique academic, co-curricular, and internship experiences deserves personalized attention. So, our individualized job search and internship coaching is most effective in times like the ones we now confront. We welcome all students and alumni to contact us by phone, (585) 275-2366, to schedule an appointment or via e-mail careers@rochester.edu if you have any questions. Last, you can focus on academics left on your path towards commencement, then work with us after, as you progress towards employment. We are open all summer and deal with recent grads and young alumni regularly.
While the early bird doesn’t necessarily get the job search worm, especially during challenging economic times and periods of high unemployment, we do want birds of all feathers (majors and fields of focus) to plan on how to leave the University of Rochester nest and plan flights to particular career, internship, graduate school, or other destinations. And, now is a good time to spread those wings and act!
Remember, the realities of today may necessitate, no matter how much we all believe in the potential of soon-to-be graduates, financial as well as emotional parent support when they ask for help. "P.S. I Love You" must be more then a memory-filled song title from an old 45 rpm vinyl disc (very old school). It must be an attitude and a series of supportive actions. You must discuss the above strategies with your sons and daughters and whenever you can, assist them down that long and winding road to post-bac internship, job search, and graduate school admissions success. Actions associated with the above strategy will deter them from nowhere man frustrations and tell me why queries of rejection. Do inspire them to visit our office often. Data show that those students who have at least four scheduled appointments with our counselors are more articulate, confident, as well as competent and, thus, attain their goals. And, while words and lyrics of this piece target parents of 2010s, they do have meaning for those of freshmen through seniors, as well as alumni. If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call (585) 275-2366 or e-mail bnadler@mail.rochester.edu.
