Emergency help for seniors
By Becky Castle

Question: What do you do if you're a senior with no definite plans for life after graduation?

Answer: Take a deep breath, pray, then call ORU's College & Career Guidance Center (CCGC) as soon as possible.

The CCGC offers invaluable help to seniors. Their mission statement is "to provide the students and alumni with the resources, networking capabilities and counseling to best meet their career needs."

Some of the tools they use to meet this goal include: providing resume, networking and interviewing workshops; offering one-on-one education and career counseling; bringing companies onto campus to interview students and helping students network with contacts in the workforce.

John Brown, CCGC Director, outlines the following path seniors should take to prepare for employment after graduation.

By the beginning of senior year, students should have a firmly resolved career direction. They should know in which geographical region they want to seek employment. They should also research possible future employers in order to have in mind 15 to 20 to seriously pursue. Brown said the Internet is an excellent tool for such searches.

Students should have their resumes finished by the time they begin their senior years. They need to tailor their resumes for the company to which they are applying, specifically emphasizing the skills and training they possess which will make them excellent prospects for jobs.

Many companies start interviewing students in the fall. To prepare for those opportunities, seniors should practice their interviewing skills. In an interview, students need to be able to bring out any experiences and training not covered in their resumes.

Seniors should seek internships or volunteer positions that provide them with work experience in their chosen industries. For example, an accounting major could volunteer with the IRS to help prepare taxes. Seniors can use these opportunities to get used to the environment of their future business as well as to make contacts for networking. The CCGC offers resources and seminars to help with every step of this process.

Seniors beginning second semester feeling unprepared: don't panic. Make an appointment with the CCGC right away. A counselor will speak with students about their talents and skills and will help each translate those strengths into possible employment opportunities. The CCGC can guide students through creating and perfecting a resume, researching companies, finding contacts and advising seniors during the interview process.

Brown said students who are offered the jobs for which they apply are those who "did everything we told them; students who were at every seminar and activity we offered. One guy was offered a job by every company that came on campus. Companies were fighting for him. He was just that much more dedicated."

"Some people take their job search randomly," Brown said. "Approach it with the same level of commitment as the biggest senior project you have." The CCGC is located on the sixth floor of the LRC, above the library. Call 495-6912 for an appointment.

The CCGC is not just for seniors. In the next issue of The Oracle, we will have a story profiling ways the CCGC can help underclassmen. We will also offer more information about the CCGC's resources and seminars.

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