2008 Woodie Awards
Students getting stuck on red tape at the Career Center
Emily Schweighardt
Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: Op/Ed
- Page 1 of 1
To the Editor:
Late last week, I had a frustrating experience at the Career Center. I had received an email from a biology professor about a local company looking for an intern during the semester. As a senior, I was anxious to get more work experience in addition to making a little money on the side during my last semester. I called the company, talked to the owner and he asked me to fax him my resume.
Then I went searching for a fax machine. My housemate suggested the Career Center. Surely they had one and would gladly help a career-bound senior out. I thought wrong. I went through its doors and asked the receptionist if she would mind faxing my one-page resume. She asked if it was an internship attained through their discovered office. I answered no, it was through a biology faculty member. Students do get internships on their own. She then asked if I had had my resume critiqued by the Career Center. I again answered, no. My organic chemistry professor proofread it because he knows what the industry looks for in a resume and possible employees. I also asked the father of a friend who hires staff for his own company. The secretary then apologized and cordially said they do not let students use their fax machine. Aren't they the Career Center? Aren't they supposed to assist students (especially seniors) any way they can to find a job or internship? The office was virtually empty and this whole affair would have taken less than a minute. Extremely frustrated, I put on a polite smile and high-tailed it out of there. As for getting a job after graduation, I will continue to do my own leg work and leave the Career Center out of it. As a postscript, I would like to thank Dr. Ethel Drayton-Craig and Anitra Witkowski of the Multicultural Center for being wonderful advocates and actually letting me fax my resume.
Emily Schweighardt '07
Late last week, I had a frustrating experience at the Career Center. I had received an email from a biology professor about a local company looking for an intern during the semester. As a senior, I was anxious to get more work experience in addition to making a little money on the side during my last semester. I called the company, talked to the owner and he asked me to fax him my resume.
Then I went searching for a fax machine. My housemate suggested the Career Center. Surely they had one and would gladly help a career-bound senior out. I thought wrong. I went through its doors and asked the receptionist if she would mind faxing my one-page resume. She asked if it was an internship attained through their discovered office. I answered no, it was through a biology faculty member. Students do get internships on their own. She then asked if I had had my resume critiqued by the Career Center. I again answered, no. My organic chemistry professor proofread it because he knows what the industry looks for in a resume and possible employees. I also asked the father of a friend who hires staff for his own company. The secretary then apologized and cordially said they do not let students use their fax machine. Aren't they the Career Center? Aren't they supposed to assist students (especially seniors) any way they can to find a job or internship? The office was virtually empty and this whole affair would have taken less than a minute. Extremely frustrated, I put on a polite smile and high-tailed it out of there. As for getting a job after graduation, I will continue to do my own leg work and leave the Career Center out of it. As a postscript, I would like to thank Dr. Ethel Drayton-Craig and Anitra Witkowski of the Multicultural Center for being wonderful advocates and actually letting me fax my resume.
Emily Schweighardt '07