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JOB
MARKET PROMISING FOR CLASS OF 2000
Career fairs, other services prepare seniors for
employment opportunities
Recent
college graduates have benefited from a healthy economy and
favorable job market for the past few years, and experts say
members of the Class of 2000 can expect more of the same
good news.
As
commencement draws closer, graduating seniors are taking
advantage of an array of resources Ohio University provides
to help in the employment search.
Career
fairs are seeing record interest both from students and
prospective employers. The university's Office of Career
Services also offers computerized job search assistance and
resume and cover letter referral services.
"We are a
comprehensive Office of Career Services," says Director of
Career Services Thomas F. Korvas. "That means we work with
all levels of students and alumni who may have very
different needs. The freshman or sophomore student will in
most cases have very different needs than the graduating
senior, and our services reflect that."
The
computerized job search assistance program is a package of
three services designed for graduating students and alumni:
interview scheduling, job posting and matching services. The
program utilizes a comprehensive software package called the
Total Scheduling System, or TSS, which manages the three
computerized services.
Registered
participants can take advantage of special services such as
resume referrals, in which a student's personal resume is
automatically forwarded to employers; Bobcat Jobs Online,
the section of the Career Services' Web site that lists job
openings; and campus interviews with employers who have
professional job openings.
"TSS has
been an excellent resource for me in connecting with
employers and setting up interviews," says senior Katy Rees
of Cincinnati. "It's a great system that eliminates most of
the dirty work that goes into the great job hunt."
Career
fairs held each quarter of the regular academic year also
are an important resource for seniors.
October's
Career Fair, one of five annual career-oriented networking
opportunities available to students, had the highest
participation rate in the fair's 10-year history. More than
124 employers and 2,000 students took part.
"The
career fair in October was a great opportunity for me to
break the ice," says senior Dina Rulli of Cleveland. "I was
very nervous and now I feel much more confidant. There were
also companies that I never would have considered as an
option had I not met with a representative."
The career
fair in October is open to all students and majors, while
November's Health Careers Fair is geared to students and
employers in health-related fields. September's Minority
Engineering Career Fair for engineering, science and
technology majors is co-hosted by the National Society of
Black Engineers. This year's fair involved about 30
companies and 250 students.
The
Teacher Recruitment Consortium in April serves education
majors. The Multicultural Career Fair in February is
intended to assist primarily minority students but is open
to students of all ethnicities. As of press time, about 125
company representatives were expected to participate.
To help
students prepare for the career fairs and improve their
interview and presentation skills, Career Services offers 28
one-hour seminars during winter and spring quarters.
"I
encourage all Ohio University students to take advantage of
the programs and services we offer," Korvas says. "We are
here to help them achieve their career goals."
***
This
story originally appeared in the Winter Quarter 2000 Parents
Newsletter, which is published by Media
Services.
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