Career Day aids in job search

About 225 University students and others searching for work had one phrase in mind as they gathered in Houston Hall last Friday for the fifth annual Not-For-Profit Career Day: Please hire me. Representatives from national organizations ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to the U.S. State Department, as well as local organizations such as the community-based West Philadelphia Partnership, were on hand to greet students, and in most cases, accept resumes. Almost 40 employers "actively recruiting or planning to recruit students for paid positions" set up tables to inform students about career opportunities in the non-profit sector, said David Grossman, assistant director of Career Planning and Placement Service, which sponsored the program. Non-profit organizations often attract students who are "advocates of a particular issue" or have a strong desire to "work towards social betterment," Grossman said. Grossman emphasized that working in the non-profit sector does not necessarily signal that money is last on a student's list of priorities. "Salaries at non-profit organizations can be as powerful as those in for-profit ones," said Peggy Curchack, assistant director of CPPS for the College. Curchack said she hoped to put to rest the popular myths associated with the words "not-for-profit." "Working at a non-profit organization does not mean working in an environment with broken furniture and old Smith-Corona typewriters," Curchack said. Representatives from the non-profit organizations said they were impressed by the student turnout. Marcia Brownstein, a recruiter for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, said, "The caliber of candidates this year was much better than in the past." Many students, however, were discouraged by the number of non-profit organizatons at the fair which had no immediate openings. "I didn't see too many actual positions being advertised," said fine arts graduate student David Heller. "This was more of an information session than a [recruitment fair]." Swarthmore College senior Hayley Thomas also said she found that employers were "not necessarily hiring." Thomas said the University Museum was only looking for paid short-term interns instead of full-time employees. Grossman said that in order for employers to participate in the event, CPPS required only that they "intend to offer paid positions in the future." "If we go solely with organizations which had opportunities today, it would be difficult putting together a diverse event," Grossman said.

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