Second in an occasional series following two students through the On-Campus Recruiting process.
College senior Candace Morris and recent Engineering graduate Matthew Waddell are not usually stressed. This week, they say, is an exception.
Morris and Waddell are participating in On-Campus Recruiting, a program that brings business organizations to campus to hire students for full-time jobs, as well as summer internships. Students began submitting their resumes to companies last week, and now they must wait for an invitation from their desired employers to interview for a position.
The waiting process is challenging for Morris. She feels overwhelmed and anxious as she visualizes her wardrobe trying to decide which shade of gray pants is the most appropriate for interviews. She thinks she will not hear from companies until the beginning of October.
"I'm not sure what path I [ultimately] want to take" Morris said. Whether it is "business or health [related], finding a job will help me make the decision."
While Morris waits to see where her future job will take her, she busies herself with career research and applications. Morris also regularly visits Penn's Career Services, where she attends interview workshops.
At these events, she learns "how to dress, shake hands and make eye contact."
Yesterday, Morris attended the career fair at the Sheraton University City Hotel, where representatives from more than 142 companies gathered to meet with students.
"It was fun," she said. "The recruiters are people just like us."
Like Morris, Waddell is also preparing for interviews. He recommends reading self-help books from the career-research library. The library includes books such as Job Interviews for Dummies and Zen and the Art of Making a Living.
"I'm pretty confident," Waddell says. "If it goes my way or if it doesn't, I'll keep on trying."
Despite his positive attitude, Waddell still feels the stress of waiting to receive notice of an interview.
"There is a lot of pressure on students," Waddell said. "Especially if you're new to this whole process."
Deputy Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Bill Alexander said that students applying for jobs experience different levels of anxiety.
"Certain schools [at Penn] will notify us [about on-campus recruitment] in advance," Alexander said.
Counselors usually work with students individually and practice relaxation exercises.
"We might put them through mock interviews," Alexander said. "If students are really suffering, we practice in different types of environments so they can get used to the interview" process.
Alexander suggests that students interviewing for jobs try to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating correctly, sleeping enough and avoiding alcohol.
