As College senior Candace Morris and 2005 Engineering graduate Matthew Waddell stand in the McNeil Building, dressed in their best business attire, they check their resumes one last time and wonder, "Where will I be next year?"
They are going to the Career Services office for interviews and workshops and to hand in their resumes.
The two are currently 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.
Career Services looks for companies with predictable hiring needs and schedules interviews for thousands of students every year. Usually, employers will seek multiple students for set positions.
In addition to providing opportunities for employment, Career Services also offers students counseling and workshops designed to make the switch from a college campus into the business world a smooth transition.
Morris hopes to make the leap into the marketing world by impressing employers with her resume, which she began writing last December.
"First impressions are important," Morris said. "I want to look more professional."
In order to stand out, Morris recently reformatted her resume. Tomorrow she will submit it online using a feature of Career Services' Web site, called PennLink.
For now, Morris feels anxious as she awaits an invitation to interview with the companies that received her application. This waiting period differs for every company, but it usually lasts at least several days.
"I have no idea what I'm going to be doing a year from now or where I'm going to be," she said.
Unfortunately, Morris' stress will not end when she receives notice from the companies.
"I'm not the best" interviewee, she said. Morris will attend "mock interview" workshops provided by Career Services to improve her communication skills.
Unlike Morris, Matthew Waddell feels confident and enthusiastic about the recruitment process.
"I'm the type that adds value in companies," he said.
Waddell is seeking employment as a sales and training analyst or an investment banking analyst in a bulge-bracket firm such as JP Morgan or CitiGroup.
Because of Waddell's commitment to the men's varsity soccer team, he decided to prolong his job search after graduation in 2005 and take time to intern at an industry-related company.
Although Waddell is certain of the type of career he want, he feels Career Services is still a viable resource.
"They will show you opportunities," Waddell said. "People need to know it's there and that they can get a lot out of it."
In order to be eligible for On-Campus Recruiting, students must be enrolled in a degree program and must be scheduled to graduate in December of 2005 or May or August of 2006. Summer jobs or internships are open to all full-time students as well as master's and doctoral students.
