OPINION & EDITORIAL
Graduation’s approach brings insight
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Also by Lindsay Zuckerman:
- Graduation's approach brings insight (April 5, 2005)
- Greek life can be positive, too (April 12, 2005)
- Cell phone etiquette checkup (April 26, 2005)
- Past, present collegiate friendships (March 15, 2005)
- A spring break phenomenon (March 8, 2005)
Related Stories:
- Party like it's ... April 30 (April 26, 2005)
- Hit me, baby, one more time (November 17, 2004)
- 22 things all students must do before graduating (April 28, 2006)
- Lessons from the workplace (May 7, 2003)
- Career services a benefit for seniors (October 18, 2005)
by Lindsay Zuckerman
Tuesday, April 5, 2005
April 1st has officially passed. And to the majority of seniors graduating in May, that date means the official start of the interviewing season; the frantic search for a job, any job, which can jump-start your career and your place in the real world; something that attempts to cover living expenses, rent and the like; and most importantly (and one of the most troubling aspects of it all to some) is that you are finally on your own.
For some students who have been lucky enough to have been helped through college with tuition, rent and other things, this break is a giant leap into self-sufficiency. One that, without careful planning and responsibility, can throw the average 22 year old for a loop. For those who have been able to budget and support themselves through college, they are one-step ahead of other students, having an upper hand on managing their lifestyle in a working atmosphere.
Besides monetary concerns, however, are the heavy pressures and procedures in order to secure a job right after college. Some need to start right away, while others want to begin in August. And then there are those who are taking a year off to “find themselves” or travel and enjoy their one last shot at freedom and young adulthood.
And how can I ignore the parental factor? You know, those who are constantly calling and asking you (as they call it, whereas someone like me may call it pestering): “Did you submit your resume anywhere?” “How is your cover letter?” “Did you talk to so-and-so?” While I know my friends and I are all getting bombarded with the same amount of questions, it is still very frustrating. After four years of college and living on your own away from home, why now do our parents find the time to interject? While I know I am extremely lucky to have mine watching out for me, the whole job search is frustrating enough without others asking lines of questions.
If you’re in the business school or are graduating with some sort of business degree, chances are you have a job that has been lined up for you since first semester. But for the rest of the university, most students are not that lucky. More often than not, I have heard of past graduates having to move to a city before an actual job was secured, so they would be able to go in for an interview on a whim and take the job right away if need be. And in other cases, some industries have such high turn-over that they simply cannot review candidates until late summer. The last thing most students or I want to be doing is nervously nail biting their way through the summer waiting for a job to come through. And this isn’t a situation where the typical student can be apathetic about landing a career — you have to be motivated and constantly hunting.
While I am excited to take the dive into the working world, it is a thought that comes with mixed emotions. Yet, it is always reassuring to hear those who are happy in their working environments reminding me that it is “not that bad,” and it “only gets better.” I have an older sister who graduated from the University of Michigan and took the first job she was offered in New York City — one that she grew to hate, yet was able to learn from and turn into a growing experience that has helped her grow into her success years later. Armed with this knowledge, as well as other people’s insight, I am comfortable with the fact that while I’m not going to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company tomorrow, you’ve got to start small. And small can turn into big with diligence, integrity and lots of hard work.
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 9:03am):
I think its sad that some of you can only think of getting a job when you get out. Why not go volunteer in S. America for the summer or a year and take advantage of an opportunity that you will never have again in your life. There are plenty of years ahead to work at a crappy desk job in Chicago or Milwaukee.
Sad, but then what do I expect from someone like the author of this article?
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 9:16am):
I didn't have a job for six months after graduation. Now I have a dream job that I've always wanted. Take some time off, relax. Jobs will be around, there's no need to burn yourself out at 22.
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 9:25am):
Maybe the two previous commentators haven't taken the time to digest the latest employment #'s released last Friday by the Labor Bureau. I graduated in 2001 during the worst economic slowdown of the last 25 years. It took myself and my friends many months to find any job, let alone a "dream" job. This slowdown in job creation which has been evident will this a daunting task for anyone graduating this spring. Good Luck.
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 11:03am):
To the first poster:
What, do all the volunteering opportunities magically disappear one year after graduation? There's going to be plenty of opportunities to volunteer later in life; what's the difference if you do it right after graduation or a few years down the road? For some of us, decent jobs don't come around that often.
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 11:50am):
"I think its sad that some of you can only think of getting a job when you get out."
Spoken like a true child of privilege who didn't have to take on a bone-crushing burden of debt in order to attend college.
But then getting a job, supporting yourself, paying your debts, maybe even raising a family - these are just so worthless in the eyes of the effete, elite, self-professed intellectuals.
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 2:18pm):
First poster here again:
Ask anyone who didn't do something fun/adventurous right out of college if they wish they had. It's hard to drop everything once you get started on a career path. So yes, the opportunites ot volunteer will be there, but it is doubtful you'll ever have the break in your life to do something like that again.
As far as being a child of privelege. Wrong. There are other options to pay of those "bone crushing" loans from your 4000 dollar a year instate tuition, that you can easily make working part time as a waiter every summer, but if you did take out-of state loans like my roommate do what he did. He is is working teaching English in Korea sending home a few hundred bucks a month plus what he is saing there. Another friend of mine is doing teach for America. There are plenty of viable options other than getting a boring office job, just most of you don't have the balls.
Paying off student loans is extremely easy if you are willing to trade life quality for income. Forego your new clothes every few months, your eating out 5 times a week, and your cable TV and there will be enough to pay off your loans right there.
Sad..but hey! have fun in your dead-end paper pushing jobs! Maybe you can sneak onto the internet and post whiny comments like the alums that post here complaining about their crappy lives. Good luck!
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 2:22pm):
"But then getting a job, supporting yourself, paying your debts, maybe even raising a family - these are just so worthless in the eyes of the effete, elite, self-professed intellectuals."
Like W right? He never paid any of his debts from every company he bankrupted and he won't pay for bankrupting the US. He certainly really did a good job of paying his dues by shirking his duty in the cushy National Guard job that his daddy got him.
What a role model!
Down with intellectuals! Thinking is for Liberals!
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 2:50pm):
Wow, I was wondering how long it would take for this to get political.
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 3:56pm):
the out-of-state bump adds about 75k to the load - bozo
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 4:40pm):
"the out-of-state bump adds about 75k to the load - bozo"
Is bozo your handle?
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 7:11pm):
75k extra over 4 years?
What kind of math are you doing to come up with that?
Anonymous (April 5, 2005 @ 7:15pm):
for 2004-2005, in state tuition and fees are listed as $5,860, while out of state is listed at $19,860. this is a difference of 14,000.
14,000 * 4 years = 56,000.
this is not 75,000.
if you are hear for 5 years, yes it is 70,000.
But in that case you are probably an engineer or somebody who will make a lot of money so I don't feel sorry for you.
