Career Center Helps Duke Students Aim for Their Life Goals
Center advises students on how to make their education work for them in job searches
Thursday, May 6, 2004
Duke's Class of 2004 entered college at a time when graduating seniors were often negotiating starting salaries with several employers. A few were even getting BMWs as signing bonuses.
In the last four years, the economy, employment and on-campus recruiting have changed dramatically.
"Several years ago, students hardly needed to leave their room to get a job," said Sheila Curran, executive director of the Duke University Career Center.
The 2004 senior survey, with 64 percent of the class responding, shows that 37.5 percent are going directly to jobs, fellowships or internships after graduation. Twenty-four percent plan to attend graduate school.
Students seeking work make up 10 percent of the class; remaining students aren't sure of their plans or are taking time off.
While today's job market isn't dismal, Curran said students and alumni can boost their chances of landing the job they want by supplementing their academic qualifications with real-life skills and application savvy.
This year alone, the Career Center, located in the Page Building on West Campus, handled more than 3,000 counseling appointments for such services as interest and personality assessments. Hundreds took advantage of drop-in advising with the Career Advising Team and still more used BlueDevilTrak, an online job-posting tool.
And now the Career Center has added two positions -- coordinator of experiential education and assistant director of alumni counseling -- to better serve students and alumni of any age.
"When I came to Duke, I was 99 percent sure I was going to be an M.D.," said Lisa Jones, who is graduating this weekend. "My internships and shadowing experiences led me to see options in the area of health that I hadn't considered."
In fact, her Duke experiences led her to become a public policy major, with a strong desire to attend law school to become a health care advocate for the elderly. Now, she is trying to decide whether to attend one of the law schools where she's been accepted or to take a job offer from a health care consulting firm.
"It was Lisa's determination to explore her options that led her to us and the Health Care Internship Program in her sophomore year," Curran said. "Many Duke students arrive on campus sure of what they'd like to do after graduation. It's our hope that while they're here we can assist them in having a good look at the unlimited number of possibilities in careers so when they leave they have an idea of what a fulfilling, successful career means to them."
Marlena Crippin's first visit to the Career Center came early in her senior year, when she thought she ought to prepare her resume. In eight months, she has taken advantage of many resources available in the Career Center: personal assessments, resume and cover letter critiques, interview preparation. This spring, she attended an on-campus career fair as well as others in New York City and Washington, D.C.
"When I came to the Career Center, the counselors were very helpful in showing me resources and helping me with interviewing skills," said Crippin, who has accepted a job at a New York law firm. "I doubt this is my last job search, so I'm definitely staying in touch."
Curran and her staff created Career Week this year to help both students and alumni explore careers and network. This spring, more than 200 alumni, representing 23 career fields, returned to campus to participate in frank panel discussions and act as mentors.
"The best thing about the Career Week conference is that it allowed those who are not following the standard Duke track of finance and investment banking to get some exposure and form contacts with others in different industries," said Claudia Steer, a graduating senior from London.
Steer will graduate with a bachelor's degree in Asian and African Languages, Japanese concentration, with minors in economics and African American Studies. While her career goal is to work in sports or sports entertainment, she has learned that she will not walk into her dream job after graduation because she doesn't have the marketing or advertising experience necessary. She has accepted a position teaching English in Japan.
"The job in Japan really fits nicely with my personal goals," she said.
"The position leaves me plenty of free time, and I hope to find a side job or internship, maybe in baseball, while I'm there. I doubt that I will be able to consider an opportunity like this later in my life and it will help me become fluent in Japanese."
Curran encourages graduating seniors to stay in touch with the Career Center -- either when they need help or are prepared to give it. The center's Web site, http://career.studentaffairs.duke.edu/, provides contact information, as well as details about upcoming events, sample resumes and other resources. One excellent contact, she said, is Racquel White, assistant director of alumni careers.
"We believe in career partnerships with students and alumni. When you need help, you should receive it. When you can give back, we welcome it," Curran said. "That's what a career community is all about."
