To the Editor:
At the tail end of a hectic first week of the term for staffers and students alike in Career Services, it was refreshing, then disconcerting, to see the headline: "Career Services Aids Job-Hunters." [January 10, 1997, The Dartmouth]
The headline appeared at a pivotal time of year for student job-hunters, especially seniors, but the article that followed contained factual inaccuracies and, more importantly, missed a golden opportunity to provide a great deal of information which could have truly aided job-hunters.
Instead of dwelling on perceived inadequacies, we wish the article could have revealed our full array of entry-level job-hunting resources in Career Services: job postings on the Internet (JobTrak); a CD ROM data base of 260,000 public and private employers (Career Search); a web site (Career Services' Home Page); job newsletters in the arts, not-for-profits and the environment; off-campus career fairs and more.
We also wish the article could have discussed the availability of career and job search counselors ready and willing to offer individualized job search guidance. In the past week alone, these counselors (including ourselves) have had the privilege of discussing plans with students seeking entrance into manufacturing production, fashion design and buying, broadcast journalism, health research, cooking school, photography, and, our favorite, apprenticeships with banjo designers.
Finally, recognizing the fact that the thrust of the article was about on-campus interviewing opportunities, we wish the article could have echoed our oft-repeated refrain that students should pursue their true interests and that, for many of them, on-campus recruiting may not be compatible with those interests. A wide range of employers are represented through recruiting, but many employers with hiring needs do not utilize this means of attracting candidates or do their hiring at this time of the year. That is why we constantly seek new ways to complement our on-campus recruiting opportunities.
Our mission, succinctly stated, is "To support Dartmouth students in making informed decisions regarding undergraduate and postgraduate plans by providing resources and opportunities to encourage career exploration and self-assessment." We welcome any and all constructive suggestions to help us fulfill our mission.
