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Questions & Answers
Dan Ryan is director of the Office of Career Services
What's the job outlook for the Class of 2003? With the number of recruiters at this year's Jobsapalooza job fair down substantially from last year, does that mean it's going to be an especially tough year? Or are things starting to turn around?
A survey conducted this fall by the National Association of Colleges and Employers indicated a likely drop of 3.6 percent in new college hires. That follows a drop of 36 percent the previous year. So, the good news is, things appear to be stabilizing. We hit a high point at Jobsapalooza in 2001 when we had close to 130 companies attending. That dropped to 58 last year and 53 this year.
What are some of the new careers that are surfacing due to advances in science and technology, as well as the changing global situation? Is any job/career having to do with biotechnology or security hot right now?
The job market is driven by the relationship between the demand for certain skills and the supply of those who have them. The demand for some skills has waned (if you don't believe me, ask my brother, the eight-track player repairman), while others continue to grow. For example, we cannot produce enough pharmacists to fill the needs out there. Demand also has increased in government, with the Immigration and Naturalization Service being a perfect example.
Will a solid, liberal arts background prepare one for the job market nowadays, or has the world become too specialized?
Corporate boardrooms are full of liberal arts majors. The challenge that students from these programs face is in connecting the dots between the skills they have acquired, their interests and the requirements for different positions. I remember sitting at my graduation next to an accounting major and realizing that she was trained to be an accountant and that with my degree in political science, I was trained . . .to vote. It took a while to see where skills like critical thinking, communication and leadership might be applied in the world of work. Those discussions never took place in the classroom. Luckily for us, they sometimes do here at UB.
What are some of the initiatives under way in the Office of Career Services to help UB students and graduates get better, more meaningful jobs in an uncertain world?
Our collaboration with the First Year Experience team has given us greater access to students at Freshman Orientation and in UB 101. This has allowed us to reach students earlier, exposing them to the value of internships and meaningful part-time jobs where they can "test-drive" a given career. We also have worked hard to raise our profile with students throughout their years here. Our biggest challenge is the student who shows up at our office door the first Monday after spring break in his or her senior year who figure they should start to think about what they are going to do at graduation. By working with students earlier, we can help them identify their skills and interests, help them explore possible careers and help them gain the life skills to find jobs that will lead to a promising career.
Tell me about the On-Campus Jobs Project.
The university has a non work-study payroll of more than $5 million, employing more than 1,100 students in jobs that range from food service to usher to research assistant. A collaboration between University Services and Student Affairs, the On-Campus Jobs Project received support from the Institute for the Advancement of Quality Initiatives, and through Web technology, has connected on-campus employers with our students looking for work. This is an excellent retention tool, as students who work on campus are less likely to drop out. It also serves our campus employers, as they are better able to fill positions quickly and with quality candidates.
What question do you wish I had asked, and how would you have answered it?
The university community is committed to the success of our students. What can we do to help you help them? It is likely that every person reading this can have a meaningful role. Many have relationships with people in private industry or government, either through research collaborations, consulting or simply personal contact. Helping us open the doors of those companies or agencies would be a great help as we attempt to establish relationships that can lead to employment or internship experiences for our students. Short of that, simply encouraging students—even challenging them—to put thought into their career aspirations and making them aware of the Office of Career Services would be appreciated.