What Now? Life After College

Students on this campus came to St. Norbert College for what I presume is the same reason: to build a future. We are again approaching the time of year when seniors prepare for graduation and search for jobs. This can prove to be very time-consuming and frustrating, but there are a few different things that can make the job search a bit easier for seniors.

Job fairs are very popular tools, not only on our campus, but at many other colleges as well. They give students the opportunity to meet with employers who are looking for employees or interns.

St. Norbert recently hosted a job fair on Feb. 23. Forty employers from around the area came to introduce their companies to students. Almost 150 students came, mostly juniors and seniors.

More students have attended programs such as these this year because of the economy and the frail job market.

Students also realize the importance of internships. Employers look for students that have already had one or even two internships. At the job fair, more employers were offering internships, rather than positions.

There are some seniors who find job fairs quite beneficial, and others who feel they aren't as necessary, based on their current situations.

Alicia Brinkman '10 is a mathematics and secondary education major. She is really excited to graduate - ready to get out in the real world to let all of her hard work during college pay off.

While Brinkman wants to move on so that she can make a difference, she will miss the convenience of having her friends close to her.

"The closest friends that I have I've met in college; not having the option of walking over to see them will be a smack-in-the-face from reality," Brinkman said.

Brinkman hopes to get a job teaching in an inner city or somewhere near an inner city. "Wherever that calling is, I'm willing to answer."

In the mean time, during the summer, she plans to go golfing and travel with her family.

Brinkman has never attended a job fair because she feels that teachers find the school district and not the other way around.

Craig Westhoven '10 is a mathematics and business administration double major. Westhoven is excited to graduate as well, though there are certain aspects of college life that he will miss.

"I think a lot of people won't realize what the word 'community' means until after they graduate and lose it."

He thinks that this is easy to come by at St. Norbert College because we have such a small campus; we are our own community.

Upon graduating, Westhoven will do more schooling so that he can earn a teaching certificate. He simply decided later than most that what he really wants to do is teach.

Westhoven attended a job fair while at St. Norbert and agrees that they are beneficial.

"I think that any time you have a real interaction with people from the working world, you gain some knowledge about the firms that are out there and how you can tailor yourself to fit what they are looking for in order to make yourself more marketable."

With her major, English with an early adolescent/adolescent certificate and an emphasis on creative writing, Kate Botsford '10 hopes to find a job teaching somewhere near her hometown of Milwaukee.

Though she will miss certain aspects of college life, such as the community atmosphere, she wants to build a life of her own.

Botsford has never attended a job fair before, though she feels that teachers have been very well prepped through Career Services. They have done mock interviews with administrators in the area and they have accounts at various websites designed for educator job openings.

Like most of the anxious seniors, Peter Romenesko '10 is looking forward to graduation. He simply wants to find his place in this huge world, though he too will miss the community at St. Norbert College.

Of course, finding a job is a top priority right now. Romenesko, who is a business administration major with a concentration on marketing, had attended multiple job fairs and finds them to be very valuable when trying to find the work that best suits him.

"I love networking with people - chatting about how they got their positions with the company, what they do for their career, what their company does, and what they can offer for customers."

Even if he wouldn't get a job, Romenesko believes that job fairs give a lot of new instruction and insight.

The big day is fast approaching; soon the seniors will begin the next chapter of their lives. We wish them luck with their futures and all that they hope to accomplish!