College Seniors Use Spring Break to Open Doors
While most college students will be heading for the beach this spring break, graduating seniors
should use their week off from school to open new career doors and ensure they don't fall victim
to one of the toughest job markets in decades. Doors that are open to students now may start
closing once they graduate. That's the message from Andy Chan, vice president for career
development at Wake Forest University.
He suggests that students spend spring break and the months leading up to graduation going on
informational interviews and laying the groundwork for their job hunt. "Because they're students,
they have special status in the eyes of most people, so they should use the alumni network, adult
family and friends, friends' parents and other networking connections to schedule informational
interviews with as many people as they can." Chan says. "In a few months, they'll lose that
'student card' and just be another unemployed graduate."
Because many students are not aware of the variety of different jobs and careers available to
them, informational interviews can lead to opportunities they never imagined. "They might need
to talk to 100 people through informational interviewing and go on 30 formal job interviews
before they find a job, and that could take up to six months," Chan said. "People don't like to
hear that, but if you understand that it's a long, challenging process, you can pace yourself like
you would in a marathon and do something every day to finish successfully."
Another thing students should keep in mind is that many organizations are now making hiring
decisions in the spring and summer that they traditionally might have made much earlier.
"There's a lot more 'just-in-time' hiring these days so students need to be on their toes and be
aware that employers could be hiring just a month or two before the job starts," Chan says. "So
it's important not to miss this window of opportunity."
Chan counsels students to think of their career