Last week the university held its continuing series of “Career Fairs.” At face value, these are great places for prospective employers to meet up with potential employees. However, for an event billed in this paper as being aimed at “liberal arts” students, this particular fair fell far short. This is not a new phenomenon, but a glum trend that begs the question: isn’t there a better way to help students find internships, jobs and careers?
Booth after booth at the Career Fair seemed interested only in students who had a strong business background. It reached the point where it was prudent to simply ask a company what they were looking for before launching into a speech trying to sell one’s self to them. Students seemed to have to beg the employers to take their resumes. As a senior with a liberal arts background about to take the plunge into the “real world,” one would not be faulted for leaving this event disappointed.
If the overwhelming majority of businesses are looking for students from the business school, then I think it is in the best interest of everyone to simply re-name the fair as the “Business School Career Fair.” This way everyone would know what they are getting into.
Fairfield cannot be criticized for the quality of education it provides and jobs and careers will materialize for the vast majority of us. However, to be told that with a liberal arts degree the best one can do is become a bank clerk or train to become a manager at “Linens and Things” is not only deflating, but disrespectful. Opportunities for people with, “written, verbal and listening” skills, as Dennis Armine of the Career Planning Center said last week regarding the fair, were, at best, a pitiful crop.
If the Career Fair is not the route to a job and a career, then perhaps we need to look inward for solutions. When we are “advised” by our academic advisors it needs to encompass much more than the fulfillment of courses to graduate. Even a brief conversation about future goals cannot suffice. Rather, advisors need to do their job year round helping secure internships and job interviews. After all, these are the women and men best qualified in their fields and hopefully, the most connected.
Having met, and worked with members of the Career Planning Center, I have to say that they are professionals and they work hard with students to help them attain careers. My point is simple. Let’s make the Career Fair less of a waste of time and recognize what they are-“Business Fairs.” Also, let’s stop wasting time and ink complaining about the academic advising process and truly push our advisors for help in shaping our careers. In the meantime, I’ll be out on North Benson pumping gas at the Exxon.
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