Students need edge in slow job market

By Elizabeth Cambell

Darby Thomas is ready to graduate.

“Because I’m in the tech industry I’m really confident. I got a couple of job offers when I was just an intern,” she said.

As a service design major with a concentration in interaction design, Thomas has learned how to put herself out there for potential employers. This past summer she had an internship at T-Mobile’s innovation lab. She credits the opportunity to attending a conference, which she recommends to anyone who can afford it.

“Go ahead and spend the 300 bucks to go to a conference and get face time with someone,” Thomas said. “I got my internship over a lot of graduate students and Ph.D. students because I managed to get face time. And SCAD was really great in arranging that interview.”

The Great Recession may have ended in 2009, but job growth continues to be slow as businesses minimize hiring to rebuild their reserves and capital.

The September 2010 unemployment rate from the U.S. Department of Labor was 9.6 percent. In Georgia, it’s 10 percent. The latest jobs report shows that the private sector added 159,000 jobs in October, the third month in a row to post an increase.

According to the Savannah Morning News, their job fair at the Savannah Civic Center on Oct. 12 attracted more than 1,500 people.

Brian Cetti of Savannah worked in construction for more than 10 years, but the economy left him jobless. He came to the fair to look for work, but found that there were only 13 booths. When asked how he felt he simply said, “Disappointed.” He doesn’t expect the recession to really end for another 10 years.

Another jobseeker, Eboni Hayes, feels the same way.

“If it was over, I would’ve had a job,” she said.

Hayes wants to find work so she can support her four-month-old son and no longer rely on her parents. Her plan is to get a job, then a car and finally an apartment so she can make a good life for her son.

Despite jobseeker struggles, Savannah Morning News’ Recruitment Specialist Sue Nelson said she “heard nothing but great things” about the applicants from the job fair’s vendors. And even though there were fewer vendors this year, Nelson recommends a few ways those looking for work can find opportunities.

“Go to [Savannah Morning News’] website and search for jobs…[or] go to the paper on Sunday and Wednesday. Those are the best days to find employment ads,” she said.

Nelson says the biggest job markets in this area are health care, trucking and sales. There are many links on the Internet to “work at home” jobs that are scams, but Nelson says that shouldn’t dissuade seekers from using jobs.savannahnow.com.

“There are good jobs out there too, I promise,” she added.

In the SCAD community, students have many resources to help them prepare for the job market after graduation. Alison Hopton Davis, the associate vice president for Career and Alumni Success, encouraged SCAD students to start early. Researching careers, writing a resume and building a portfolio should occur throughout a student’s years at SCAD.

When preparing for the job market, Davis believes students need three things: diligence, perseverance and patience.

“You need the diligence to continue to reach out [and] to think broadly,” said Davis. “‘What else can I do?’ Perseverance…to continue to go out and have different interviews. And patience – it may take some time.”

But there are plenty of ways that students can set themselves apart, an internship being one significant opportunity.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ survey of graduating seniors in 2010, having internship experience increased the likelihood of receiving a job offer and a higher salary.

“Approximately 42 percent of graduates with internships who applied for a job received an offer compared with only 30 percent for students who had no internship experience,” the report said.

The salary offered to students with internships was an average of $41,580. Students without internship experience were offered an average of $34,601.

Davis encourages students to pursue internship opportunities early on, especially as sophomores and juniors.

However, an internship is not the only option for students. There are several ways to develop professionally. Davis says workshops held by local banks, seminars from the Small Business Association (SBA), and the Internet can provide information that can help artists with their careers.

“Look at those places…that would host a seminar. [Such as] a hotel, a civic center, an auditorium, a community center and just call that office,” said Davis. Being proactive often means picking up the phone and finding what opportunities are out there.

As a student, Thomas promotes personal projects. Design competitions, freelance work and work outside of school can give students an advantage.

“There are some pretty textbook projects done in every major,” said Thomas. “If you go to a career fair, you’re going to run across the same projects over and over again…it’s really hard to differentiate yourself.”

Thomas finds social media to be helpful as a way of “keeping a thumb on the pulse of the industry.”

“It behooves you to keep up on trends,” said Thomas. “If information is your career’s life blood, why would you cut yourself off from it?”

Davis agrees and recommends volunteer work.

“This is what I encourage people that are at a career slump or haven’t found a job,” she said. “Through your volunteer work you’re not only adding things to your resume, [but also] you created a piece that goes into your portfolio. It shows a great sense of diversity.”

Volunteer work can provide contacts and references, as well.

“What a networking opportunity,” said Davis. “It is completely about relationship building. [But] you’ve got to cultivate [those relationships].”

A student can speak with his or her professor or SCAD alumni to understand the job market.

“Ask [them] if they are familiar with the company you’re looking at,” said Davis. “They may not get you the job, but they could have a name.”

A name could be a student’s ticket into networking with a company. SCAD students should be confident and proactive.

“We get recruiters who say the students are head and shoulders above the rest,” said Davis. “We’ve got more than 80,000 job postings on College Central.”

Students have the Career and Alumni Success advisers to assist them with writing resumes or doing mock interviews. Their online Career Toolkit has information on career paths, creating resumes, cover letters and portfolios, and jobs and internships.

“We want to give you all the tools you need to be successful,” said Davis.

Thomas feels success is around the corner, but tries to stay humble. She says students should be honest about their skills and that they have room to grow.

“I’m not the most talented,” she said. “I fully admit that I have so much to learn. Just tell yourself over and over again, ‘I want to get better.’”

Students should contact Career and Alumni Success for a consultation.