Director says job market good for graduating seniors

by Ben Roode
For The Post

With the economy more stagnant than in past years, students might fear the job market will offer fewer options after graduation.

But Tom Korvas, director of Ohio University's Office of Career Services, said if students prepare thoroughly to search the job market, finding a job should not be more difficult now than four years ago.

"(Students) must prepare to market themselves and be aggressive," Korvas said. "Do your research, find opportunities where you can utilize your skills and know yourself."

Lisa Wiseman, assistant director of Career Services, said even though the job market appears to be smaller, the process of finding a position has not changed.

"Students should look for jobs in the same way they did (four years ago)," Wiseman said. "Then, the Internet had a whole slew of jobs, but now, there are less (jobs), and they are more selective."

OU senior Ahmet Alasyali, an electrical engineering major, said he has received job offers as a result of an intensive résumé campaign. Alasyali sent out résumés to various engineering firms.

"I sent out 50 résumés to engineering companies in Columbus and received four job offers," he said.

But some students, like Travis Kirk, are not going straight to work after they graduate. Kirk, a sixth-year senior electrical engineering major, will be joining a missionary group for a year after graduation. He does not anticipate having difficulty finding a job when he is ready.

"I might look for a job after I'm finished, but I'll leave it up to God," he said.

Career Services provides individual advising, self-assessment exercises and computerized career guidance programs such as FOCUS II, according to a Career Services pamphlet. Career seminars are offered, such as Choosing a Major, the Internet Job Search and Planning for Graduate School.

The office also has a career resources library with job listings, internship information, employer directories and college and graduate school information.