- 51 - .1 U me ivmm~mmm~ciim mjammy I bILL ~ 18B - The Michii Daily - Fall OUtlook - Thumpy, October 24, 1996 li # iw: "" "' -m7K uM dh-L - ,Alk A , , " ,w -i p w qw T -1w w Around the World Military experience goes a long way in the world Going to Work w -W v v w Class of '97 faces challenging jo By Alice Robinson Daily Staff Reporter Active duty may be four years long, but the skills learned in military train- ing can give cadets a lifetime edge in the job market, said students in the University's Reserve Officer Training Corps. In the corporate world's saturated job market, military experience means more than climbing ropes. Former cadets are known for their strong work ethic and willingness to take on a chal- lenge. "They're looking for the back- ground and challenges that junior mil- itary officers face," said Robert Lockett, senior recruiter for The Lucas Group, a Dallas-based company that provides training and contacts for mil- itary officers entering the corporate world. "They can handle responsibility - getting the job done and making things happen. They will add value to the com- pany," he said. Sophomores in the University's Air Force ROTC program can be selected for field training, which teaches them the skills they will need to become sec- ond lieutenants upon graduation. The Air Force requires a four-year commitment for ROTC graduates. After that, it is up to individuals whether to pursue a career in the military or enter the civilian work force. Non-ROTC students who decide to "They can handle responsibility - getting the job done and making things happen - Robert Lockett Senior recruiter for The Lucas Group One senior in the Army's ROTC pro- gram agreed. "After talking to a lot of employers ... (about my) ROTC back- ground ... they're pretty impressed," said LSA student Leslie Wang, who hopes to find a position in military intelligence. Wang said the military "helps you develop leadership dimensions." When asked if military experience helps in the job hunt, Wang said "defi- nitely." Other graduating ROTC students agreed. "Being an officer gives me leadership skills that should be an advantage ... in the civilian work force," said senior Mike Carroll. Carroll said being in ROTC "was a lot of fun. It's also nice to have a guar- anteed job." Army students select their active duty placements by ranking their choices for the branches they want. The Army places cadets according to their needs in various fields. Col. Mike Allen, a detachment com- mander for the Air Force ROTC, said there is no lack of jobs for the militari- ly-inspired. "Many (companies) advertise in mil- itary publications ... they are eager to hire these people because they've got proven skills." Allen said military training provides students with real-life skills that aren't found in other classrooms. "We don't sugar-coat it here - we call it as we see it," he said. enlist after graduation must visit a recruiter and go through basic training, said Maj. Tim Wieck, who has been an ROTC instructor for three years. Wieck said there is an important dis- tinction between basic training and field training. "The difference is between working on the line (for General Motors) or entering (into the) junior executive level," he said. The four-year active duty committ- ment can be an important advantage, Wieck said. The "responsibility is much greater (in the Air Force) than you'd find in corporate America," he said. "Some of my colleagues went into busi- ness and are with Fortune 500 compa- nies." Cadets in the Air Force program can choose from job opportunities in fields such as aviation, navigation, engineer- ing and public affairs. The University's Army ROTC unit offers students placement in fields such as combat arms, support, service and transportation. "For the most part people get their first choice as far as duty preference," said Capt. Cliff White, an instructor and enrollment officer. White said employers often prefer graduates with military experience. "A lot of civilian employers are actively seeking military officers," he said. By Katie Wang Daily Staff Reporter Mark your calendars. Pick out a suit. Prepare for the worst, but expect the best, With this in mind, seniors and gradu- ate students are preparing for what could be the toughest challenge and race of their lives: the hunt to find a job. The time is near for the class of 1997 to make the big leap out of the safe haven of the University and into the real world, but while some students will continue to pursue a graduate degree, a large group of the senior class will enter the job market. But what awaits graduating seniors? So far, the news looks good. According to a study conducted by the career planning office at Michigan State University, there's an increase of 4.7 percent in the number of jobs avail- able from last year. For students in the University's Business School, the news looks even brighter: Last year's BBA class had a 100-percent placement rate this year. With the assistance of high rankings from U.S. News and World Report, it is safe to say business school students are in high demand. So why worry? LSA senior Robert Hunt said he's stressed about finding a job even though it still seems a long way off. "I'm sure I'll find a job, but I figure if I can't find a job where I want to work, then I'll find a job where I don't want to work until something better comes along," Hunt said. Every decision made in the job search seems crucial: whether to put your name in bo'd type on your resume, whether to wear a pants suit or a skirt, or whether to crack that funny joke that wins almost everyone over, but could backfire during an interview. The first step that graduating stu- dents should take, said Bryan Kempton, a counselor at the Career Planning & Placement office, is a self-assessment of their strengths and weaknesses, "Many students think a good inter- view and resume are key. Those are important, but the main thing students need to keep in mind is that they've spent enough time at the University to gain a good sense of their values and interests;' Kempton said. "Then they should connect these skills to what they can do in the job market." MARKET YOUR DEGREE One of the main concerns of many LSA students is how to effectively mar- ket their liberal arts degree. LSA senior Heather McAllister said she doesn't think the type of undergrad- uate degree really matters. "I think what they're looking for are intelligent, inquisitive individuals with the ability to analyze information and come up with their own independent solutions," McAllister said. "And that's not something you can teach in a class anyway." But LSA senior and English concen- trator Laura Bennett said having an LSA degree will hinder her chances at getting a job in market research. "A lot of companies will only hire through the Business School," Bennett said. Contrary to popular belief, Jeanne Wilt, director of the Office of Career Development at the School of Business Administration, said a number of com- panies value a strong liberal arts educa- tion. -"You can have all sorts of back- grounds, but if you market yourself as intelligent, then you'll be fine," Wilt said. Gary Boley, director of Stearns Engineering Placement, said engineer- ing degrees are regarded as the liberal arts degree of the 21st century. "There's a lot of attention given to engineers as liberal arts majors in the 21st century because of their very good analytical skills and technical abilities," Boley said. WRITING A RESUME The art of writing a resume is not a talent that everyone can boast. In some instances, it involves adding zest and importance to jobs that may not have seemed important at the time. Suddenly, the title "receptionist" is elevated to "administrative assistant," and the time spent copying documents as a recep- tionist is translated to "responsible for publication of materials" But in other instances, the art of resume-writing lies in what is placed on the resume and what is left out. Wilt emphasized the importance of placing work experience and responsi- bility on a resume. "(Employers) are looking for solid work experience where there was responsibility involved and where they helped achieve something," Wilt said. Both Kempton and Wilt recommend taking resumes to a number of people to LSA sophomore Digna Feliciano talks week's CP&P Job Fair at the Michigar get a variety of input. "Practice, practice, practice - get variety of perspectives on contents, ae thetics and grammar," Kempton sai "And check out for those typos." DRESS TO IMPRESS Getting dressed for an interview, co sider the options: checkered or flanne grey or navy. But before reaching for lime-green checkered suit or zebr striped tie, think again. In fact, thin conservative. Most companies aren looking for the latest fashion tren Instead, they opt for the traditional, co servative look. "You want that interviewer to foc on your skills, you don't want to dra any attention to anything outside your person," Wilt said. "You want he you're dressing to be a nice, neutr backdrop that conveys professionalis so that there is nothing that would ta the recruiter's attention from you. 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