I do not own a power suit. Yet, these days it feels like I am the only one.
Business recruitment season has begun. All over campus, business-minded seniors polish up their resumes, put on their Sunday best, and head to Norris University Center ready to kiss some ass. Once there, everyone piles into Purdue A and listens to the recruiter’s sales pitch.
Whether their interest is finance, investment banking, or consulting, eager seniors do their best to shine during the question and answer session that follows. Then everyone rushes home, logs on to MonsterTRAK, and with a click of a button, crosses his or her fingers, and submits resumes for consideration.
Next comes the waiting period. In about a week and a half, a few lucky applicants are invited to an on-campus interview. Less than a week later a handful of those interviewed will get shipped off to New York, L.A., or downtown Chicago for a more comprehensive interview.
Some companies offer third round interviews to an even smaller handful of seniors, and ship them off yet again. At the end of this adventure, two or three students are given an offer and can breathe easy before Thanksgiving.
To those seniors who fight through this process and believe that investment banking is their life’s calling, my hat’s off to you. As for the rest, be wary.
For the few that succeed, the benefits are undeniably great. Students obtain a secure job in a struggling economy, and better pay than most humanities students could ever dream of. But all this comes at a price. One must be prepared for hundred hour weeks and a high pressure environment that leaves some with an ulcer at 24.
As a student wanting to go to divinity school, this all seems very puzzling. I recognize that these jobs appeal to some, but I have trouble believing that the hundreds of seniors applying for them are honestly excited about the commitment they are making.
I decided to investigate and asked some seniors why they put themselves through this process. “I don’t know what else to do,” was a disturbingly common answer.
The question “what are you doing next year” floats ominously over senior year. For some reason, many believe that “I don’t know” is an unacceptable answer. Being unsure is such a scary prospect for most students that many arbitrarily choose a path and decide to sort out the details later.
It may not be as sexy as a guaranteed 80K a year, but students should take some time after school to figure out which profession is truly right for them.
As seniors, we should not be afraid to ask these hard questions and await an honest answer. What we come up with may not be the most glamorous now, but if it is true for you than that is all that matters.
It is okay to admit, “I don’t know.”
