By Emily GlazerThe Daily Northwesterm
With Winter Quarter around the corner, many students realize it’s about time to start worrying about their summer plans. Juniors and seniors often are the ones dominating this job hunt – but what about the other half of Northwestern undergraduates?
Although most freshmen and many sophomores are unaware of the assistance that University Career Services has to offer, there are still a number of events and one-on-one appointments that are available to underclassmen, said Aimee Clum, internship advisor at Career Services.
Underclassmen might not be working towards a job offer, but the work done at Career Services is based mostly on career development.
“We can think about potential areas of industry where they may want to get their feet wet,” she said.
Clum also stressed that Career Services and its resources are available for all NU students, regardless of school or class.
But some students admitted they knew nothing about Career Services.
“I have no clue what it is – I ignore those e-mails,” said Sarina Arnold, a McCormick freshman.
Other underclassmen assume they have to visit Career Services with a set plan or simply are ambivalent about preparing for the future, Clum said.
Lonnie Dunlap, director of Career Services, stressed that freshmen don’t need to have a plan before they visit.
“We’ll help them put the pieces of the puzzle together,” she said. “They can start at ground zero.”
Jessicca Wolf, a Weinberg senior, went to Career Services in the middle of her sophomore year. She received advice about career development, including a personality test to figure out what career path to pursue, she said.
Wolf she she found the experience helpful and this year decided to become a Career Peer, a student advisor at Career Services.
She said she has noticed that many students mistakenly believe that Career Services is only for upperclassmen.
“There are plenty of opportunities for underclassmen,” she said.
“It’s about the job development process and getting ready for that junior and senior year job search, whether it’s developing your resume, cover letter or choosing a major,” she said.
On Tuesday, Career Services will help host the Internship Initiative at Norris University Center, where students can learn about 15 different industries, Clum said.
Internship Initiative takes place in November so students can mull over their opportunities during the holidays. Career Services usually sees the highest number of job postings in January and February, she said.
Clum said job postings differ based on industry. For example, government positions post in November to leave time for security clearances, while non-profit jobs are offered in the early spring.
Clum encouraged underclassmen not to be intimidated and to maximize their time at NU.
“Students will be that much more fulfilled and will ideally end up with a career after graduation, rather than leap-frogging so much early on in their careers,” Clum said.
Reach Emily Glazer at [email protected].
