The Rice Thresher, Vol. 91, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, April 2, 2004 Page: 5 of 24
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1
HMMK
THE RICE THRESHER NEWS FRIDAY, APRIL 2,2004
Seniors consider work alternatives
as hiring improves but remains slow
by Katherine Corley
THRESHER STAFF
As seniors are counting down
their last three weeks of class at
Rice, some will choose to avoid the
weak job market by pursuing pro-
grams like the Peace Corps orTeach
for America. But for those that chose
the traditional career route, most
have found the job market is improv-
ing, but still tough.
Sid Richardson College senior
Cathy Hoang, a chemical engineer-
ing major, said she may work for Air
Liquide, an industrial gas company.
Hoang said the selectivity of the
interview process shows that com-
panies are still cautious with their
recruitment and hiring.
"It's still a pretty tight market,"
Hoang said. "For the most part, com-
panies are still hiring fewer new folks.
Also, they are being extremely se-
lective with whom they invite to do
on-site interviews — they just don't
have the money to spend bringing in
people that 'might' be a good fit."
However, Career Services Direc-
tor Cheryl Matherly said an increase
in on-campus recruitment this year is
resulting in a higher number of seri-
ous job offers, a sign that the market
may be on the upswing.
"We are seeing more active inter-
est on the part of companies in terms
of hiring, and we're seeing greater
numbers of companies coming back
to campus to recruit," Matherly said.
'TTiere's more diversity, and the job
offers are more serious than we've
seen in the last three years."
Matherly said despite the slug-
gish economy, most seniors will have
solid postgraduation plans before
walking across the sta^e.
"Rice students are incredibly re-
sourceful," Mathf " !y said. "There
are very few students who, at gradu-
ation, have absolutely no idea of what
they're going to do. Instead, in the
last tew years, if there's any good
thing out of hi bad economy, it has
opened up people to think more cre-
atively about their options."
Some students who found jobs
said obtaining a position requires
more than just a resume. Brown Col-
lege senior Kevin Bailey, who will
be working for BP as an energy
trader, said making contacts in the
business world is essential.
"Finding a job these days is really
all about networking," Bailey said. "1
interviewed for my job after meeting
an exec for BP at a Rice Career
Services luncheon. I hadn't even
applied [for the job] yet, and 1 inter-
viewed the same day as the lun-
cheon in jeans and tennis shoes. I
was called back for a 'Super Satur-
day' event on the BP campus a few
weeks later."
Some seniors will be pursuing
other options rather than battling
the job market. Jones College senior
Ashley Rodriguez said she will pur-
sue a Master's degree at the London
School of Economics.
"I chose my particular program
because I didn't feel 'done' with
school, as in there were still subjects
and issues I wanted to explore,"
Rodriguez said. "Along with being
in an exciting area of the world, (LSE ]
affords you one of the most impor-
tant things in choosing the right path
in life for you: experience and expo-
sure. It's a good time to explore the
world and yourself before you settle
down to a nine-to-five or worse."
Others see graduate or profes-
sional school as a step toward a
specific career. Will Rice College
senior Amanda Hugh said she plans
to enter law school and eventually
pursue a dual career as a professor
and public interest attorney.
'/ didn't feel "done" with
school, as in there were
still subjects and issues I
wanted to explore.'
— Ashley Rodriguez
Jones senior
"I came to Rice with t he intention
of going to law school," Hugh said.
"It's something 1 ve been interested
in since high school. I'd really like to
teach at **. law school while working
in public interest law, putting theory
into practice."
Finally, a small but growing per-
centage of seniors are choosing
programs such as the Peace Corps
and TFA.
Associate Director of Career Ser-
vices Jackie Hing said the current
job market may be encouraging se-
niors to take a closer look at options
other than the traditional career path.
"Peace Corps, the Japan Ex-
change and Teaching program, and
TFA are no longer fallback posi-
tions," Hing said. "[Seniorsl don't
have a job (that theyl know will be
there. There's also a thought pro-
cess that goes into it: The job
market's tough, how would 1 like to
best use this time?"'
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Seniors who decide to apply to
such programs often want to take ad-
vantage of their current lack of attach-
ments. Lovett College senior Greg
Mitchell, who will be joiningthe Peace
Corps, said he sees graduation as an
opportunity for adventure.
"I have always had it in the back of
my mind to join the Peace Corps,"
Mitchell said. "It is one of those things
where I have heard people say, 'Oh, I
wish I had done that.' Well, I never
want to have any regrets. I think this
would be a challenging adventure,
and it is the perfect time in my life to
do this."
Hanszen College senior Geneva
Rhee is applying to TFA, which
would commit her to two years of
teaching in a low-income school in a
rural or urban area. Rhee said she
decided she wants to channel her
time and energy into something
other than a long-term job.
"I was ... afraid that if I ended up
going to grad school or getting a job,
I'd get too tired or too comfortable,"
Rhee said. "I did contemplate going to
grad school and getting an advanced
degree in education, but my interests
were way too vague. I think that par-
ticipating in a program like TFA could
help me streamline my interests."
Hoang said even with a secure
job offer, she will not be settling
down by any means.
"This is really the time in our lives
when we have the flexibility to do
what we really want," Hoang said. "I
think 21- or 22-years-old is a little early
to be deciding exactly what you want
to do with the rest of your life. It's good
to keep your options open."
According to the 2003 Career
Services Post-Graduate Survey,
50 percent of seniors graduating in
2003 had secured employment by
graduation. Forty-three percent went
to graduate school or professional
school, with the top three choices
being medicine, engineering and
law. Among the final 7 percent, a
number chose programs such as
JET, Peace Corps and TFA.
Sharing culture
CHRISTINE LIANG/THRESHER
Brown College exchange student Etsuko Senoo dressed up for the
Culture Fair held last Friday In the Grand Hall in the Student Center.
New editor...
Same great pay
tlvesher@rice.edu
BIOS 305
Writing and Visual Design
in the Biosciences
7 weeks - Beginning October 19th ^,r
1-credit course Tuesdays, 2-4 pm
Learn how to organize and
present visual data (gels, blots,
photographs) and numerical
data (graphs, tables).
Develop skills in designing
and revising scientific posters
and PowerPoint visuals.
Practice how to write effective
bioscience arguments and to
synthesize study results.
Create curriculum
vitae or applications to
graduate school.
For more information about the course, contact the instructor:
Dr. Mary Purugganan
maryp@rice.edu
X6128
Visit the course web site at http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~bios305
online > on the phone
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Yardley, Jonathan. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 91, No. 25, Ed. 1 Friday, April 2, 2004, newspaper, April 2, 2004; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth398485/m1/5/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.