For all of us seniors—as well as graduating master’s students and doctoral candidates—the “final stretch” at RPI has arrived. Less than eight weeks remain before we will cross the stage at Commencement, ending (for most of us) our time as students at RPI and marking the beginning of our post-Rensselaer lives.
Given the recent state of the economy, it has not been the easiest task for all of us to solidify our future plans. For those who have decided what they will be doing post-graduation—whether it be working in industry, pursuing a graduate degree, joining the military, or any other endeavor—I offer my congratulations.
And for those who are still searching for that first offer (or who would simply like to have more options to choose from)? One avenue that I would recommend you explore to aid in your search is using the services of the Career Development Center. I recently spoke with Director of the CDC Tom Tarantelli, from which I gleaned much helpful information and suggestions for the job search.
Among the advice that Tarantelli had to offer was to continue monitoring RedHawk Joblink for new open positions—explaining how companies will continue to post openings, and that you should not become discouraged and simply stop using the service. He also spoke with me about networking (a powerful tool), emphasizing the usefulness of making connections through family members, professors, and even alumni of the ’Tute.
Tarantelli also suggested that students make appointments with CDC counselors to discuss the job search; I would encourage everyone still seeking jobs to do just that. That information was just a small portion of the advice that Tarantelli had to offer, and if you take away even a fraction of that information from your appointment, it will have been time well spent. You can find information about walk-in hours and the tool to schedule appointments at the CDC’s website, http://www.rpi.edu/dept/cdc/.
In the meantime, I would like to advise everyone still hunting for jobs to not get too discouraged, and not let that prevent you from making the most of your final time here. It will take work to land that job offer; combine that work with the final projects and classes that we are all working toward completing, and it can become a somewhat stressful time, but that should not stop you from taking advantage of these final few weeks at RPI. If nothing else, doing so may help you to keep a positive, optimistic attitude in the job search.
Over the next 52 days (but who’s counting?), we will have events such as Grand Marshal Week, Relay For Life, and the Senior Week festivities. I wrote in the fall about all of the opportunities to catch sporting events on campus, and there are still plenty of chances for that—just with a different collection of teams now in the midst of their respective seasons. Perhaps most of all, remember to spend time with the friends you have made here. After graduation, we will no longer see each other every day walking to class or hanging out in the Rensselaer Union, so savor these last weeks for that.
Make use of the CDC’s services in searching for that job, even with the stress that these times may bring, and ensure that you still enjoy the remainder of your final semester at Rensselaer. Congratulations to everyone for making it this far, and I wish you all the best of luck in the job search and all of your future endeavors.
