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Show Friday, May 10, 1991 Guest commentary THE SIGNPOST Editorial Preparation prevents poor employment Richard M. Alston Chairman, Economics Dept. Graduating seniors do not have to be told that the national economy is currently in the throes of a major economic recession, which began on a national level in July, 1990 and which may not end until next year. According to one wag, a recession is whem your neighbor is unemployed; a depression is when you are unemployed. For many graduating students, this is a depression! For the rest of you it can be a great learning opportunity in how to avoid the crash. Fewer firms are interviewing and fewer still are actually hiring; of those that are hiring, many are offering only part-time (up to 35 hours per week) employment in order to avoid federally mandated benefit packages. Many firms, hard-hit by the recession, are looking for low-paid As I see it . . . I survived the UTA bus ride from hell1 By Doug Bagley Guest contributor of The Signpost When I die, I'm not afraid of going to hell I've been riding on UTA buses for two years. Yes, riding old Route 55 to Weber State and back does more than prepare one for an eternity of hellfire and damnation; it helps one get there a little sooner. Recently, on a bus heading home from school in a torrential rainstorm, we noticed the windshield was fogged up. The bus driver stopped, wiped it down, and the adjusted a little fan above the glass so it would blow air onto the windshield to keep it clear. The driver also had to open her window so the outside air could be drawn in to assist the fan. This should have tipped all of us on thebus as to what kind of ride we were in for. Our driver hadn't driven one mile when she had to pull over again and step outside to unstick the windshield wipers. By now, some of us were feeling a renewed interest in life after death. Things went downhill from there. After we finally put a few miles behind us, a lady sitting near the front could feel water dripping on her head. Yep, you guessed it, the roof of the bus was leaking. It wasn't just a little leak, either. We could see this lady was Share your opinion. Write a letter to The Signpost or volunteer interns rather than full time employees . For some students, particularly those without substantial work experiences, such internships can be a boon in the form of a much needed line on their resume. For others, those with substantial work experience, an internship may be a bust. Too many internships in the current economic environment hold neither a prospect of substantial on-the-job training (which is of tremendous benefit) or of turning into a full, time position. They are simply a way for firms to obtain cheap (or free) labor and to get meaningless grunt jobs preformed. So, what should you do if you find that a job, a meaningful job with career potential, doesn't present itself immediately upon graduation. Virtually all experts in the employment field suggest using what you learned in college to get the right job. And what was it that you learned? That study pays off! Whatever your major, you learned the subject through hard about to open her umbrella in the bus. Now, I'm not a superstitious person, but why ask for more trouble than we already had? Much to my relief, we talked the lady out of opening her umbrella indoors. By now most of the others on the bus had closed their eyes and begun reciting the Lord's Prayer. Me, I had to go looking for things to worry about. Examining the interior of this prehistoric vehicle, I noticed that not only were the side windows cracked but there was cardboard stuck between the sliding glass pieces in each section. After pointing this out to my fellow, riders it was decided we'd be better off knowing the reasoning behind this good old American ingenuity. The peak of out worries came when our driver only laughed in response to a question concerning the tread on the tires. It was about this time, with rain dripping on us, the windshield steaming up, and no assurance about the tires, that the man sitting to my left confessed he was agnostic, but since the time we had left the bus stop he had learned to pray and hoped there was something to this life-after-death stuff. Needless to say, I made it to my stop ali ve. As for those who still had a way to go? I don't know how they made out, for you see, I drove the next day. work and effective study. Now, upon graduation, its time for one more course in how to conduct a meaningful and successful job search. The course begins by using campus resources such as Career Services and the Library. (Don't fall prey to the claim that "Career Services doesn't have any jobs." They may or may not have a job for you, but they certainly are in a postion to help you find one.) Use the resources available to learn how to find your own job! Do your own homework - this is one course in which you absolutely must earn an A grade. Take advantage of career resource materials - study and apply the material as if your future depended on it (it does!). Five job strategies that will pay off, if you are willing to invest the time, be persistent, and above all, be prepared to do an organized job search are: 1. Develop an effective job search campaign. The best way to finda job is to make it your first TkEREISA GUN &U., ut THAT'S IN THE CONGRESS, WHICH THE MRA SPENT MILLIONS TO PEFEtfT. ITYOULPCuT POWNTHE USE0FEVERV HANPGUN... The Signpost Staff Editor-in-chief Necla Palmer Managing editor Paul B. Johnson News editor Lorin J. May Senior reporter Joyce Zabriskie Sporti editor Scotl D. Sumrari Asst. Sporti editor Alan Hinckley Art! editor C. Mark Howard Ant. Arts editor Janet CIowikl Special Edition! editor Debbie Boman Aut. Special Editons editor Sarah Hantan Copy editor Shawn Peterson Asst. Copy editor Bemlce Brldenbecker Photo editor jm Sawdey Aut. Photo editor Danielle Mabey Production manager JayStoeckl Aut. Production manager Justin Scott Adi Design manager Jana Jacob Ads manager Brandl Johnson Aut. Acta manager Carrie Jordlne Secretary Unda Harrington Advisor p. Larry Stahle Aut. Advisor - Editorial Dole S. Oberer Publisher Dr. Randolph J. Scott The Signpost Is published Monday. Wednesday and Friday during fall, winter and spring quarter. Subscriptions are S9 per quarter. Ad deadline Is two days before publication. Editor-in-chief 626-7121 Editorial 626-7105 Sport 626-7983 Classifieds 626-6358 Advertising 626-6359 Fax..... 626-7401 Production 626-6358 priority and commit yourself to the job hunt. . Need help? Go to the library and read. You canstart with L. Patrick Scheetz's Career Planning Handbook, Howard Figler's The Complete Job Search Handbook, or TheMargin's 1991 Guide to Careers (available for $6.95 from The-Margin, Univ. of Colorado, P.O. Box 7150, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80933-7150,) from which much of this editorial essay is derived. 2. Engage in a meaningful self assessment and skills, values, and personality inventory. Know thyself to sell yourself. But, avoid like the plague telling your interviewer that "I'm a people person." Tell the interviewer exactly what skills youhave and how they apply to the firm. 3. Develop marketable skills. Much of this is determined by your choice of majors. But whatever you major, actively develop your communication skills (speaking, listening, reading, critical thinking,) interpersonal skills (leadership, negotiation, teaching,public j 1. ' yf V V 'ffTFfft tv-" tf S n r ri prospects relations, interviewing,) personal skills (self-management, time management, working with oters,) and information skills (organizing and coordinating, researching, p r o b-lem solving, budget management.) For those of you who insist on being "people" persons, translate whatever that means to you into the skills above, which are meaningful to prospective employers. 4. Write a successful resume and cover letter - take advantage of the Career Center in this regard. Go to the library, have your resume and cover letter professionally printed (or, at a minimum, have it lasar-printed) and prepare a different one aimed specifically at each job category to which you apply. 5. Prepare for each and every interview (or cover letter in the event you do a mass mailing) with a prospective employer - do your homework, know the firm. Prepare for it just as you would for orally presenting a term paper in your senior project class. SUN5 TO TH TUNE OF TUP BRAW BUNCH AM4AKE THEIR GROUP ikTHEBW NEEP THE . mm ml Letter to editor policy The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be typed and should not exceed 300 words, for Lengthier exposition, arrangements may be made with the editlor-ln-chlef. Letters must Include name, address, phone number, relationship to WSU (I.e. student, staff, Ogden resident, etc.) and the signature of the writer. Letters without this Information wJU not be printed. Tho Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Bring letters to the editorial office un UB 267 or send them to: The Signpost Weber State University Ogden, UT, &440-2110 AH: Editor-ln-chlef |