Page 198 - Crisis in Higher Education

Building Bridges to Potential Employers • 169

for many adults. It only seems reasonable to expend significant effort to
make the best choice possible.

1. Sophomore year: In addition to COOP and internship opportunities as
well as meeting with PAB members, starting a formal process for pro-
fessional development is appropriate. A short course on professional
development in the sophomore year would discuss the jobs available
in different fields as well as writing resumes, preparing for interviews,
and being and acting in a professional manner. This is discussed in
Chapter 10 on Redesigning Curriculum and Pedagogy. Some faculty
and administrators may object to making this course a requirement for
graduation, but if universities do not do so, most sophomores will sim-
ply not attend.
2. Junior year: COOPs, internships, and other activities with the PAB con-
tinue. Students are invited to interact with potential employers, which
could be in many forms. A job fair is a common one. Potential employ-
ers are invited to campus to meet with juniors and seniors. Juniors
are invited in order to become acquainted with the kinds of jobs that
are available. They must prepare a resume and present it to potential
employers. Juniors are not necessarily asking for a job or seeking an
interview, but they gain experience and prepare for their senior year.
3. Senior year: For seniors, the job fair, which should be held in the Fall
semester, kicks off the recruiting season. Program directors and college
leaders must be proactive and seek potential employers to participate in
job fairs and come to campus for interviews. Students should not rely
solely on these efforts. There are many jobsites on the Internet that allow
students and others to post their resume. Students who have developed
a network of contacts can use the network to find job opportunities.

The response from universities is likely to be: “Where are the funds to sup-
port these efforts? It will cost too much.” The fast and easy answer is that having
employed graduates should be a vital part of a university’s mission, and they
need to find the resources. The more careful, deliberate, and accurate answer
is that resources are already being consumed. Faculty must design effective
curricula, so they need to reach out to potential employers. With potential
employers providing input, it is possible that curricula development may take
less time because there is an independent arbiter, a potential employer, who
can help to resolve issues quickly and as a result lead to less bickering among
faculty. COOP programs can be funded by a small fee charged to students for