NSAN 2009
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2009
aduates basis in which Jordan
NEWS 7A
profess- or age
er path
intact
pro-
priudents
e effort
a some
it's job
similar
client's.
seeker
now the
seeking
e align
organiza-
nanner
them-
dated in of Fine design, degree he said of this point- New she were she hunt-
n much
raudat-
kind of
n now
it into
notten a
nose to
ought
for me
dea mental de-
l arts
the she was
exactly
he use a
pursue
liberal
feedom
culum
— but
is used
in the job as any-workations LGBT
tough but people learn lengths," "They lay up angles a on play part of s that excelledventurolobably you're focus in
er lib euni
int and a
a, a
based in
staff of
offens
said it
potten.
Living with parents again may be far from the top of a graduate's list of things to do after walking down the hill, but the current job market is making that possibility a more likely fate for many soon-to-be graduates. Liz Caldwell, recruitment coordinator for the University Career Center, recom- mends that students still searching for jobs look at the skills an employer is looking for rather than the preferred degree type.
Photo Illustration by Weston White/KANSAN
tial employees have. It just matters that they have a degree, he said.
"Were very unique from the standpoint that we've hired people from kinesiology majors to chemistry majors to a master's degree in higher education." Alderdice said. "As long as you have passion and are able to sell and meet people well, we'll give you the opportunity regardless of your major and what you focused on in college."
Alderdice attri-
Alderde attributes his own success to relationships, not his degree in political science.
"I probably got to where I'm at today because it really is who you
"It is really tough right now, but people need to learn their strengths. They need to play up their strengths a lot."
know", Alderdice said. "Everything I've done is not based on what my degree was in, but who I've known, who I've met, and relationships. I credit more my success to my extracurricular activities in college than I necessarily do to my degree."
LISA MOORE 2008 alumna
His liberal arts degree provides a variety of experiences for him to bring to the table when interacting with people for his job.
"My liberal arts education gave me a
well-rounded education to sit toe-toe with successful individuals rather than if 1 specialized in law or in engineering. Alderdice said. "My family is all pretty much engineering majors. I look at my liberal arts education and it gave me a better, more well-rounded education that allows me to be more flexible in the type of situations I encounter as the owner of a company."
--the library and sunk into a deep depression after receiving rejection letter after rejection letter from job after job. She said employers looked at the education section of her resume, saw that she had a philosophy degree, and gave her the brush-off.
Renee Whaley said finding a job comes down to one thing: being able to sell yourself.
"If you can sell yourself, great," Whaley said. "If you can't, it's going to be an issue. I'm not a good person with selling myself. I'm not an entrepreneur in that sense — I don't know how to go about doing that."
Whale graduated from the University in August 2008 with a degree in philosophy. When she graduated she lost her student hourly job as a circulation clerk at
"It was really disappointing," Whalley said. "My whole life had been just reduced to a little line on my resume. In my heart of hearts I knew it meant so much more than that, I had to get
But four months later, after Trabon laid her off because the company was going bankrupt. Whaley found herself unemployed for the second time.
past that and show on paper a little bit better what I did."
"I know no one's dying to live in their parents' basement, but it's possible."
Three months after she graduated, Whaley found a job at Trabon Solutions, a strategic and technical consulting firm, in late November.
"This time around, I feel less depressed than the first time"
Whaley said. "It's not me, it's just the state of things right now."
So it was back to the job search for Whaley, who admitted that this ground, she wasn't looking as hard as she was immediately after her graduation. She is taking some time, she said, to improve herself as a person — she's been crocheting, learning to play the clarinet and focusing on the domestic upkeep of the home she
shares with her husband. But she is still looking, nonetheless.
She is currently seeking a part-time job and hopes to work 20 to 30 hours per week.
"I've kind of pushed it out of my head that I'm going to find a career-launching job," Whaley said. "That's kind of hard to let go of. You want every job you get to count toward something."
Yet, she said, it is nowhere near as bad as it could be. Recently, she has been reading about the Great Depression. It made her realize that things aren't as ominous as they seem. She hasn't lost her house or possessions because of the economic downturn. She is okay, she said.
"I am hopeful" she said. "I am very hopeful."
Edited by Luke Morris
what liberal arts graduates are doing
A sampling of the wide range of positions filled by liberal arts graduates:
Accountant
Buyer
Business systems analysu
Administrative assistant
Advertising account executive
Child support enforcement officer
Air traffic controller
Communications specialist
Computer specialist
Auditor
Copywriter
Bank manager
Editor
Customer service
- Employee relations specialist
representative
Counselor
Engineering planner
Financial consultant
Graphic designer
Hotel manager
Human resources specialist
Management consultant
Interpreter/translator
Museum coordinator
Management consultant
Marketing representative
Librarian
Marketing representative
Office administrator
Medical/dental assistant
Office administrator
Outpatient therapist
Paralegal
Photographer
Probation officer
Product specialist
Psychologist
Public relations specialist
Quality engineer
Research analyst
Quality engineer
Recreation administrator
Restaurant manager
Retail manager
Sales representative
Social worker
Speech pathologist
Transportation specialist
Technical writer
Stockbroker
Underwriter
Tax consultant
Systems analyst
Urban planner
Writer
Urban planner
Source: "Marketing Your Liberal Arts Degree"
by Rosita Smith
BUSINESS CARD
College is a time of transition. Now, you carry your ID card. But soon, you'll carry business cards. At Commerce, we understand that your needs today aren't the same as your needs tomorrow. And we're ready to help you handle both.
With a KU Checking Account, your KU Card connects you to **free** Online Account Access and Online Bill Pay, a **free Commerce Gold Visa®** Check Card, **free** ACH transfers from home,* **free** Commerce ATM transactions, and an on-campus branch plus 14 branch and ATM locations all over town!
Seek balance with your money. Visit commercebank.com/learn.
894-5846
commercebank.com/students
two free ACH transfers from home a month. No Commerce fee at another bank ATM up to three times per month. Non-Commerce ATM transactions in excess of three per month will incur a Commerce fee, however for all time you can obtain a refund for five of these. Other bank's ATM fee may apply. Limited time offer. ask listen solve and call click come by are trademarks of Commerce Bancshares, Inc. *2019* COMMERCE BANSHARDS, Inc.