Job titles and descriptions can only tell you so much about a particular position. Being a "Career Development Intern" for the College of Liberal Arts sounds like a tremendous amount of responsibility. I wasn't sure if we would be expected to do peer-to-peer counseling, create a job fair, or help advise students by suggesting internships they could complete during their college career! Regardless of what exactly the position entailed I was up for the challenge. I consider myself an experienced marketing professional - this is my fourth internship and I'm also an entrepreneur. I've maintained a respectable grade point average and am on track to graduate on the traditional 4 year plan. Little did I know my final internship before getting a "real job" would be one of the most frustrating. Let me explain ...
As you know we are in a recession. That not only means that people are holding on to their money but they are holding on to their jobs as well. This, along with many other factors, directly affects the ability of businesses to hire new employees causing graduating seniors (like myself) to have a difficult time finding a job they can begin right after graduation. Despite the current situation I'd like to take time out right now to say that our team of interns and all those affiliated with the Career Development Department are doing the very best that we can to invite companies and graduate schools to the upcoming Professional Forum on Novemeber 3rd, 2009. At this point we are having small successes on a frequent basis but I look forward to the day when we reach our next big goal :)
So far, I have prepared a team of students to make cold calls on behalf of Purdue's College of Liberal Arts, I have made tons of calls myself, created an email based invitation campaign targeting everyone from family members to professors, and I have also started designing a new and better suited company list with businesses that would actually be interested in targeting CLA students. At this point perseverance is key and faith is essential. I believe we will have a successful event and am doing all that I can to ensure our dreams become reality. It's just frustrating when the main factor deciding what businesses/schools come to the Forum is ultimately out of your control.
Outside of my company recruitment efforts for the Career Development office I am keeping very busy with numerous other activities. I am a first year Resident Assistant, a member of the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board, the Student Coordinator for the Black Thought Collective, and a L.E.A.D. Peer Mentor just to name a few. All of these activities, in addition to coursework, is testing my time management skills, communication skills, and ability to properly prioritize things that occur in my daily life. Although it sounds like a lot, to me this is what college is all about -- making the most of every day I am blessed to receive. Hard work pays off!
Respectfully,
me
