Career “Services”
“You know they only hire from the Ivies… right?”
A client recently told me that a career “service” officer at her (not Ivy, but still quite prestigious) grad school asked her that, in response to the client’s inquiry regarding the possibility of securing a job with a certain company. The client, being a far more even-tempered person than I am, did not get the employee into a head-lock. Maybe the company in question really does only hire from the Ivies, maybe not, but it’s a career services officer’s role to help people get jobs, not make them feel desperate. (Not to mention, people who graduate without jobs, and without any useful help in finding jobs, tend to slam down the phone when the alumni organization calls asking for money. If schools don’t care about their students, perhaps they should care about their ability to donate?)
Last time I checked, job-hunting is a miserable situation. It can make anyone feel isolated, depressed, and horrible. It’s a great way to start doubting everything about yourself. That doubt can further lessen your self-confidence and without both the self-confidence, and the determination that you deserve a great job because you have something valuable to contribute, your entire job search can spiral into a horrible tail-spin and why not just give up now. Oy.
Why would someone, whose job is supposedly to help people get jobs—and thus, help the school’s image, the same school which signs her paycheck—why would someone in that position not consider the impact of that they’re about to say, and instead reply: “Hey, that’s a great company! Let’s see how we can tailor your resume, your LinkedIn profile, run through your contacts and help you network your way to a position there!” I’d ask why, but then again, I get countless clients telling me how horrendous their school’s CSOs are.
I started this business for many reasons, but thoughtless career services personnel definitely inspired me to create something that would motivate people to succeed, as opposed to motivating people to start drinking wine out of a box with a KrazyStraw at 2pm.
Want some useful, inspiring help with your own career search? (Box-wine optional.) If you’re a fan of my Facebook page, “Carlotaworldwide Creativity Yenta,” 1) you raaaaawk and 2) you get a free consultation…take me up on it! Let’s see what I can do for you!
Besos,
Carlota