AU graduating seniors will have a slightly easier time finding a job this year than last year's graduates, according to a recent survey by the job hunting Web site Monster.com.
The study also found that over a period of one year, wages failed to increase despite employers hiring more students.
Lenore Webb, a Career Center adviser for students in the School of Communication, said the lack of wage increase is "nothing new but rather part of a cyclical process in which employers control wages to anticipate for a cooling economy."
However, in spite of the mixed job market, AU provides students with resources to assist them in their job search, ranging from resume-writing critiques to guidance and counseling, according to the Career Center Web site.
The Career Center also conducts multiple job fairs every year, although Webb said "there are many ways to get a job and a job fair is only one." The Career Center pools resumes into a comprehensive database, and employers will often hire students through those databases.
Lauren White, a graduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences who is set to work at what she says is her dream job as an ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Language) teacher, said she found the Career Center's services to be helpful in her job search. When she graduates in the spring, she will be teaching at Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Fla.
White said she visited the office a couple of times during her freshman year but started consulting the office on a regular basis sophomore through senior year. She said the Career Center helped to perfect her resume and conduct mock interviews.
"From the moment I entered AU, I had no doubt in my mind that I would be teaching English," White said. "I had a lot of luck along the way, but thanks to the support of the Career Center, I was able to land my dream job."
However, not all people use the Career Center as frequently.
Danitha Amarawaradana, a senior in SOC, said he had a completely different experience with the Career Center because he barely uses it.
"I've used their resume critiquing service, and I'll look through the e-mails that they send out every once in a while, but I prefer to make my own connections," Amarawaradana said.
Amarawaradana said he doesn't have a definite job lined up, but does have several hiring opportunities at places where he has interned over the years, such as Ventana Productions. He said he has also made work connections at places like VH1, MTV and Ben and Jerry's.
The Career Center is located on the fifth floor of Bulter Pavilion. Its hours are Monday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
