Author: Patricia Rose

Patricia Rose is the Director of Career Services at the University of Pennsylvania.

New Year’s Resolutions for 2016

Job hunters: have you made your new year’s resolutions? If not, here are some to consider as you formulate your list:

  • I will make sure my resume is current
  • I will update my LinkedIn profile, or join LinkedIn if I haven’t already done so
  • I will make sure I can verbalize how I can use my education, skills and experience to further a potential employer’s goals – the employer shouldn’t have to intuit how you can add value
  • I will establish a weekly networking goal
  • I will stick to the schedule I established
  • I will tell people I know (family, friends, neighbors) that I am on the job market
  • I will tell people I meet randomly (at a party, sitting in the next airplane seat) what sort of job I am looking for
  • I will remain current on important news in the field or fields I am considering or hoping to enter
  • I will consult trusted advisors to help with all the above
  • When I am successful and accept a new job I will make sure I write a thank you email to everyone who has been helpful in my search, including those who agreed to meet with you as part of your networking campaign.

On behalf of everyone in Career Services, have a wonderful 2016 – and may your career dreams come true.

It’s Family Weekend

Going to family weekend when my children were in college was something I looked forward to. It provided a chance to, above all, spend time with my son or daughter, but also to meet friends, faculty members, administrators, go out to nice dinners, even admire the fall foliage.

And so I look forward to welcoming parents and other family members this weekend here at Career Services. Some want to meet their student’s advisor, about whom they have heard. Most want information: what is in store for their child (and his or her classmates) after graduation?

That is an easy question to answer: as a group, Penn students do extremely well. Why is that? The short answer is Penn students are a gifted bunch. They are ambitious, energetic, and organized. The majority have made their post- graduation plans well before graduation. They receive job offers from leading employers across multiple industries, and gain admission to top graduate and professional schools. They serve in the military, and in other sectors where they can make a difference in the lives of others. They do fellowships here and abroad. They engage in entrepreneurial ventures. We are proud of them all.

A very high percentage of new graduates with a clear plan used Career Services. Of our class of 2015, 75% are working full-time, over 13% are in graduate or professional school full time, 5% have other plans and only 6.9% as of this week are seeking employment. (Actually, the percentage is probably lower, in that some have not updated us on their plans since early summer, and others are employed according to their LinkedIn profiles.) In any case 6.9% is a low percentage, but it does represent some new graduates who are still engaged in the job hunting process. There are many reasons why they have not yet wrapped up their searches:

  • They got a late start, not beginning to apply until after graduation or for some, after a summer of travel. 
  • They have visa issues that make it more difficult to find employment. 
  • They have been unable to search for a job due to personal or family illness.
  • They have been very selective about the sort of job they will accept.

Whatever the case, Career Services continues to work with these recent graduates to support them as they seek employment, and to support the others who are engaged in the graduate school application process. And this support does not end this year or at any particular point. We engage with young alumni for several years after they graduate as their careers unfold. And our periodic alumni surveys show that our graduates continue to do well. Only 2% of alumni five years out are seeking employment, and only 1% of those ten years out of Penn. Those are truly spectacular percentages.

These statistics provide the ballast for our confidence that a Penn degree will prepare current undergraduates with the skills they need for success at graduation, and as their careers develop. We look forward to sharing this encouraging news with current parents this weekend and in the weeks and months ahead. From all of us at Career Services, have a great Family Weekend!

Changes to On-Campus Internship Recruiting for 2016 – 2017 Academic Year

Career Services and Penn Abroad have announced changes to on-campus recruiting for internships for the 2016 – 2017 academic year.  In the past (and currently for this year) we have held internship recruiting for non-technical positions in February. (Computer Science and Engineering internship recruiting has occurred in the fall during the past few years, as it will this year.)  Recently, additional employers have begun their internship hiring much earlier in the year and we have found that we are increasingly out of sync with companies who have opted to interview for internships in the fall.

In order to maximize the number of summer internship opportunities for Penn students, next academic year we will begin on-campus recruiting for both technical and non-technical internships on October 31st, 2016, with resume submissions occurring earlier in October. We expect that there will be a large number of on-campus interviews conducted during the first three weeks of November 2016; many offers will be made by the end of fall semester. Generally, employers will expect decisions from students by the end of the semester. Employers may choose to interview in the spring if they wish, but we anticipate that the bulk of current OCR employers will choose to interview in the fall.

Please note that most employers who come to campus to participate in recruiting tend to be larger employers in business and technical areas.  Smaller employers, and those in areas such as government, communications, education or nonprofits, do not participate heavily in OCR so this change will not likely affect students seeking opportunities in those fields.

We wanted to let students know of these changes now as some of you are likely considering your study abroad plans for next year. We certainly encourage Penn students who are interested in studying abroad to do so as it is very often a life-changing experience.  Studying abroad affords students with unique, culturally immersive experiences and new perspectives while also developing important intercultural communication and language skills – critical competencies and skills valued by future employers who are aware of the ever changing global workplace.

Penn offers both fall and spring study abroad options. Please consider which semester might be preferable for your individual circumstances. If you are interested in finance, technical, or consulting positions, it may be helpful to be on campus in the fall to participate in OCR.  However, we will certainly work with and encourage employers to use phone and video interviewing as an alternate means to interview students who are not in the United States, whether in the fall or spring term. Many employers we have spoken to have indicated their willingness to do so.

Students who go abroad in the spring will also need to keep in mind that academic calendars differ around the world.  In other countries, the “spring” term may end in June or even July, making it difficult to be back in time to participate in the  internship training programs required by some employers. If  you go abroad in the spring, you should be mindful of your program dates.

Please note that there are many different ways to find summer internships and the timeline for hiring for different industries can vary widely.  Please feel free to make an appointment with a career advisor in Career Services to discuss your particular interests as you plan for next year.

If you are interested in studying abroad, start researching your study abroad options on the Penn Abroad website (http://global.upenn.edu/pennabroad/students/getting-started).  Also, mark your calendars and plan on attending the Study Abroad Fair on Thursday, November 5 to learn more about the exciting international opportunities available to Penn students through the Penn Abroad office. On the same day Career Services will be holding an International Opportunities Fair, with many of the participating organization offering international internships for students.

Your Path, Your Future

Today is the first day of classes. There isn’t a handy word for that. We mark graduation with a ceremony, Commencement. The name means a beginning, in this case of the next phase of life for the graduates. We mark the beginning of the academic year with another ceremony, Convocation, which means a calling or coming together. We held our Convocation last night. Among the many wise words were those of our Chaplain, Charles Howard. He urged the entering class not to blindly conform. He reminded them that they were admitted because they stood out from the crowd, and hoped they would not be afraid to do so at Penn as well. Wise words indeed.

Chaplain Howard’s message resonated with me here at the start of the year as we in Career Services see many hundreds of students who are preparing for the future. We have, as it were, called them together to prepare for interviewing or graduate school applications. They hurry along well-trod paths. This may be fine, but too often we see students who are following the herd to particular employers or career fields. Here at the start of the semester, we urge Penn students to find and take their own path.

As you begin what for many of you is your final year at Penn, don’t be afraid to blaze a trail, or take a risk. Wherever your dreams may take you, you will be armed with the power of your Penn education. Find your path. We are here to help you.

On behalf of all of us at Career Services, have a great semester!

For Rising Seniors, Who Just Got a Full-time Offer

Congratulations, you completed your internship with flying colors. They want you back full-time next summer, after you graduate. Well done!

That is the good news. It certainly beats the alternative. You may be breathing a huge sigh of relief. You are starting senior year with your job search all done. You are in a good position.

What if you want to explore other opportunities? You can certainly do so, and if you are not sure you want to accept this first offer, you should do so. Career Services will host three large career fairs in September, and then OCR will begin. You might even arrange interviews on your own. You can talk to other employers of interest and then make an informed decision. Remember: if you accept a job, you should honor that commitment.

Here is the Penn offer policy, which we have sent out to OCR employers: If you make full-time offers at the end of the summer to interns returning for their final year, we ask that you give them until Tuesday, October 27, 2015 so that these students may participate in on-campus recruiting. Please note that this policy pertains to other students whom you may have interviewed over the summer as well.

Employers are anxious to sign you up and wrap up full-time recruiting as soon as possible. They will try to get you to say yes, but you do not have to get back to them before October 27.

What if you have an exploding offer? First, what is an exploding offer?

• We’d like to hear back from you in a week. No, this is not an exploding offer.
• We’d like to know what you’re thinking by September 8. No, this is not an exploding offer.
• We must know your answer by September 8. If we haven’t heard from you by that date we will offer this job to someone else. Yes, this is an exploding offer (and counter to Penn policy).

If you are under any pressure from an employer, politely push for more time. If you only need until October 1, ask for October 1. If you know you don’t want the job, decline now and open up the spot for someone else. If you are unsure how to proceed, touch base with a career advisor in Career Services, who can help you figure out how to ask for the time you need. Note: Career Services will not contact an employer without your permission.

Handling an offer you may want to accept while pursuing other opportunities is a tricky business. You are not alone – let us help you with the process.