By Brian Balboa
Editor

Earlier this month a president of a student organization from UH-Clear Lake voiced his concerns to the UHCLIDIAN. To quickly sum up his concerns, he stated that he didn't have total confidence in the Career and Counseling Office; students were better off on their own when it came to looking for a job.

That conversation struck a nerve with me because it focused on something almost every student faces when he or she graduates college-how to find a job.

Preparing resumes, filling out applications and going on job interviews is something we all go through. But, it can get especially brutal if you find yourself going through that process numerous times without any progress.

That's exactly why the Career and Counseling Office is at UH-Clear Lake.

The role of career and counseling services is to help students in their job searches by providing workshops on resume writing, interviewing skills and job search techniques.

Not to debate the abilities of the Career and Counseling Office, but no one should put all their trust into one office when it comes to finding a job.

One has to be motivated to do job searches on his or her own.

Finding a good job starts with a little bit of common sense. One of the best things to remember is that college graduates are not limited to their field of study when it comes to looking for a job.

Instead of looking for your dream job right away, be a little more realistic and study the job market first. It's amazing how well you can follow the job market trends by reading the business section in your local newspaper.

For example, communication majors may be looking for high-paying jobs not available in the media industry. In the meantime, those communication majors may have a job available right under their noses in the education field.

Many school districts across Texas are looking for qualified people to fill their teaching needs. What's excellent about this is that many school districts are offering signing bonuses. Last year, Houston Independent School District offered new teachers sign-on bonuses of up to $5,000.

Another big job market for college graduates to consider is law enforcement. Since the attacks of Sept.11, many federal agencies across the United States are hiring more agents. Agencies such as the FBI, INS and U.S. Marshals are hiring people from fields such as psychology, education and science. The FBI alone plans to hire 1,000 additional agents.

Job fairs also offer possibilities. To better utilize a job fair, try to find a job fair that specializes in one field. For instance, if you're looking to find a career in accounting, look for an accountant's job fair. Looking for a career in teaching? Look for a teacher's job fair.

Finding a job shouldn't be put into the hands of one office. Ultimately, it's in the hands of the individual who will be paying the bills.

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