neering, nursing, and technology. The federal government,the nation’s largest employer, also has plenty of openings.The numbers are only expected to grow in the coming years,as the aging federal workers retire in significant numbers.

How can Career Services help?We offer a number of employment services to assist youwith your job search:CareerKnight—This is our on-campus interview and job post-ing system. Register at http://careerservices.rutgers.edufor access to jobs, internships, on-campus interviews, andemployer information sessions.

Career Days—We offer 12 on-campus events a year. Ournext event is the Federal Jobs Career Day on November 5from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the RSC. We expect close to30 federal agencies.Employer Information Sessions—Make personal contact

with employers. Most sessions are in the early evening atthe BCC or RSC.Networking—Make a list of 10 people whom you know well andwho are currently working. Think about your parents’ friends,parents of your friends, relatives, members of your religious

Your guide to jobs, internships , and graduate school

A Supplement

Office of the Vice-President for Undergraduate EducationPresented by Career Services...Your Link to the Future

In This Issue

What Do I Do in Today's Job Market?Why Should I Attend the Graduate &Professional School Day?Where RU Headed

Director’s DeskStaff DirectoryAsk the DirectorFederal Jobs Career Day AD

Alumni Success StoryAlumni Career Network ADSpeed Networking AD

Faculty Advice ColumnInternship Spotlight: MerckPRSSA ADCollegiate Career Day

Merck AD

Career Opportunities for Majors in...Career Services InboxBig East Fair AD

Upcoming Career PanelsServices for StudentsSpin AD

Fall 2010 EventsToday's Job Market continued

Chantel Golding ‘11

Connor Givens ‘13 Laura Engelman ‘13

Priscilla Chan ‘14Kenny Schulz ‘11

“I suggest you think about your own hobbies and inter-ests and talk to any of the Rutgers academic advisorsfor assistance and suggestions.”

“I would try classes that are most interesting to you. Byfinding an area that you enjoy, you can eventually find ajob that you can be happy with. Many majors can bebeneficial too, like business or science.”

“I would advise students to take a lot of different classesin their first two years. You never know what you’ll findinteresting. I picked up history as a major because I tookan intro class freshman year and liked it a lot.”

“Choose something that you’re passionate about. That’sthe only way to guarantee you won’t regret your choicein the years to come! If it’s an impractical major, thenyou can always minor in it.”

“Take a lot of diverse classes. Branch out and take some cours-es that interest you. After finding an area of interest, talk to adean. They can give you ideas about what you need to do next.”

“You should take a wide variety of classes freshmanyear and see if anything clicks with you. In your freetime, participate in clubs or do independent research. Ibecame interested in politics after I took part in politi-cal simulation clubs in high school.”

We asked students “What advice do you have for students who are unsure about their major?”

WHERE RU HEADED?

Krishen Jalali ‘14Psychology/Criminal Justice

Pre-Business

Journalism and Media Studies

English/Political Science

Psychology/Elementary Education

Biology

November 2, 2010 Volume 37 #3

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11

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5

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Why Should I Attend the Graduate & Professional School Day?Once you leave Rutgers, you will not likelyhave the opportunity to have 140 graduate andprofessional schools coming to you, in oneplace, at one time! This is one of the manyadvantages of being a Rutgers student oremployee. Graduate school may also be asmart alternative in today’s job market.

Whether you are just thinking about an advanceddegree, or you are currently applying to schools,come speak personally with school representa-tives to start planning ahead, learn the vast arrayof programs available to you, get details on a spe-cific program, or meet someone from an admis-sions office at a school you’ve applied to and whomay be reviewing your application!

Master’s degree students interested in pursu-ing a PhD or other advanced degree can alsobenefit by attending. This event is open to allstudents and staff!

Don’t miss the Graduate & ProfessionalSchool Day on Wednesday, November 3 at theRutgers Student Center from 12:30 – 3:30. Westrongly believe that the internet cannotreplace face-to-face contact with graduateschool admissions representatives. Go tohttp ://careerservices. ru tgers.edu andclick on this event on our homepage.

This issue sponsored by

An Interview with Richard White, Director ofCareer Services

During the last two years, the “business news” hasbecome “front-page news”—and the news remainssobering. The Wall Street crisis, mortgage crisis,bank bailout, auto-industry bailout, declining homevalues, and an unemployment rate stuck around10% are stories that are frequently in the news andcauses for concern. Who would have thought thatgas below $2.50 a gallon would be GOOD NEWS?But there are some bright spots and some concretethings that you can do to land a job in tough times.“Careers” spoke with Dr. Richard White last week.

Is there any good news on the employment front?In the current climate, “good news” is a relativeterm. The New Jersey unemployment rate recent-ly fell to 9.4%, just above the national rate of 9.2%.In its fall 2010 “Job Outlook” survey, the NationalAssociation of Colleges and Employers predicts a13% increase in entry-level hiring in 2011 com-pared to 2010. In short, it appears that 2011 grad-uates will enter a more promising job market than2009 and 2010 graduates.

How does the entry-level hiring market com-pare to the general job market?Having worked as a corporate recruiter in the eight-ies and at Rutgers since 1990, I believe that mostcompanies understand the importance of bringingnew talent into their organizations, even during sloweconomic times. In addition, entry-level hires arenot as “expensive” as seasoned professionals andmiddle managers. The result is that recent collegegraduates may have a leg up on their more experi-enced competition. Also keep in mind that thenational unemployment rate for all college grads isonly 4.6% - about half the overall rate.

What are the most promising fields for collegegrads?There are lots of opportunities in accounting, engi-

“WHAT DO I DO INTODAY’S JOB MARKET?”

TODAY’S JOB MARKET continued on back

PAGE C2 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS NOVEMBER 2, 2010

by Richard L. White

Our third and final issue of Careers for the fallsemester has something for everyone.

If you're a senior or grad-uate student seeking ajob following graduation, besure to read my article,“What Do I Do in Today’sJob Market?” It discussesCareerKnight, the Rutgerson-campus interviewing andjob posting system, and anumber of other servicesthat can help you. To regis-

ter and put your resume online, log on tohttp://careerservices.rutgers.edu and clickon “Student Login to CareerKnight.” CheckCareerKnight weekly to review on-campus inter-views, job and internship listings, and upcomingcareer days.

If you’re thinking about graduate school orare currently applying, the Gra dua te a ndProfessional School Day is for you. It will takeplace on Wednesday, November 3 from 12:30 -3:30 p.m. in the Rutgers Student Center. It willhave a national and regional focus with 140graduate programs representing business,

FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESKhumanities, law, medicine, education, engi-neering, sciences, and social sciences. Seeour ad in this issue of Careers. Some Rutgersunits will also be attending.

Whether you’re looking for a full-time job orinternship, be sure to check CareerKnight foremployers conducting in form ation ses -sions. These are great opportunities to makeface-to-face contact with employers. Mostevents are in the Busch Campus Centerbetween 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.

If you're deciding on a major or planninga career, read our "Career Opportunities forMajors In..." article. We have 77 profiles cover-ing 86 majors. Finally, take advantage of ourprograms highlighted in this issue of Careers,including the New Jersey Collegiate Career Dayon January 6.

Watch for our next issue of Careers onFebruary 1, 2011, and our Career ServicesWeekly every Tuesday in The Targum. In themeantime, good luck with your exams and theconclusion of the fall semester.

Richard L. White is New Brunswick-wide directorof career services at 56 College Avenue.

Dr. Richard L. White

Director of Career Services

STAFFDIRECTORY

ASK THEDIRECTOR

Dear Director,

Is it better to go to graduate school right after college, or

wait a few years and get some work experience first?

Dear Rutgers Senior:

Thanks for your inquiry. Some graduate programs

require or strongly encourage work experience following

your bachelor’s degree, while others do not. Graduate

programs in such areas as business (MBA), social work

(MSW), psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) and public policy

seek candidates with two to five years of relevant work

experience. Most other programs, including law, medi-

cine, the humanities, sciences, and social sciences do

not require experience. They are looking for bright,

focused students who have a passion for their field.

Of course, the cost of graduate education may necessi-

tate that you work for a few years to generate some

resources for your continued education.

My advice is to ask the graduate admissions offices at

the schools where you are considering applying the fol-

lowing questions: “What is the average age of your stu-

dents?” “Do you recommend work experience before

graduate school?” “Can acceptances be deferred?”

I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your graduate

applications.

--Dr. Richard White

Director, Career Services

56 College Ave.

DID YOU KNOW?

You have to try CareerShift! It’s an amazing job hunting and career management site. Go to

http://careerservices.rutgers.edu.

Career and Interview Center

Busch Campus Center

732-445-6127Janet Jones, Senior Associate Director

Greg Sobol, Assistant Director

Jennifer Broyles, Assistant Director

Joe Scott, Assistant Director

Sue Pye, Assistant Director

Tammy Samuels, Assistant Director

Toi Tyson, Assistant Director

Marcia Milgrom, Career Counselor

Barbra Bonifield, Career Services Coordinator

Toni Berlingieri, Career Services Coordinator

Career Center at 46 College Avenue

732-932-7997Chrystal McArthur, Associate Director

David Bills, Assistant Director

Larry Jacobs, Assistant Director (and Buddy)

Monica Bryant, Assistant Director

Sylvia Cordero, Assistant Director

Tina Vance Knight, Assistant Director

Doug Ricci, Career Counselor

Scott Borden, Career Counselor

Linda Bagen, Career Services Assistant

Mark Kerr, Career Services Assistant/Special Projects

Administrative Office

56 College Avenue

732-932-7287Richard L. White, Director

Dorothy Kerr, Executive Manager, Employer Services

Janet Bernardin, Manager, Special Programs

Barbara Melamed, Website Project Manager

Alison Koo, Budget and Technical Coordinator

Larissa Keller, Employer Services Coordinator

Lisa Goddard, Employer Services Coordinator

Mary Beth Kimberlin, Employer Services Assistant

NOVEMBER 2, 2010 CAREERS THE DAILY TARGUM PAGE C3

ALUMNISUCCESSSTORY

Kevin TongRutgers ’08, B.S. BiotechnologyPh. D Student, Lehigh University, Department of Biological Sciences

What aspect of grad school do you enjoy the most?The least?My favorite part of grad school is definitely the opportu-nities in which you get to see the latest advancements inbiology. It is amazing to be able to talk with leaders inthe field from both Lehigh and at various conferencesaround the country. Knowing that I’m contributing tothat pool of knowledge in grad school is very rewarding.

My least favorite aspect of grad school would have to bethe requirement to retake several classes that I took asan undergrad at Rutgers. This includes two semesters ofBiochemistry and Molecular Genetics, two of the moredifficult courses. While it may have been difficult, it real-ly was not that bad because taking it the second timearound made it easier to follow. Overall I felt like I gotmore out of the courses and became more knowledge-able of the material.

What is the most valuable skill to have to be inyour position?I would say time management. In a Ph.D program, you’llbe asked to spread yourself pretty thin. You’re takingclasses, studying for qualification exams, and workingon a thesis at the same time. You have to be really care-ful where you spend your time and know where your pri-orities are.

What do you think made you successful?Rutgers gave me a very strong foundation to build onbefore I entered Lehigh. That made the classes I had totake much easier as I already learned most of what theclasses were teaching me. Also, I took advantage ofdoing research at Rutgers which prepared me for theresearch aspect of the Ph.D program. I already knew thefundamentals of a biology lab as well as the protocolsand lab techniques needed to perform experiments.

What advice can you give someone who has plansfor grad school? Start the process early. While it’s not like applying out ofhigh school, the graduate school process still requires asmuch time and effort to complete the applications, if notmore. Starting early would also allow you to rank yourschools by preference. Finally, starting early will alsoallow you plan accordingly as most graduate programswill ask you to visit, plus an interview. This will test yourtime management skills (usually interfering with classschedules).

How has Career Services helped you alongyour path?A lot of the workshops and meetings they provided real-ly helped when I was first applying to graduate schools.They provided a lot of great advice, especially on how tofill out the applications, who to talk to for recommenda-tion letters, and how to present myself during the inter-view. These are all key aspects of “putting your best footforward” and showing the programs you’re applying tothat they should accept you.

DID YOU KNOW?

Career Services offers an online creden-tials service called Interfolio. You canstore letters of recommendation andmanage your account on a 24/7 basis.

PAGE C4 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS NOVEMBER 2, 2010

SunnyKanneganti,ChemicalEngineering2 0 1 0

Where did youwork and whatwere your mainresponsibilities? I had two intern-ships at Merck. Myfirst was in an oper-

ations group where I investigated malfunctioningequipment and diagnosed a solution.Simultaneously, I had to construct an inventorydatabase from scratch in MS Access, all whilelearning more about the company and people in it.

My second summer at Merck was in a technol-ogy group. My project was to query, diagnose,and provide a solution for cooling equipment thathad been acting out of specification plant wide.My job was to take an inventory of all the units

INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT: An interview with MERCK & CO., Inc.and find common themes and problems. Bythe end of the summer I had created a rubricthat allowed someone to quickly analyze aunit's condition and determine what the mostprobable cause for malfunction was. This wasmultitasked with smaller data analysis projectsand further learning about the company.

How did you get your internship? Merck and Rutgers have very good relations. Iapplied for on campus interviewing my sopho-more year, which I learned about from mydepartment. I ended up interviewing with ErikDienemann on campus, and the rest is history.

What did you like best about your internship? I mostly enjoyed learning about the cultureand the company as a whole. Furthermore,my individual projects taught me specificskills and further developed critical thinkingabilities that I had learned in school. Merckwas very good about providing a solidinternship experience, and there were over

100 other interns, some of which I'm stillgood friends with today. Having a solid peergroup changed my internship from just a"job" to an "experience."

What were the most valuable thingsyou gained?The experience and learnings are invaluable.Learning about the company and working at areal job gave me a better sense of what I wantedafter graduation, and weighed heavily into my jobvs. grad school debate. The experience devel-oped my skills and gave me a breadth of thingsto talk about at interviews that demonstratedleadership, critical thinking, and all of the otherabilities that interviewers love to ask about.

What are your career goals and job-search strategy? Right now my career goals are to grow atMerck and further my education simultane-ously, which Merck has been very good athelping me with.

During school, my job search strategy wasa three tier approach. From freshman throughjunior years, I applied to as many internshipsas possible and had one every summer (two atMerck, one at another company). During theyear I participated in lots of interesting extra-curriculars, even if they weren't very relevant(newspaper and jujitsu come to mind). When Ihad finally geared up to begin seriously inter-viewing, I sought help with close friends andonline resources to practice interviewing,tweak my resume, and have more overall pres-ence. I ultimately secured my job with on-siteinterviewing at Merck, but before I knew Ihad the job, I actively searched for job post-ings online and through Rutgers'CareerKnight. I asked friends if they hadheard of opportunities, and even visited othercampus career fairs to seek out companiesthat didn't actively recruit at Rutgers. Theinternship experience combined with leader-ship roles in extra-curricular clubs made inter-viewing a thousand times easier.

FACULTY ADVICE COLUMNDr. Thomas PapathomasBusch Campus DeanBiomedical Engineering

What advice can you give students who arenot sure of their major?I would advise students to visit Career Servicesand talk to the advisors. Not only will studentsbe able to learn about job opportunities in a spe-cific field of study, but Career Services has thetools to help orient students to a career pathbased on their interests and talents. I would alsotell students to talk to their professors, especial-ly professors who teach the courses that interestthem the most. This way you build relationshipswith professionals in what you may be interest-ed in. It is important to network with differentpeople even through family and friends andkeep an open mind about what you may want tostudy.

Given the current economic situation, whatsuggestions do you have for students whoare debating between going to grad school

and entering the work force?It mainly depends on the student. Some stu-dents may want to pursue a job right awaydue to financial reasons such as paying offstudent loans, but others may need to pur-sue graduate school in order to secure amore stable job. When in doubt I wouldadvise students to cast a wide net: Take thenecessary exams and apply for graduateschool, but also apply for jobs in your field aswell. One advantage is that you will get goodscores in the necessary tests (GRE, LSAT,etc.) because the material is fresh in yourmind. If you succeed in both, then you canselect the best option, based on the offersthat you receive from graduate schools andfrom employers.

What job related skills will studentsdevelop through this major?Students studying Biomedical Engineeringare strongly encouraged to gain as muchpractical experience as possible throughtheir courses and internships. The senior

design course gives students the opportuni-ty to design products that they can presentto prospective employers. This gives theman edge and shows employers that theyhave the experience and skills necessary tobegin work immediately. The field ofBiomedical Engineering is very wide so stu-dents are given a taste of the differenttracks within the field, but they also choosea specific track to focus on. FurthermoreRutgers has a new Master of Business andScience graduate program for students whowant to continue their studies in engineer-ing combined with courses in business.

What job opportunities are available forstudents in your field, and what canstudents do to increase their chances offinding a job?Students in the Biomedical Engineeringfield have a wide variety of jobs to pursue.There are opportunities to work for hos-pitals, pharmaceutical companies, healthinsurance companies and other health

and medical organizations. Students oftengo into designing products such as artifi-cial limbs, artificial skin, and medicalinstruments, depending on their specifictrack. We also have students pursuecareers in computer-aided image analysissuch as working on programs for automat-ic diagnoses. To increase your chances offinding a job, I would say cast a wide net,meaning don’t limit yourself and keep aneye open for many opportunities that maycome your way. Visit Career Services andtake advantage of the programs and careerdays that they offer. Although it is reallyconvenient to search for job opportunitiesonline, nothing beats face-to-face network-ing. Finally I would advise students towork hard in their classes, but go beyondacademics and become involved in yourcommunity and other extracurricularactivities. You want to show employers thatyou are more than a student; you are a per-son engaged in your community who canhandle many activities at once.

DID YOU KNOW?Career Services hosts some 350 careerseminars and programs every year with

over 20,000 attendees.

NOVEMBER 2, 2010 CAREERS THE DAILY TARGUM PAGE C5

PAGE C6 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS NOVEMBER 2, 2010

DID YOU KNOW?

CAREERSERVICES

INBOX

“Dear Janet,

I want you to know that I really thought your graduate

school fair was very useful in our recruitment efforts for

this year (2009), and that it was by far the best fair I

attended this year (out of 11).

See you next year.

Regards,

Joel Karpp

Yeshiva University”

(Graduate school recruiters like coming to Rutgers,

because they like our students! So join them at our

Graduate & Professional School Day on Wednesday,

November 3 from 12:30 – 3:30 at the Rutgers Student

Center)

Our two New Jersey Collegiate Career Days—offered in early January and late May—are CareerServices’ largest events of the year with over 150 employers and 2,500 job seekers.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

FOR MAJORS IN...

by Chrystal McArthur

There is one primary concern of students decid-

ing on a major: What are the career possibilities

available to specific majors? In this day of increas-

ing costs for a college education, students and par-

ents want to be sure that their investment of time,

hard work and money will pay dividends, and lead

to a meaningful job and career.

The Career Services staff helps students learn

about career opportunities as they relate to individ-

ual skills and interests, previous work experience,

and their academic majors.

We offer workshops about choosing your major as

well as panels of speakers discussing careers. We also

encourage you to take advantage of our Rutgers Online

Career Planning Site. This site enables you to identify

your interests, skills and values, and then relate them to

Rutgers majors and real jobs obtained by Rutgers grad-

uates with those majors.

Another valuable resource is our series of CareerOpportunities for Majors in… profiles. Each profile

describes the major from a career perspective and lists

typical employers, sample occupations, and actual posi-

tions obtained by Rutgers graduates.

Our "career opportunities" series includes 77 profiles

covering 86 Rutgers majors!

Copies are available at our 46 College Avenue office and

on our website. Go to http://careerservices.rutgers.edu

and click on “College Majors and Careers” under Quick

Links. Whether you're deciding on a major or planning your

career, check out this resource as you explore career

options.

Chrystal McArthur is associate director of CareerServices at 46 College Avenue.

NOVEMBER 2, 2010 CAREERS THE DAILY TARGUM PAGE C7

DID YOU KNOW?Prudential has moved up to be the #1 hiring

organization at Rutgers.

PAGE C8 THE DAILY TARGUM CAREERS NOVEMBER 2, 2010

organization, local merchants, teachers, coaches, supervi-sors, and colleagues. Contact them for career information,advice, job leads, and other people to contact. Also check outour Alumni Career Network with more than 1,800 mentors,searchable by undergraduate major and career field.

What knowledge and skills are employers seeking?Some employers are focused on discipline-specific knowl-edge such as accounting, computer science, engineering,or graphic design. But many others are seeking skillsthat liberal arts majors bring to the table: strong oraland written communication, analytical, organizational,project management, research, and teamwork skills.

I’m a liberal ar ts major. What can I do and whereshould I look?

Look for jobs where your professional and personal skillscan have an impact. Many employers seek “all majors” forentry-level positions. Attend the New Jersey CollegiateCareer Day on January 6; we expect over 150 employers.

How is the internship market holding up?There are still lots of opportunities for internships.Many employers utilize internships as the preferredmethod of attracting and hiring full-time employees.Interns can also perform some tasks that full-timeemployees handle during better times. They are thebest way to get your “foot in the door,” get noticed,build your resume, and generate a full-time offer.

What tips do you have to help my job search?Some of the keys to a successful job search during tighttimes are to start early, utilize a variety of resources

TODAY’S JOB MARKET continued from front(online job postings, newspapers, career fairs, and cam-pus interviews), develop a networking campaign, and uti-lize Career Services.

How can I expand my job options?I would recommend the following: expand your geographi-cal parameters; consider positions unrelated to your major;consider a part-time job; consider taking additional coursesor graduate courses to supplement your knowledge andyour resume; and be flexible, resourceful, and creative.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your job search,and let us know how we can help.

Dr. Richard White is director of career services at 56College Avenue. If you have questions or need advice,email him at riwhite@echo.rutgers.edu.