Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/61367
-Starting the Job Search T gone are the days when the role of a career services office (CSO) was mostly to match students to the job openings already pouring in. Today, an impres- sive resume is no longer a guarantee of employment; and what worked for business graduates five years ago may not work for the Class of '05. "Before, the main job of a career services professional was to counsel a he job-hunting woes of business graduates—and those of the career development staff who advise them—have loomed large in a tight job market. Most career services professionals agree that the heyday of multiple job offers and signing bonuses are over; student on which offer to accept," says Pedro Gonzalez, director of MBA Career Services at Drexel University's LeBow College of Business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Now, it's to help themdiscover an interest, find a company, prepare for an interview, and even get that first job offer." As a result, the length of the counseling relationship has been dramatically extended. A career advisor once may have had only a few interactions with students, most during the last few months before graduation. Today, the career counseling relationship is ongoing, lasting from the time students' applications are accepted to long after they graduate. Even now, as the job market emerges from its stubborn deep freeze, career services professionals have found that while employers are regaining their optimism, they are maintaining caution when it comes to hiring. Companies don't want to train "fixer-upper" applicants or waste time interviewing can- Netherlands. As a former recruiter for Deloitte & Touche, she knows what students are up against. "These days, recruiters are more selective and spe- cific in what they're looking for. In recruiter-speak, we talk about 'the sheep with five legs.' That's what recruiters demand now—the ideal candidate who meets their criteria perfectly." This new attitude among employers poses a challenge even to the most didates who aren't their dream hires. "There was a time when companies were more willing to train people," says Jessica Rubingh, careermanagement center director for the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University in The When recruiters won't settle for "second-best," how do career development offices deliver candidates who are prepped, poised, and practically perfect? They market aggressively, promote persistently, and argue persuasively for students to get a jump on the job hunt—sometimes before classes even begin. by Tricia Bisoux illustrations by Adam McCauley creative career services professionals. Still, many who work in career services say that today's competitivemarket has energized the profession, transform- BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2004 23