2008 Woodie Awards
Former Gorillas discuss life outside the Jungle
Chris York
Issue date: 2/21/08 Section: Campus Life
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The speakers included Anna Gudde, a 2005 grad; Nick Wells, a 2002 grad; and Whitney Kiesling, a 2005 grad who earned her master's degree in 2007. The three alumni took questions from 10 students regarding life after school and advice for job searching.
"Since I graduated, I went through a variety of phases," Gudde, a Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce employee, said. "I went from banking, insurance and public relations. The job search was a little harder than I thought."
The discussion showed that finding a "dream job" after college sometimes turns out to be just that, a dream. Most members of the alumni panel had jobs that seemed ideal, but did not turn out that way.
"I took an advertising job in Kansas City, which was good for me because I found out exactly what I didn't want to do," said Whitney Kiesling, an employee at PSU.
An area the speakers stressed was finding the right job where they like the atmosphere.
"It's been so important to me that I get along with people that I work with," Kielsing said. "It's so nice to have a good working environment."
Nick Wells warned of getting lost in the corporate world.
"In some big businesses, you become just a number while other companies can make it feel like a family atmosphere," said Wells, an employee of Depco.
All three of the speakers agreed on the importance of the career fair. They say they believe it is an excellent tool for students to gain experience and network.
"You talk to different people and really get a feel of what employers are looking for," Gudde said.
Transitioning from a full-time student to a full-time employee can be hard. Very few jobs allow the vacation time that students receive.
"It really makes you appreciate the time off you get," Wells said. "You're going to love that week off you get for vacation."
The alumni also stressed the importance of being happy in their jobs. Money is not always most important.
"You can think of salary as being the big deal, but someone may offer more vacation time," Wells said, "And sometimes time off is better than money."
The final area covered by the alumni dealt with internships and how they can help students find employment.
"Internships show your employers that you are willing to step up and be responsible," Gudde said.
Internships allowed one alumnus to land a job right after graduation.
"It was my internship in account management that helped me to get my job," Kiesling said.
David Derakhshanian, sophomore in construction management, said the discussion was beneficial.
"I thought it was pretty neat about taking as many interviews as possible and looking for the family environment," Derakhshanian said. "They definitely gave a lot of good advice."
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