Working To Provide Good Jobs

This letter is in reply to the Feb. 13 Leah Gourley letter to the editor, “Improve Career Services,” published in The Daily Free Press.

First, I understand Leah’s job-hunting frustration. We are doing our very best in COM Career Services and will help her or any other COM student. I note that Leah did get into a resume critique session and benefited from it. The problem was Leah couldn’t get an appointment with the career counselor before Spring Break. I checked — they are booked! But, I’m sure Leah will get an appointment after Spring Break. I agree with Leah’s recommendation that if anyone having a similar problem (or any problem with any COM student services) needs to bring it to the attention of the COM administration. I first heard about Leah’s problem in The Freep.

Since there were more issues raised, I need to make some comments:

• The work-study students in the career office — she left the impression they were sitting around reading or sending personal email — wrong perception. When I have gone to that office unannounced, I have observed student workers entering into the COM career database new job information, surfing the job websites to be sure we are not missing any potential jobs or going through the newspaper and trade magazine want ads. Our work-study students may do class-related research or send email when they are not otherwise busy. So, we are working to have as many jobs listed as possible.

• You DO NOT need an appointment to gain access to the COM job database. In fact, after you are given the access code, you can look at the database from your dorm or apartment. Some COM jobs are only listed on this online database because potential employers know our students are the best.

• On your math: Please understand that many of our COM seniors do not seek appointments with the COM career counselor because they have already gotten job leads from their journalism professors, faculty advisor or through the outside internships they had in their junior and senior years. That is the job route contact strategy most of our journalism students use. So, that office is not under a demand to serve all 500 graduating COM students this year. To also use the total COM enrollment of 2,100 students (it is actually close to 2,300) as if they are all pounding on the Career Services door is simply not an accurate picture. Journalists must be accurate.

• Again, I do understand Leah’s job search frustration as voiced in the letter. Today is the most challenging journalism employment situation we have faced since the late-1980s and early-1990s. But the good news is if you are good, the editors are still hiring on a very selective basis the very best. They do want the prospective employee to have some experience outside the classroom: journalism internships, work on The Daily Free Press, etc.

• Finally, I pledge to continue to do everything we can to get our students good jobs. In addition to career service, we have over 2,000 alumni in COM’s professional partners program to help our students find jobs. Many of these alumni are mentors to our students in their last year at BU.

Brent Baker

dean, College of Communication