University of Virginia Library

Making Connections With The Yellow Pages

By ANDY BALLENTINE

"Wet paint" signs and
carpenters renovating Minor
Hall hide the active, colorfully
decorated Office of Career
Planning and Placement.

Office director Lawrence A.
Simpson describes his
department as "a division of
student affairs responsible for
and concerned about career
and graduate study plans of
students in the University. Our
effort is to stimulate students'
thoughts about where they're
going."

Many placement offices
encourage students towards
certain occupations. But not
this one. "We're not an
employment agency," Mr.
Simpson said. The Office
presents students with relevant'
information concerning his
post-graduation interests, but
nothing is forced upon him.
They emphasize that the
student himself makes his own
decisions concerning future
plans.

To help in career planning
the Office handles counseling
and advising to students in
addition to recommendations
to employers. Approximately
250 companies will hold
interviews on the Grounds this
year.

To further student thought
about future occupations.
Career and Graduate Planning
Week will be held from
October 16 to 26. Seminars,
dialogs, and discussions will
be presented on aspects of
attaining graduate school or
employment. All students are
encouraged to participate.

New this year is a program
of pre-law advising. Seven law
students are on hand to answer
undergraduate questions. Mr.
Simpson feels that this
program will be successful
because it features "young
people working with young
people."

Another library at the
University? The Office of
Career Planning and Placement
has a new one including an
extensive collection of books
on all facts of career choice.
Everything from cost of living
charts for the country's cities
to a directory of America's
communes is available. There
are even copies of phone book
yellow pages from all the major
cities–invaluable for making
contacts in various localities.

Helping students present
themselves well at interviews
with prospective employers is
another major concern. With
video tape machines, students
can review their performance
in mock interviews, with a staff
member playing the part of an
employer.

"We help students clarify
their strengths and weaknesses,
emphasizing their strengths and
working on the weaknesses,"
said Mr. Simpson. "Students
will learn something about how
to get a job."

Once a student has reaped
all the benefits the Office of
Career Planning and Placement
has to offer. It is up to him to
choose a future field to pursue.
The choice should not
necessarily be made on the
basis of supply and demand.

"It is hard to talk about
good and bad areas to get
into," added Mr. Simpson.
"What is bad for one person
isn't bad for others."

For example, there is a high
demand for students
specializing in accounting and
most aspects of engineering at
the University. Also, students
majoring in education
(especially special education)
as well as those involved in the
schools of Commerce and
Economics are needed.

Mr. Simpson revealed that
aerospace and the academic
areas in physics and chemistry
are currently depressed, but he
quickly added that "bad" areas
change rapidly. "Aerospace has
had a history of being in
demand, then out, then in
again," he said.

Referring to undergraduate
work, Mr. Simpson said, "A
student can be successful with
a major in anything. A student
with a liberal arts education is
in demand if he is flexible,... it
doesn't matter what that
degree is."

In other words, as long as a
student isn't steadfastly
resolved to spend his life in
Boston and will accept an
opportunity anywhere, he will
be all right.

Mr. Simpson perceived a
reversion to a late 1950s
atmosphere in which students
are more concerned about
careers. However, an increasing
number of people are taking a
year off immediately after
taking a degree before
committing themselves to a
life-long occupation. Mr.
Simpson noted an amazing
number of inquiries about jobs
to be found in Europe for a
short period of time before
beginning a permanent career.

Trends are always changing,
but the purpose of the Office
of Career Planning and
Placement does not. Explained
Mr. Simpson, "Our aim is to
launch a student on the most
solid foundation possible."

As the activities of the
Office have become more
extensive, the staff has grown.
In addition-to the new pre-law
advisors, there are staffers to
advise Engineering and College
students. New librarians have
also been added and another
new member assures that the
needs of women and minority
groups are met.

The Office of Career
Planning and Placement.
Sixteen qualified people to
help you.