Over the previous two weeks, one might have noticed a decrease in the number of U.Va. trademark North Face jackets and baseball caps emblazoned with an orange "V." They have been exchanged for pinstripes and flashy ties. Such a remarkable change was not due to Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde fashion moment but, rather, the on-Grounds interviews and job fairs organized by University Career Services.
Gigi Davis-White, director of education and nursing career services at UCS, said student participation in the UCS-planned events has been excellent.
"Students really have responded well to our programs," Davis-White said. "At last week's Spring Arts and Sciences Job Fair we had over 500 students. And at [yesterday's] Education Fair we [had] over 400 people."
The most recent job fairs and the following interview processes provide University students with internship and other alternative summer job opportunities through personal contact with diverse employers ranging from JPMorganChase to Virginia public school systems.
According to Davis-White, a summer internship is not a necessary but is certainly a beneficial experience for future job opportunities.
"I think it is very important for students to gain experience in the field they are interested in," she said. "For example, in education, having experience with children is essential."
Davis-White also stressed that the kind of internship that a student should look for should fit the industry they are interested in.
"Of course, if you want to go into i-banking, it is important that you find something like a financial services internship in Washington D.C.," she said. "But a summer abroad is as valuable if you are interested in, let's say, international business or international affairs."
Fourth-year College student Liz Antus said she believes there are many opportunities available without having previous internship experience.
"I know plenty of people who haven't done [internships], and they are still getting very good jobs," Antus said. "I talked to a friend of mine from high school last night, and he got this consulting job at IBM. And I know he never had internships before."
Antus also pointed out that summer internships tend to affect different groups of students differently.
"A lot of my friends are going to grad school, so, for them, it is not that important," she said. "But for people in the Comm school it is more crucial."
When asked whether there is an increased interest in the field of finance, Davis-White said there were quite a number of different trends she is observing as well.
"If you are in the Comm school or an Econ major of course you go towards finance," she said. "But I also see a lot of Arts and Sciences students gravitating towards service sectors, especially after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina -- sectors like education where salaries are not that high."
Fourth-year College student Susan Anspach said she agreed that salary is not necessarily a major factor in choice of career.
"I just feel like people are worried about what to do next year in general, more so than salary," said Anspach. "Beggars can't be choosers."
Anspach also said she would consider the job-finding process as one of the top-5 stressful moments of a person's life, but she is able to take the whole process less seriously.
"I did [the interviewing process], actually, and the whole business suit thing is such a façade," Anspach said. "We are in Newcomb Hall, after all."
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