In the wake of the credit crisis that shredded the U.S. financial system and markets worldwide, many Shockers are faced with economic woes ranging from depleted retirement funds to unemployment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country’s unemployment rate for February stood at 8.1 percent, up from the 6.2 percent posted in September 2008. But amidst news of industry lay-offs and government bailouts is this: Career services are easily available to Wichita State alumni.
“You probably don’t know we are still here for you,” says Jan Mead, assistant director of WSU Career Services. “It’s all about Shockers supporting Shockers.” With career services, Mead explains, individuals can find online resources, assessments and by-appointment services. Here is an overview of offerings:
• Post your résumé and search for positions on the free online recruitment system Shockworks. An added benefit to using Shockworks is a free résumé critique. Alumni, call (316) 978-3435 to gain access.
• Use Career Services’ website to find links to job-seeker resources that cover such topics as preparing résumés and job search correspondence, getting ready to interview, job search databases, industry and salary information.
• Schedule an appointment to talk about one or more of the following topics: résumé critiques, job search guidance, interview advice, mock interviews and career exploration.* Students, new grads up to a year after graduation: free, alumni: $20/hr, community: $40/hr.
• Explore career options by assessing your strengths. Assessments, which require an additional cost, are an optional part of career exploration* and include Vista Cards: Card sort that ranks values, traits, interests, skills and provides you with a Holland code that matches you with career titles (free); Self-Directed Search: Measures your interests and skills and provides you with a Holland code that matches you with career titles ($20); Strong Interest Inventory: Compares your interests and skills with various occupations ($20); Campbell Interest and Skill Survey: Evaluates possible jobs, activities and skill levels ($20); Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Finds your four-letter personality type and matches it to work roles ($20); StrengthsFinder: Teaches you about your top five talents and how to develop them into strengths ($20).
Shockers everywhere, at events long ago or happenings just the other day, always have something interesting to say. Take this sampling as a Shock Talk example:
“Business cycles are shaped by market forces. Each unique cycle is a result of the interplay of household consumption, business investment, government expenditures and international trade. Changes in these sectors can be regional, national or global in their impacts and can provide varying degrees of stimulus and/or distress in markets. Consequently, no two recessions are alike.”
— Excerpted from “No Two Recessions are Alike” in the February edition of e-connection, which is produced by WSU's Center for Economic Development and Business Research.
“I feel like I’m at my Bar Mitzvah.”
— Albert Goldbarth, Adele M. Davis Distinguished Professor of Humanities at WSU, on the occasion of WSU Libraries, Department of Special Collection’s reception of 56 boxes of papers, journals, correspondence and other objects of note from his prolific 35-year career as a poet. Goldbarth, two-time winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award and recipient of the 2008 Mark Twain Award for Humorous Poetry, also commented, “What’s important is the writing of the poem.”
“The face of Wichita State University has changed drastically in the past ten years along with its most striking feature — the student.”
— First sentence of "Living Experiences" in the 1975 Parnassus.
